MISUNDERSTOOD MINDS

Joanna Munoz
November 14, 2020
EDUC 2301-101
Semester fall

PRODUCER: MICHAEL KIRK

Director and film company: Michael Kirk and PBS
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The basic storyline from this movie is about children with different kinds of learning

disabilities, and how they go through their hardships in school life. Since there were different

varieties of children with learning disabilities here is one example of a boy named Nathan who

lives in North Carolina. This boy is a very lonely child and is bright and loves science, yet could

not succeed well in school, some children did not like him and would ridicule or make fun of

him. That is how he hated, and did not want to go to school, and would kick others because he

would get frustrated, even angry. Then later his parents take him to a University where Dr.

Lavine would test his disability and would explain how to fix his disability. After Levine test

Nathan he would explain his weakness first than his strength, his disability was demystification

and graphomotor problem. Then Dr. Levine would complement his strengths which made

Nathan happy because it was his first compliment. Then Dr. Levine says that his strengths can

overcome his weaknesses. Then a year later he enters Hargrave Military Academy because his

parents would believe his discipline will help him.

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How I said before about different varieties of learning disability presented in the movie

from each student would depend, learning disabilities in where I found in the textbook called

Special Education in Contemporary society quotes “a retardation, disorder, or delayed

development in one or more of the processes of speech, language, reading , writing, arithmetic,

or other school subjects resulting from a psychological handicap caused by a possible cerebral

dysfunction and/or emotional or behavior disturbance” (Richard 212). The movie actually

portrays accurately about learning disability because it shows five children with different types

of learning disabilities and how they would go through their life and solve their problems. To be

honest it was quite difficult to chose from either side, I believe it was both positive and negative

because the movie would discuss each students learning disability and how it brings a negative

impact towards their grade and school life. Including when parents felt embarrassed and worried

about their kid if they will succeed or not for their future. For the positively, the child’s parents

would take their children to a Dr. in a university to aid what the student needs and know what the

child is struggling. The Dr. would provide to the parent and the child what he/she is lacking and

would guide the child, and the parent in order for the parent to let them practice at home or at

school to see progress in a couple of months. Not only just by university, but other special

educated teachers would also guide he/she with learning disabilities. The reason I say both is

because children are aware about what’s going with them and would notice that they need help.

Not always children will respond and ask for help sometimes, according to the same textbook

and author Richard also defines a term “Outer-directedness: a condition characterized by a loss

of confidence in one’s own capabilities and a reliance on others for cues and guidance” (225). In

other words, children would think, and have no hope for themselves and will close everything

around them, which that is not a positive mindset.

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The roles that each person play like the special education teachers would be there and

assist the student with learning disability, while the parents would support their child and would

find aids to seek out. The doctors from universities would assist each student to test and

experiment data to see what the child is lacking, while some classmates would try and respect

them, or make fun of the student with learning disability. Each child reacted differently in their

own personal way with their learning disability, like how the first child Nathan had a hard time

in reading his book and including memorizing which they called it phonemic awareness. The

second child named Lauren Smith was having trouble focusing on her class, which Dr. Skip

Baker provides her to take a stimulant medication such as Ritalin. The third child, Sarah has the

same problem in memorizing, but speaking was the most effected area, which is expressive

language deficiency. The fourth person is a teenager named Adam who struggles to read and did

not had any special education classes. The last child named Nathan had demystification and

graphomotor problems which means he wouldn’t do work much because it was too much work

and would not have control of the very little muscle at the ends of his fingers. All these

characters reacted because the children with learning disability needs aids in order to function

and know how to work their problems, therefore the parents and doctors would work with the

child to see the issue. It also shows the results from each child if their dilemma was solved or not

and what happens after the effect it took. Some who have solved their problems like the two

Nathans, Lauren and Sarah successfully strengthen and overcome their obstacles because they

had special classes and help. While sadly, Adam the teenage boy did not had enough help for his

reading and ended up expelled at his high school for poor behavior. It really depends on the child

including the people that will provide services for the child’s need, even to maintain their

education in order to pass and understand life itself.

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In my opinion about Misunderstood Minds is a very effective perceptive about each

individual child with various learning disabilities. It’s purpose and achievement were to let other

education teachers, parents, students or others to see what learning disability child goes through

with their struggles in life and school. Furthermore, it also educates us from a professor in a

University in what they discover about each child’s issue and what they need to build up. Not

only just professors even doctors explain and would think medication could aid a child needs for

them to stay focus on class and socialize better. I recommend watching this movie, because it

informs abundance of distinctive situations of a child with learning disabilities. It also shows

their experiences from each parent from a child’s journey to not give up hope and to do it for the

child’s benefit. Even the narrator himself has a child who has the same disability as them and

says, “no child with learning problems has to become a lost child,” which was a lesson from long

ago (01:22:19). With ongoing support and by working hard for your child’s success will bring

prosperity to the child with learning disability. Give it a try and watch it, this movie will surely

prepare many educators out there about a variety of children with learning disabilities.
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Work Cited

Gargiulo, Richard, et al. Special Education in Contemporary Society: an introduction to

exceptionality. Los Angeles, SAGE Publication, 2017