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Child Development

LET THEM EAT DIRT: THE HUNT FOR OUR KIDS' MISSING MICROBES

Directed by Rivkah Beth Medow, Brad Marshland

Looks at the role microbes play in the development, physical and mental health of our children, and argues that good health begins with kids playing in the dirt.

Allergies, obesity, asthma, diabetes, auto-immune and intestinal disorders are all on the rise, with the incidence of some diseases doubling every ten years. New research points to changes in the ecosystem of microbes that live on and inside every one of us -- our microbiomes -- as a major cause. But how could one's gut microbes increase the odds of developing conditions as radically different as asthma and diabetes?

Hosted by Good Morning America's Becky Worley, and based on the book of the same name by B. Brett Finlay, PhD and Marie-Claire Arrieta, PhD, LET THEM EAT DIRT features families, doctors, and researchers who are sleuthing out what's harming our microbes -- and what we can do to reverse this dangerous trend.

DVD / 2019 / (Grades 10-12, College, Adults) / 58 minutes

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CELLING YOUR SOUL

Directed by Joni Siani

An examination of our love/hate relationships with our digital devices from the first digitally socialized generation, and what we can do about it.

In one short decade, we have totally changed the way we interact with one another. The millennial generation, the first to be socialized in a digital world, is now feeling the unintended consequences.

CELLING YOUR SOUL is a powerful and informative examination of how our young people actually feel about connecting in the digital world and their love/hate relationship with technology. It provides empowering strategies for more fulfilling, balanced, and authentic human interaction within the digital landscape.

The film reveals the effects of "digital socialization" by taking viewers on a personal journey with a group of high school and college students who through a digital cleanse discover the power of authentic human connectivity, and that there is "No App" or piece of technology that can ever replace the benefits of human connection.

DVD / 2017 / (Grades 6-12, College, Adult) / 48 minutes

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STILL WATERS

Directed by Peter Gordon

In his tiny, one-room, after hours, free school in Brooklyn, Stephen Haff teaches forty Hispanic kids reading, creative writing and Latin.

A remarkable one-room school in Brooklyn is facing a tough year. It's the run up to the US presidential election and anti-Latino rhetoric is ramped up--an extra source of tension for a hard-pressed Hispanic community already threatened by gentrification and eviction.

The school, Still Waters in a Storm, is the creation of Yale grad Stephen Haff. A passionate critic of mainstream education, he believes in the joy of learning without tests and the innate creativity of children and insists that the school is free. It survives precariously on the thinnest of shoestrings.

When regular school finishes, Still Waters starts working. Stephen and his group of children explore, with the help of illustrious guest writers like twice Booker Prizewinner Peter Carey, the power of storytelling, creativity and community. And along the way they discuss Donald Trump and gentrification with humor and passion.

Filmed over a year STILL WATERS follows this compelling man, his philosophy, the spirit of the children who attend, and the dreams and fears of their immigrant Hispanic community.

DVD / 2017 / (Grades 7-12, College, Adults) / 79 minutes

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CULTIVATING KIDS

Directed by Melissa Young, Mark Dworkin

On South Whidbey Island, WA, a school farm shows that a garden can be a valuable addition to the curriculum while encouraging a healthy diet.

On South Whidbey Island in the state of Washington, a school farm involves children from kindergarten through high school in every phase of raising organic vegetables as part of their school experience. Supported by local non-profits, community volunteers, and the school district, it shows that a garden can be a valuable addition to a school curriculum, while encouraging children to eat healthy food. The school farm sells local, organic produce to the school cafeterias and also supplies the local food bank and community nutrition programs with fresh organic produce throughout the growing season.

DVD / 2016 / (Grades 4-12, College, Adults) / 23 minutes

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EAST OF SALINAS

Directed by Laura Pacheco, Jackie Mow

Jose Anzaldo is an excellent student with a bright future except that he is undocumented, the child of migrant farm laborers in California's Salinas Valley.

EAST OF SALINAS begins with 3rd grader Jose Anzaldo telling us what he wants to be when he grows up. His parents work from sun up to sun down in the heart of California's "Steinbeck Country," the Salinas Valley. With little support available at home, Jose often turns to his teacher, Oscar Ramos, once a migrant farm kid himself. In fourth grade his teacher told him if he worked hard he could have a different life. Oscar won a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley. The day he earned his degree, he bought a car and drove home to the fields. He's been teaching ever since.

Jose is Oscar's most gifted student. But how do you teach students like Jose who have no place to do their homework? How do you teach a kid who moves every few months? This is what Oscar is up against every day. Oscar not only teaches his students reading, math and science, he gives them access to a world beyond their reach.

But Jose was born in Mexico--and he's on the cusp of understanding the implications of that. As we watch this play out over three years, we begin to understand the cruelty of circumstance--for Jose and the many millions of undocumented kids like him.

EAST OF SALINAS asks, What is lost when kids like Jose are denied opportunities?

DVD / 2015 / (Grades 7-12, College, Adults) / 53 minutes

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TALENT HAS HUNGER

Director: Josh Aronson

Talent Has Hunger is an inspiring film about the power of music to consume, enhance, and propel lives. Filmed over 7 years, the film is a window into the mysterious world of the artist, the passion that can grip and sustain a young player from childhood through the last days of life and the years of sacrifice and dedication a budding artist needs to fulfill one's talent. The film focuses on the challenges of guiding gifted young people through the struggles of mastering the cello. Through the words and actions of master cello teacher, Paul Katz, it's clear that this deep study of music not only prepares wonderful musicians, but builds self-esteem and a cultural and aesthetic character that will be profoundly important throughout his students' lives.

DVD / 2015 / 82 minutes

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EQUATION OF LIFE, THE

When 11-year-old Adam (played by filmmaker Gerry Orz) is bullied in his new town on his way to school, he begins to video journal his daily experiences. When he finally takes matters into his own hands, everyone around him is affected. His parents, his sister, the bully and his mother... they all pay a price for their actions.

The Equation of Life is a dramatic film by one child who is speaking to all children (and adults) about a subject so important it should be seen by everyone. More than a story about introbullying,

The Equation of Life teaches that every decision we make changes the path on which we travel.

The Equation of Life's message is so powerful that it will change the way a child, a mother, a father, a friend and a family view life.

DVD / 2014 / 32 minutes

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LIFE AT 9

Life at 9 provides a window on Australian childhood in an effort to uncover just what it is that gives a child the best chance at life. Every two years, the filmmakers revisit these children and their families to gain an in-depth snapshot of their lives, examining what it takes to give a child the best chance in life.

The children of today will need to be creative to solve the problems of tomorrow. So what is creativity and how creative are our children? What inhibits creativity and what helps it to flourish?

2 DVDs / 2014 / 110 minutes

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SCHOOL'S OUT: LESSONS FROM A FOREST KINDERGARTEN

Directed by Lisa Molomot

A year in the life of a forest kindergarten in Switzerland where being outdoors and unstructured play are the main components.

No classroom for these kindergarteners. In Switzerland's Langnau am Albis, a suburb of Zurich, children 4 to 7 years of age, go to kindergarten in the woods every day, no matter what the weatherman says. This eye-opening film follows the forest kindergarten through the seasons of one school year and looks into the important question of what it is that children need at that age. There is laughter, beauty and amazement in the process of finding out.

The documentary is a combination of pure observational footage of the children at kindergarten in the forest, paired with interviews with parents, teachers, child development experts, and alumni, offering the viewers a genuine look into the forest kindergarten. There are also scenes of a traditional kindergarten in the United States to show the contrast between the different approaches.

DVD / 2013 / (Grades K-12, College, Adult) / 36 minutes

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LIFE AT 7

The Life Series is an observational documentary series that chronicles the lives of 11 children as they grow from infancy to adolescence. Combining real life stories with cutting edge science, it offers a refreshing insight into contemporary family life.

Every two years, the filmmakers revisit these children and their families to gain an in-depth snapshot of their lives, examining what it takes to give a child the best chance in life. Now, with our children having reached the critical age of seven, and in the midst of profound life changes, this two-part series explores their first tentative steps towards independence and self-identity.

For the first time, in Life at 7, we hear directly from the children as they speak about who they are, and how they see themselves in their ever-expanding world.

2 DVDs / 2012 / 100 minutes

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BULLYING BEHAVIOR IN BOYS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

By Bob Ditter

Bullying Behavior in Boys and What to do About It presents a clear and powerful overview of the complexities of bullying behavior in boys and how to respond to it in practical, effective ways. The DVD discusses several of the factors that make bullying behavior so difficult in general and then thoughtfully explains the differences in both the motivation and behavior between boys who bully and girls who are socially aggressive. The DVD also details a step-by-step process for responding to bullying behavior— an approach that is essential for anyone working with children in groups, no matter what the setting.

Among the topics covered:

Bullying behavior in boys

Three approaches: #1—help the victim

Three approaches: #2—address the bully

Three approaches: #3—work with the other boys

Use parents as allies in the process

DVD / 2011 / 30 minutes

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EARLY LIFE 2: IN THE MAYOR'S FOOTSTEPS - BRAZIL

Directed by Steve Bradshaw

Mayor Amilcar Huancahuari visits Brazil to assess efforts to promote early childhood development there.

Every year, the Mina congregation in Sao Luis, Brazil, choose a child Emperor and Empress. Watching this year in the tropical heat is Mayor Amilcar Huancahuari. With the new Brazilian government emphasizing Early Child Development, Amilcar wants to know whether Latin America's richest country can follow the Mina example - or whether violence and poverty are still hindering children's chances of fulfilling their potential.

Outside Sao Luis, Amilcar finds the sons and daughters of shrimp fishermen learning ballet. In the hills beyond Fortaleza he learns how the playground can become a classroom. In the drug favelas of Rio, he sees the classroom turned into a playground for learning.

Mayor Amilcar also journeys to the Modernist capital, Brasilia, to discuss his trip with the Minister for Human Rights. Will he find enough exciting ideas to help the kids back home in Peru?

DVD / 2011 / (Grades 7-12, College, Adult) / 26 minutes

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EARLY LIFE 2: IN THE MAYOR'S FOOTSTEPS - PERU

Directed by Steve Bradshaw

Mayor Amilcar Huancahuari is trying to convert his native Peru to his optimistic philosophy of promoting early childhood development.

Warned that the child he's talked to will grow up poor and violent, Mayor Amilcar Huancahuari sighs. If only we could start young, he believes, we'd have a better chance of a peaceful and prosperous world. We need to keep young children away from violence, and develop their brains from birth.

But is that just the Mayor's dream? In this episode of Early Life, the Mayor tours his native Peru to discover how kids are being shortchanged: from the jungle city of Iquitos to the Andes mountains once wracked by political violence. Amilcar visits children who live in a floating favela - where he needs a police bodyguard - finds kids working city streets at midnight, and meets victims of a war over before they were born.

How much poverty, stress and violence can kids be exposed to without incurring real mental damage?

DVD / 2011 / (Grades 7-12, College, Adult) / 26 minutes

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I CAN BE PRESIDENT

Directors: Diane Kolyer & Michael Sporn

What would it be like to grow up and become president of the United States?

In I Can Be President: A Kid's Eye View, a diverse group of children candidly share their thoughts on the subject, affirming the importance of having dreams at any age.

I Can Be President features interviews with elementary schoolers whose hopes and dreams - both hilarious and touching - come to life in animated sequences created by the award-winning animator Michael Sporn.

A young person's view of civics and ethics, I Can Be President offers simple yet profound observations on subjects like diversity, war, being a leader and becoming an adult. All in all, a promising vision of the nation's future.

DVD / 2011 / 22 minutes

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LIFE AT 5

The third instalment of The Life Series features the ordinary and extraordinary journeys of eleven children as they learn to deal with many of life's hurdles including death, divorce and the day-to-day challenges of being a five year old.

Following on from Life at 1 and Life at 3, Life at 5 tracks the children against contemporary scientific findings from two areas of child development; childhood resilience and the factors which enhance school readiness.

As the lives of the children unfold, we grapple with the very essence of what it takes to make us all thriving, creative and happy human beings.

2 DVDs / 2010 / 110 minutes

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PLAY AGAIN (NEW EDITION)

Directed by Tonje Hessen Schei

What are the consequences of a childhood removed from nature? Six screen-addicted teens take their first wilderness adventure.

One generation from now most people in the U.S. will have spent more time in the virtual world than in nature. New media technologies have improved our lives in countless ways. Information now appears with a click. Overseas friends are part of our daily lives. And even grandma loves Wii.

But what are we missing when we are behind screens? And how will this impact our children, our society, and eventually, our planet?

At a time when children play more behind screens than outside, PLAY AGAIN explores the changing balance between the virtual and natural worlds. Is our connection to nature disappearing down the digital rabbit hole?

This emotionally moving and humorous documentary follows six teenagers who, like the "average American child," spend five to fifteen hours a day behind screens. PLAY AGAIN unplugs these teens and takes them on their first wilderness adventure - no electricity, no cell phone coverage, no virtual reality.

Through the voices of children and leading experts including journalist Richard Louv, sociologist Juliet Schor, environmental writer Bill McKibben, educators Diane Levin and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, neuroscientist Gary Small, parks advocate Charles Jordan, and geneticist David Suzuki, PLAY AGAIN investigates the consequences of a childhood removed from nature and encourages action for a sustainable future.

DVD / 2010 / (Grades 6-12, College, Adult) / 80 minutes

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EARLY LIFE: KIBERA KIDS

The adults of Kibera are working hard to offer kids a safe and stimulating haven in pre-schools.

Slumdog Millionaire, City of God...you could make a box office hit from the lives of kids in Kibera, the biggest slum in sub Saharan Africa. Even before they go to school here, children must run the gauntlet of Kibera's crazy and even violent street life.

Scientists warn that stress can raise levels of the hormone cortisol, permanently altering the architecture of young brains. But while stress can be a problem, so can too little stimulation - as scientists discover how important interaction is for childhood development. Experts disagree how critical the first five years are and whether more funding should be diverted to early childhood development. But many of those who set the agenda for global development now regard early childhood as a key priority.

The adults of Kibera are working hard to offer kids a safe and stimulating haven in pre-schools. Pre-school is a safe space for the kids, somewhere they can develop peacefully and-in theory-become less violent adults. But many parents can't afford the ten dollars a month in fees.

For parents and teachers of children like Nasuru, Brian and Patience in this episode of Early Life, pre-school also brings dilemmas. Should it reflect traditional African social values, or the West's more individualistic outlook?

DVD / 2009 / (Grades 9-12, College, Adult) / 25 minutes

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EARLY LIFE: MY FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

Three children prepare to enter primary school in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Thailand's Festival of Water: Songkran. A chance for adults to behave like kids. And for some kids a last chance to misbehave before the first day of school. The third program in the Early Life series follows three children preparing to enter primary school in Chiang Mai, Thailand. But are their lives already set on different courses? Scientists suggest that how the brain develops in the first years of life may affect a child's ability to prosper at school.

Sita is looking forward to her first day, Best is wary, and Tha Na Korn doesn't even have a school to go to yet. Their dilemmas reflect those of Thailand as a whole: how should a country with its own traditions of childhood prepare their kids for a new, globalized society? Thailand is now developing an education policy to meet the needs of a globalized economy.

Child rights might have guaranteed Tha Na Korn local schooling. But many experts who say culture should guide early child development don't like talk of "child rights". They say it could lead to the West imposing its own views of childhood on the world.

Can Thailand achieve child rights without sacrificing its culture? Child rights will mean more kids like Tha Na Korn go to school. But Tha's school has a different language and culture. He could become "unrecognizable to his parents." Child rights and respect for culture need to be combined.

DVD / 2009 / (Grades 9-12, College, Adult) / 25 minutes

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EARLY LIFE: THE MAYOR'S DREAM

The Mayor's dream is simple: a better world because every child gets a better start.

What goes on inside the brains of babies-and how much are we shaped by the first few years of our lives? Scientists have new insights into how children think, and some claim that by not acting on these discoveries, lives are being wasted.

We visit the Andes where Mayor Amilcar Huanchuari believes that stimulating children's brains early on can make for a more prosperous-and less violent-society. We visit the labs of Boston, MA, where Harvard scientists are trying to determine whether science really is on the Mayor's side. We see how some Kenyan mums have realized that their traditional parenting ways have to change in today's world. And we talk to a young architect in Turkey who believes that her own life proves the Mayor's dream can be a reality.

"I have a dream," says Amilcar Huanchuari. "We know that poverty is a product of malnutrition, poor education and poor stimulation. And from this we believe that investment in education, health and nutrition is important, and we believe in the early stimulation of our children. We're convinced we should work with children from the earliest age and we're going to form a new society of children. We'll build a new generation of children. They'll be more successful and prosperous children and they'll contribute effectively towards a peaceful future for our country."

The Mayor's dream is simple: a better world because every child gets a better start. But does science support his dream? Across the world, evidence on both sides of the debate is mounting up.

DVD / 2009 / (Grades 9-12, College, Adult) / 25 minutes

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21 UP SOUTH AFRICA: MANDELA'S CHILDREN

Director: Angus Gibson

"Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man."

The Jesuit maxim behind the landmark UP Series has now been taken to South Africa, where a group of children, first filmed in 1992 at the age of 7, are now 21. Rich and poor, black, white and "mixed race," the fascinating and revealing portraits featured in 21 Up South Africa offer unique insights into the social and political upheavals that have occurred throughout South Africa since the crumbling of Apartheid.

From township slums to apartheid-era mansions to the bushveldt, the 14 children who started the Series have experienced a multitude of changes, just like the country itself. As with time-lapse photography, we see them at age 7 and 14 - capturing their disarming honesty, dreams, aspirations for the future - and now at 21, figuring out their place in the world, part of the new South Africa - "Mandela's Children." In successive interviews we witness their changing attitudes and experiences about issues ranging from race relations and education, to crime and unemployment, to marriage and the AIDS crisis - which has already claimed the lives of three of these children.

DVD / 2007 / 70 minutes

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