Being a "high school dropout with permission" I would fully support this type of decision for my son. I actually hope my son decides to let me pull him out of school when he reaches his teen years in favor of, what in my opinion, will be a better education.

As the product of late homeschooling, I feel and know the benfits this type of "education" can provide for a young person. I only wish I had been guided in this way by a parent with a passion. I was able to explore many avenues which would have taken me much longer to discover.

Great story! Thanks for bringing this to light.

Hi Jocelyn -- Ah, would that we could! But the good news is that David Gilmour has listed all of the movies he and Jesse watched at the back of the book -- dozens and dozens of them. It's an impressive and varied guide that is sure to keep you and your two bright kids busy watching for at least a school year, if not much longer!

I'd love to have a list of the films that they watched together. I have two bright kids who hate public school. It would be a great service to see that list posted here on studio360.org.

There is no substitute for learning through your parents. American public schools are a disturbing place to send our good young people. You should be happy if your child has problems in the traditional public school. They are designed to kill creativity and social justice impulses. Biology and math can be learned else where. The film school is brilliant.

I home schooled my daughter after 7th grade because she begged me not to send her back. She did not even want to drive near the place and she swears that no one ever physically abused her but the teasing and social pressure to do mean things to others and with boys was more than she could stand.

Film was one part of our curriculum. I think this is a great lesson for people to learn through their parents. That time will never come again to have such a positive influence on your child. THERE IS NO OTHER SUBSTITUTE

I think it's a wonderful idea. What better way to learn about life - watching stories told by master storytellers (and by not so master storytellers) and be able, through those stories, to weave a relationship with your child? It sounds too good to be true. Some of my most cherished teenaged memories are of going to the movies, in the 1970's, with my father.

I like what a friend of mine does. She gave her kids "hooky days," on which they could skip school as long as they did something educational and discussed it afterward. They could go to an art exhibit or join mom, a union organizer, at a picket line or protest. Hooky days have also included community meetings and documentaries.

A college dropout myself, I might allow my hypothetical kid to skip high school if s/he agreed that each week, s/he would read a book, see a film, check out some visual or performing arts show, attend a city council meeting, public hearing or court trial. Then the poor kid would have to do a short essay on the activity, to be disccussed over a weekly dinner, which s/he would cook.

I imagine that my child would either become extremely erudite or run screaming back to school.

I would consider such a program for my oldest son to continue developing his creative talents. At 10 years old, he has created his own comic book character and has successfully sold three year-long subscriptions. Many of his classmates and school peers enjoy reading his comics. If I did implement a learning it with hands-on math, science, English composition and perhaps a foreign language. Wonderful idea and wonderful parenting.

I wish I would have thought of something this creative back in the mid-eighties for a son who was reprimanded by a teacher when in 3rd grade he drew a picture of a Slinky when told to draw a picture of Spring. He still has that creative intelligence but no thanks to the structure of the school system.

It seems like a great platform to develop around.

This was no more and no less than a "Great Books"
course, offered at university level. As an educator,
I worry only that not all of the content addressed
areas like science. Then again, there are biographical films on the Curies, for example, and more
recent ones like that of the Johns Hopkins professor who discovered surgical procedures for "blue babies."
I've used it as a motivational film for my students.

I have taught in a school for kids with learning differences, and can attest to the value of giving
a student unorthodox learning opportunities, if
he/she is guided with expertise, as was the case
with David Gilmour and Jesse.

The key is to observe and open a child's mind.
Bravo, David!

Jacqui Sergio
Latin, Spanish, Italian, ESL Teacher

Although I probably really wouldn't have allowed my daughter who is graduating this year (with mediocre grades from private school) to quit, I definitely believe she would have had a great response to The Film Club program.

I do think it's a good idea and appropriate for certain kids. In fact, I was so excited listening to this segment that I had an NPR driveway moment. I went into the house so cheered up and proposed to my husband and only child that we begin viewing films this way this Summer as a way to stay connected and have adult conversations, and have fun! We all LOVE movies!

The idea has been enthusiastically received. Thank you so much for this story!!