I absolutely loved the film, Intelligent Lives. My main take away from this production is that this is the first step in educating others who are not passionate like we special education majors. It is so important for others to see the value of special education and inclusion. This film gave several examples about how inclusion has helped students who have special needs. It proves that these students are just like any other students who can learn and want to learn just as much as their peers. This film was an eye opener and I loved seeing all the amazing things the young adults in the production have gone through. One of my favorite parts was one of the young adults named Micah. He was getting into a relationship and becoming his own guardian. Although his girlfriend had her parents as her guardian, Micah wanted her to be able to become an advocate for herself. This is so powerful. Another take away is the movie shows that these students see others not fighting for their rights and education and they become willing to fight for themselves and become their own advocate.
My opinion of the film conveying a realistic view is that it was very realistic. I was not sure what to expect this film to be like. I was thinking it would be about one person and their life. The film was almost like a documentary and showed the lives of three young adults, Naieer, Naomie, and Micah. The film also mentioned a young boy named Jessie. Towards the end of the film we found out that Jessie had passed away and this movie was dedicated to him. This film conveyed a realistic view by showing the struggles and obstacles students with special needs face. It also showed their high points like when Naomie got her first real job, Naieer getting to go to college for art, and Micah graduating from college.
I could use this production and others like it in my future. I can use it in my future classroom to give students like Naieer, Naomie, and Micah someone to look up to. Students could then see that they are just like them and are able to accomplish many things in their lives. I could also use productions like these to educate fellow teachers, colleagues, and parents about the importance of inclusion. I love how these productions can inform and educate communities, like the Grove City community, with this screening of Intelligent Lives. Hopefully, there will be more productions made showing the importance of inclusion and educating people about students with special needs who can and may overcome challenges they face.