Thursday, October 24, 2019

Learning Dispatch - October 24th, 2019 - Toronto Trip, Films to Watch, Reading

Hi,

Why the dispatch? - I want to understand how I can make my learning more social. I love having interesting conversations with friends and colleagues about new things I learned. So these dispatches are part of an effort to get those conversations started. I am also very curious to know more about what you have been learning in return for sharing some of the learning highlights of my week/month/year.


Course Update - The B.Ed course has kept me busy. But it has been an interesting week for me personally. I have really enjoyed reading for the coursework this week and faculty lectures have kept me quite engaged. 

Reflection Notes from Trip to Toronto - I got to visit Toronto from 14th October to 18th October. I fell in love with the city and hope to visit it again soon. I also got to catch up with some old school friends. I visited the Royal Ontario Museum, Kensington Market, Queens Street, Ed Mirvish Theatre, CN Tower, Distillery District, Art Gallery of Ontario, Film Reference Library at TIFF Lightbox,  Union Station. I loved Toronto because it is such a great city to walk around. 

Film Recommendation - I saw some great films in the last two weeks. The list includes Ben is Back, Capernaum, The Incredible 25th Year of Mitsy Bearclaw, Salam. I highly recommend all four films and really enjoyed watching each one of them. 

What I'm currently reading - 'Coming Back to Me' by Marcus Trescothick and 'Being Adolescent' by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Abhishek 24th October 2019



Learning Dispatch - September 23rd, 2019 - Autumn Learning

Hi,
Why the dispatch? - I want to understand how I can make my learning more social. I love having interesting conversations with friends and colleagues about new things I learned. So these dispatches are part of an effort to get those conversations started. I am also very curious to know more about what you have been learning in return for sharing some of the learning highlights of my week/month/year.
Films
Wildlife by Paul Dano (Trailer Link) - The story of a family that moves to Montana in the 1960's in an area affected by fires. The father loses his job and this starts putting a lot of strain on the family. The young son watches his young parents deal with the pressures of managing in a family in these difficult times. He is unable to understand his parent's behaviour in most cases. The fire outside is similar to the fire in their house that is hard to put off. The cinematography is brilliant to bring 1960 Montana to life on screen. Carey Mulligan gives the performance of her life as the mother, Jeanette Brinson. But the highlight of the film is the young Ed Oxenbould who plays the son, Joe Brinson.
What They Had by Elizabeth Chomko (Trailer Link) - Easily one of my favorite films this year. It is the story of a family that comes to terms with a mother who is in the last stage of dementia. They grapple with the question of admitting the mother to a nursing home. The father and married daughter are against this idea. While the son pushes for it constantly insisting it is what his mother needs. Each character is so defined and layered. I relate to Bridget Ertz, the daughter and the loneliness she feels in a marriage she doesn't feel committed to. I relate to Nicky, the son and his quest to constantly get the acceptance of his father as he is not in good professional standing. I relate to Bert, who is now trying his best to support his wife who has dementia and constantly fights his children's suggestion to put her in a nursing house. I relate to Ruth, who tries so hard to remember things but is just unable too and then smiles or makes a joke when she knows she has forgotten something very important. In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Elizebeth Chomko said this was the story of her grandparents that she wanted to tell on screen. She wrote it over a three year period. And man it was well written. It is such a joy to consume something so beautiful in such a small period of time that takes so much time and effort to create and bring to life.