Small Group Movie Analysis Paper

After completing this learning activity, you will be able to identify types of groups, analyze the characteristics of healthy groups, list the stages of group development, identify group roles, and analyze and apply the problem-solving process.

This is a big project worth a lot of points so give yourself the time to do a great job!

Choose a Movie

After reading Chapter 9 and 10 in your textbook, view one of the films below (click the links beside each title to see a brief synopsis of the movie). You are responsible for obtaining access to the film you choose. Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Apple, HBO, cable, are all options. Many of these services include a free trial period that you may want to use to access the film of your choice.

• Stand By Me: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092005/
• Little Miss Sunshine: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449059/
• The Internship: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2234155/
• Apollo 13: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112384/
• Oceans 8: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5164214/

Look for Examples

After viewing your chosen film, you will write a paper in which you address the following small group communication concepts with specific examples from the movie. I recommend you view the film twice. The first time to familiarize yourself with the story and the second time to take specific notes on each of the items below.

1. What type of group is exemplified in the film?
2. Assess the health of this group using the Characteristics of Healthy Groups guidelines found in chapter 9. For each of the 6 characteristics, assign the movie’s group a score between 1 and 5, with 1 being very unhealthy and 5 being very healthy. Use specific examples from the film to explain your rating.
3. Explain how the group progressed through the 5 stages of group development. Provide examples of each stage from the movie.
4. Review Roles in Groups. What roles did each group member play? Give a specific example of something each group member said or did that demonstrates the role they played.
5. Explain how the group worked through systematic problem solving. Pick a particular obstacle or challenge they faced. Provide specific examples of how the group did (or did not) progress through each of the 6 problem-solving steps explained in Chapter 10 of your textbook.

Paper Requirements

INTRODUCTION

• A thesis statement
• Your film choice – How/why you decided to watch that movie
• A BRIEF summary of the film
• A preview statement (an introductory explanation of the concepts you analyzed in the film)

Note: the introduction should not surpass 1 page of text

BODY

• Organize the body into 5 sections to address each question listed above.
• Use subheadings for each concept in the body
• Each section of the body should first start with a BRIEF definition of the small group concept you will be discussing.
• Describe and analyze the communication in the film’s small group using the selected concepts that apply. Use concrete examples from the film and examples of dialogue that will show how the concept is useful in explaining communication between characters. Each section in the body should have several examples from the movie.
• With the exception of the first question, each of the remaining sections should be at least one page long.

CONCLUSION

• A clear summary of your main points of analysis
• What you have learned about small group communication as a result of this analysis.

 Read the article Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and to the States . A major concern in many education programs is the high rate of teacher attrition. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the estimated national cost of replacing outgoing teachers is $2.2 billion (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005), money that could be better spent on the program or staff development. Identify and describe a policy related to teacher retention. Then, evaluate the significance of the retention policy in relationship to the desired program outcomes.

Respond to at least two colleagues by supporting or refuting your colleagues’ analysis of disability as a social construct or your colleagues’ analysis of the intersectionalities in the Parker case and how they marginalize and impact Stephanie. 1 paragraph minimum.

Colleague 1: Jasmine

Disability is constructed by external factors in the environment (Gilson & DePoy, 2002). According to Adams et. al, “people develop discriminatory attitudes and behaviors towards people with disabilities based on cultural values expressed by institutions that include medical, educational and the media.” The stigma surrounding disability is perpetuated by stereotypes, invisibility, lack of support and inclusiveness (Adams et. al, 2018). These external factors make disability a social construct as society uses the disability to define a person rather than seeing them as a person who is living with a disability.

In the Parker family case Stephanie is a 48-year-old woman who lives with her elderly mother. Stephanie moved back into her mother’s apartment after a failed relationship. Stephanie works part-time at the super market and receives social security disability benefits. Stephanie was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 16 after her first suicide attempt, when her boyfriend broke up with her. Stephanie does not have a history of drug and alcohol treatment but abused marijuana and alcohol as a teen. Stephanie attends a mental health drop-in center twice a week to socialize and receives outpatient psychiatric treatment. She is currently on several medications to treat anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. Stephanie has experienced suicidal ideation and was recently hospitalized for a depressive episode.

Stephanie is bipolar and lacks healthy coping mechanisms, problem solving skills and is not able to live independently. These aspects of Stephanie’s personality in addition to bipolar disorder can make it challenging to navigate in society because at some point Stephanie will experience a barrier(s) which can trigger her into another depressive or suicidal episode. These intersections could further marginalize Stephanie because she may shut down and not try to take the necessary steps forward to improve her living situation due to her condition and characteristics. Such marginalization will cause Stephanie to be frustrated and lack trust in systems. This will also affect her ability to use self-determination and be an active agent with professionals because she may begin to feel incapable of making adequate decisions for herself.

References

Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castaneda, C., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H. W,… Zuniga, X. (Eds.). (2018). Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge Press.

Gilson, S. F., & DePoy, E. (2002). Theoretical approaches to disability content in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 38(1), 153-165.

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

Colleague 2: Rachel

A social construct is typically a man-made definition of something that is then adopted by the society at large. In terms of a disability I think we feel the need to categorize and label disabilities. This can have both positive and negative effects. In one sense it allows us to do research such that we can better the lives of those affected by the disability. Although this also puts a stigma on those categorized into this disability. No matter how much success they may be able to achieve, they will still be haunted by the label placed on thim. These labels can change our perception of the disability because it causes us to think narrowly in terms of what people are able to do and accomplish.

Stephanie’s mental illness intersects with other characteristics of her identity in several ways. Because of her mental illness, she feels that she cannot live successfully by herself. Also, she is only working part time. Despite happening 32 years ago, Stephanie talks as if her suicide was in the recent past. Stephanie seems to think that she does not have many options in her current situation. If she were to live on her own it was suggested that she find a “supportive apartment complex” (Plumer, 2014). I think, as sometimes happens in similar situations, the people involved in Stephanie’s case may forget that she may have an opinion and choice in the situation. At times, people tend to feel the need to make choices for the individual.

Maysoon Zayid stated that “Disability is as visual as race…The disabled are the largest minority in the world and are the most misrepresented” (Maysoon Zayid, 2013). Also, Bryan says “Illness or disability often places the individual, and sometimes the family, in a state of dependency (Readings for Diversity and Social Work, 2018). Those with a disability are often marginalized by the social constructs that we as a society place on them. Because of this, I think social workers must work harder to show that they care when working with those that have experienced marginalization. The social worker can advocate for Stephanie and ensure that she is able to access needed resources.

Adams et. Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (2018). New York, NY. Routledge Press

Zayid, M. (2013, December). I Got 99 Problems…Palsy is Just One. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/maysoon_zayid_i_got_99_problems_palsy_is_just_one/up-next#t-705369

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. “The Parker Family”

BUS 210 Week 4 Assignment- SWOT Analysis.doc

SCI 241 Week 2 DQ 1