Using Movies to Teach Leadership

Leadership movies for kids can be excellent and engaging tools for teachers to use with students of all ages. This article includes considerations for teachers when selecting and sharing films with students. Explore tips, discussion questions, suggested films, and a downloadable discussion guide.

Film Watching

Movies are engaging tools for introducing and discussing leadership concepts. Dozens of movies—both classic and contemporary—portray strong leadership themes. Classic movies with older release dates may require a bit of background and context for your audience for their timeless relevance and application for teaching and discussing leadership in order to rise above the groans about terrible special effects, cheesy outfits, and sometimes awkward dialogue. Leadership movies for kids can be used with children of all ages.

Before you decide to use film or movies with your students, check into your school or district’s video content policies. You’ll want to carefully follow rules and regulations. Your school administrator or technology director can help!

With Younger Children

Younger grades often use films to fill recess time during inclement weather. Honestly, movies are not my first choice for how to use that time; I advocate for offering free time in the gym or setting up classroom stations with quick leadership initiatives. But if your school uses films in this way, select leadership movies for kids. Even if time limits kids from seeing the entire film during that recess period, classroom teachers can take 5 to 10 minutes to comment on the leadership ideas in the film prior to launching into the next lesson.

Ideally, you can utilize film outside of recess time to enrich classroom learning and allow for discussions about featured leadership themes. Choose films relevant to students’ lives and worthwhile to discuss. Furthermore, rather than showing the most current releases, which many kids have seen multiple times, choose from the many G- and gentle PG-rated films that introduce leadership themes and lessons, such as Dreamer and A Bug’s Life.

With Tweens and Teens

When seeking to facilitate in-depth discussion with tweens and teens, encourage students to keep track of leadership issues throughout the movie. Here are some general questions you might want students to reflect on when you process and discuss movies.

• What leadership lessons did I learn from this movie?
• Which character’s leadership style do I relate most to in this movie?
• In what ways does the plot of this movie connect to real-life situations?
• What leadership characteristics or behaviors play a central role in this movie?
• Have I ever faced any dilemmas like those of the characters? If so, what? When and how did I deal with it?
• Were the characters aware of their roles as leaders in this movie? If so, how do they demonstrate this awareness? If not, why didn’t they see it in themselves?
• Are there any scenes that would be more effective if executed differently? Why? How would I do those scenes differently?

If time doesn’t allow you to discuss all of the leadership questions included in this article, or you show only short clips of any movie, select the questions that best represent the lesson you want students to take away from what they’ve watched.

To Start or End the Lesson

Whether you will be sharing an entire film or a selection, leadership movies for kids can be a great way to start or end a lesson. Using a film in this way is an engaging way to capture students’ attention and imagination as they embark on or close a unit of study. Support students as they make connections.

Suggested Films to Teach Leadership

Here’s a short list of my current favorites for using movies to teach leadership.

• All the King’s Men (NR, 1949)
• Batkid Begins (PG, 2015)
• Because of Winn-Dixie (PG, 2005)
• Big Hero 6 (PG, 2014)
• A Bug’s Life (G, 1998)
• The Boxtrolls (PG, 2014)
• The Greatest Game Ever Played (PG, 2005)
• Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (G, 2008)
• My Neighbor Totoro (G, 2010)
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (PG, 2013)
• Sneakers (PG-13, 1992)
• To Kill a Mockingbird (NR, 1962)

Remember, every audience is different. With this consideration in mind, choose movies that are appropriate for your group. Always review movies or video clips prior to using them in your program. I regularly peruse the Internet Movie Database and Common Sense Media for new ideas, and I watch each movie before using it with kids and teens.

Film-Making

After watching and discussing films with leadership themes, invite students to try their hand at creating them. This can be accomplished for students at all grade levels. There are many available technologies that can support students in this effort. Choose the one that is right for your students and setting.

Start by identifying the leadership themes your students wish to portray. Utilize filmmaking processes like storyboarding. After structured planning time, give students the time and space to be creative and to try different techniques. Provide an outlet for sharing and discussion.

Film is a powerful tool to teach leadership. Whether you are watching film or inviting students to create it, allocate time to have meaningful discussions about the leadership themes the films portray.