The Chorus Les Choristes Dina Au, Cedric Cheng, Johnson Chu, Doris Chung, Edmond Kar, Ken Lau, Charisse Mok, Ahmood Tsang

Plot Summary

Struck! France Background Post WWII Financially Psychologically Struck the students!!!

The School: Bottom of the Pond Fond de L’Etang Aged ~8 - 16 Underprivileged Orphans Juvenile Delinquencies

Students Parents died in WWII Pierre Morhange /pi:'ɛʀ 'mɔ:ʀɔ:ʒ/ Protagonist Single-parent Angel face; Devil mind Pierre Morhange /pi:'ɛʀ 'mɔ:ʀɔ:ʒ/ Pépinot /'peɪpɪnɒ/ Parents died in WWII

Students Mondain /mɔ̃'dɑ̃/ Corbin /'kɔ:ʀbɑ̃/ Wrecker Kind-hearted score stand

Teachers & Staff Mr Clément Mathieu /'kleɪmɔ̃ mɑ'tjœ/ Principal Rachin Protagonist Music teacher Mr Clément Mathieu /'kleɪmɔ̃ mɑ'tjœ/ Principal Rachin /'ʀæʃɑ̃/

Teachers & Staff Mr Chabert /'ʃɑbɛʀ/ Patriotic PE teacher Uncle La Père Maxence /lɑ pɛʀ mæ'kʃɔ̃s/ Kind-hearted Janitor Mr Chabert /'ʃɑbɛʀ/ Patriotic PE teacher Mr Langlois /lɔ̃'glwɑ/ Piano-playing mathsteacher

Principal Rachin Principal @ Fond de L’Etang “Action – Reaction” A real educator?

Activity 1 Ahmood  Principal  Rachin Doris  Miss Teacher Nice  Mathieu Johnson  Mr Teacher Bad Cop  Chabert writes something bad about the headmaster Rachin on the white board When Rachin comes into the classroom….

Activity 1 How do you feel when Rachin asks Mathieu to pick someone as scapegoat and punish the whole class?

Activity 1 (video)

Activity 1 Discuss with your groupmates, what philosophical perspectives are observed? Hints :try to think of some Chinese philosophical perspectives 

Rachin – A Legalist? Legalism 法家 Han Fei Zi 韓非子

Rachin & Legalism Legalism Believes that human are inherently bad Merely education is not adequate to rectify the bad nature of human Clear rules/laws have to be set on people have to obey the rules/laws in order to maintain a stable society People have to obey what the head says

Legalism in the movie Rachin Emphasize strict obedience the rules Students must obey and follow the rules Always requires students to keep silent ‘action-reaction’ punishment, rather than teaching or inspiring students, is a better way to make students obey the rules

Principal Rachin’s Educational Philosophy? Rotten Idealist Desperate Realist

Rachin’s Educational Philosophy? Selfish Profit Fame Fortune

Rachin’s Educational Philosophy?

~ A Realist Reasoning Corporal punishment Discipline

~ A Realist

Mondain: A victim of Realistic Principal

Mr Clément Mathieu Employed as school teacher Was a composer, but didn’t went very successful Inventory teacher? A teacher of love?

Activity 2

Activity 2 Uncle Maxence was seriously hurt by Le Querrec If you were Mathieu, what would you do? Would you punish Le Querrec and take him to the principal?

Activity 2 : Any alternative way?

Activity 2 Discuss with your groupmates, what philosophical perspective is evident? Hints : try to think from the Chinese philosophical perspective 

Mathieu great believer of student's potential promote personal expression thrive hard to arrange environment that encourages them to find areas of interest Example: setting up of a choir → stimulates children to use their potentiality

Idealists Idealists’ Perspective: believes developing perspective only be attained in : a deliberate, slow, gradual, maturing process. → simply use humanistic, warm, sensitive approach as a wake-up call to their inner heart.

Pragmatist Both Dewey & Mathieu believe : → music, voices as a tool can transcend minds. the role of a teacher (Dewey) : → to orient learners toward experiences that lead to growth → to provide continuity to those experiences.

Postmodernist raise the kids that is underrepresented, marginalized. this school seemed to be the last resort for 'hopeless kids'. And unlike his principal, he treated them with heart. e.g. orphaned boys, or boys whose parents don't have means to support them (financially and/or socially)

Why not Realist ? X basic skills X scientific X prepare for world of work X Realist usually feel conforming to the school order / administration would be wise.

Confucianism What is Confucianism in educational perspectives? Believes people are teachable, improvable and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor. Emphasizes self-cultivation, emulation of moral exemplars, and the attainment of skilled judgement rather than knowledge of rules.

Confucianism Requires a teacher be one who has developed their What is Confucianism in educational perspectives? Requires a teacher be one who has developed their own character. Does not use structured classes but encourages the strengths of students and improves their weaknesses.

Confucianism and Mathieu Teaching methods from Confucianism Application of Mathieu in the film To develop students’ interests in learning To observe students’ behaviors and to communicate with them in order to have a comprehensive understanding of them. Mathieu asked their students what they wanted to do when they grew up. Mathieu found that the students had a good voice for singing so he composed for them every day. Mathieu has positively recognized the students’ incentives so as to maintain their self-esteem.

Confucianism and Mathieu Teaching methods from Confucianism Application of Mathieu in the film Uses music as a tool for teaching and cultivating “li” (propriety ; 禮). Believes people possessing the same potential, and that education is the corrective means to stray from ethical behaviors. Establishes a harmonious relation between teachers and students. Mathieu has tried to use music to cultivate his students. Mathieu believes different students have the same potentials to be explored. Before teaching the music Students were naughty and did not follow the rules. After teaching the music Students became obedient and established a sense of trust to Mathieu.

Mencius and Mathieu Teaching methods derived from Mencius Application of Mathieu in the film Believes people at birth are naturally good (kind-hearted). Recognizes the importance of human education and cultivation. Le Querrec has hurt Maxence but Mathieu has not punished him or taken him to the principal. On the other hand, Mathieu requires him to help look after Maxence every day after class by working at the infirmary. Rather than punishment, Mathieu gives the opportunity for Le Querrec to compensate his fault.

Music (choir) in the eyes of Rachin

Music (choir) in the eyes of Mathieu “Music has helped with discipline”

Music in Confucianism : a device for self-cultivation a vehicle of self-expression a force of social stability a political tool a medium of communion between man, nature and supernatural powers

Music in Confucianism : “Personal cultivation begins with poetry, is made firm by rules of ceremonials, and is perfected by music.” (Lunyu, in the chapter “Tai Po”

Music in Confucianism : capable of completing the personal development of the individual one’s ethical values are cultivated and one becomes the ideal Confucian gentleman an honourable person, a paragon of moral integrity. Moral integrity = Confucian idea of humaneness (ren 仁)

Music in Confucianism : the essence of music is humaneness A man who is not virtuous cannot claim to be a musician nor have anything to do with music

HAN Yu, Tang Dynasty, “What is a Teacher?” Conclusion 唐。韓愈《師說》 HAN Yu, Tang Dynasty, “What is a Teacher?” To Preach the Ethics 傳道 To Solve the Confusion 解惑 To Teach the Knowledge 授業

Reflection Why do you think music is chosen as a vital subject to change the kid’s life and not math or physics instead? What does music mean to you?