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In this episode of Playing Teacher, we pull back the curtain on a not-so-secret weapon in our teaching toolbox: cinema. Whether we were screening something in our makeshift movie theater during lunch or showing a film to an entire class, movies weren’t just a break—they were world-builders.

But this episode isn’t about the obvious curriculum tie-ins (you won’t hear us talking about “let’s watch October Sky during the space unit”). Instead, we explore how film can plant vivid experiences in kids’ minds—scenes, emotions, and stories that become internal reference points. These are the seeds that later bloom into understanding when we reach for analogies, metaphors, or that elusive “aha” moment in science class.

Movies, when used well, help create a shared cultural language in the classroom. They give us shortcuts to explain complex ideas (“remember how The Matrix slows time?”), and more importantly, they give our students memories that feel real—even if they happened on screen.

This episode is a love letter to the big screen and a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful teaching tool is the one that dims the lights and starts with a flicker.

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