Concerned about what your kids watch on TV?
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At the movies? On DVD?
Concerned about violence in videogames?
Do you even know what your kids do
online?
Want to do something about ALL of this?
Take the KIDS FIRST! Media Literacy Course and run your own Junior Film Critics program.
This is a great course for teachers, librarians, Girl Scout leaders or parents to take to give them skills in evaluating and critiquing films together with their students or children. The course is required for anyone wanting to become a KIDS FIRST! Juror as ot ensures the consistency of a KIDS FIRST! evaluation. The course is presented as a webinar in two consecutive sessions. The admin fee is $10 per person.
Schedule:
August 9 and 11 (Mon and Wed) at 8 p.m. ET
August 24 and 26 (Tues and Thurs) at noon ET
September 14 and 16 (Tues and Thurs) at noon ET
September 20 and 22 (Mon and Wed) at 8 pm. ET
Classes are generally offered once or twice a month.
If you cannot make the dates above, please complete the application form and we will notify you of other upcoming classes. If you are unable to participate during any of the scheduled times, you may arrange for a private session. Private sessions will cost an additional $20. Please contact us to request a private session or for updates on class times.
To register, go here or call our office at 505-989-8076
If you have further questions, please Contact us.
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forms
Not a Juror yet? - Try your hand at a short review by using this form.
Who are our Jurors? Go here.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critics
“Some kids play doctor or teacher or firefighters. My kids play Film Critic.Maybe Siskeland Ebert costumes for Halloween?” H. Dallman, mother and KIDS FIRST! Juror. Photo by Linda Carfagno |
KIDS FIRST! evaluates, rates and endorses children's films, DVDs, CDs, TV shows and games using volunteer, community-based juries of adults and children from diverse backgrounds. To insure consistency in these evaluations, every juror must complete our Film Critics training program. This is a media literacy course designed to teach adults how to evaluate and critique a film, TV show or videogame using criteria developed specifically for KIDS FIRST! Also, it addresses how to facilitate a children's jury (Junior Film Critics) to evaluate media in the same way. Every KIDS FIRST! endorsed title has been approved by our adult jurors and recommended by our child jurors.
Fundamental to KIDS FIRST! mission is teaching children critical viewing skills. By participating in the Junior Film Critics program, children learn to make their use of media a positive one; one that enhances their cognitive, social and behavioral skills and cultivates a healthy media lifestyle.
How the Film Critics Course Works
The course is offered entirely online. It is presented in two one-hour sessions. There is a short homework assignment that must be completed after each session. The entire course, including the homework, will take about four hours to complete and can be done within a week's time.
Through the training you will address how to:
- Teach children to view media critically.
- Teach children how media can affect us.
- Teach children how to evaluate media using specific criteria.
- Teach children how to write reviews and critique media verbally, alone or as part of a group.
- Teach children how to identify and use great media.
Join the KIDS FIRST! Jury
"It is very cool that I, as a kid, can have influence on other kids and parents on what movies that they buy. I have learned about how important the content of the films are and how many great movies there are for kids." Photo by Linda Carfagno |
Once you complete the course, you are invited to join the nationwide, community-based KIDS FIRST! jury. Together, with more than 200 adults and 3,000 kids, you become part of the nucleus for the KIDS FIRST! endorsement Program.
If you choose to join the jury, you will be notified via email, usually once or twice a month, of the opportunity to evaluate a DVD, CD, TV Show or videogame. You will be given a deadline for completing the evaluations. You choose whether or not to accept the invitation to do an evaluation. If you are too busy or going on vacation, you can wait for the next invitation to arrive. It's up to you.
One of the big benefits of evaluating programs for KIDS FIRST! is that you get to may keep any of the DVDs, CD, or videogames that you recommend. Many of our Jurors have built a hefty media library for themselves. If you are a teacher or librarian, it's a great way to build up your school's media library. You can donate them to your church, community center, or just keep them for yourself. Materials sent to you, however, may NEVER BE SOLD.
Here's How to Get Started
Thank you KIDS FIRST! for all that you do! It has been a wonderful journey being a juror with you. Our family does not have TV; we just watch videos. This experience has enabled us to watch some videos that we would have never been exposed to. We are not just sitting back and watching, we are communicating about the shows we watch. Now watching videos is a whole new experience with our children! Before picking up a video at the rental place I always look at the KIDS FIRST! endorsed title list to see what would be best for my children. Its great to know that I can always trust what videos are on your site to be safe for my children's eyes and ears!
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- Fill out the online application form.
- Once you apply, our Jury Manager will confirm your reservation in the next training session. .
- Prior to your first webinar, you will be asked to read our Jury Manual which is available online and you will be given instructions for joining the class.
- During session #1, your trainer will walk you through the basic process of an adult media evaluation. You will be able to ask questions and to benefit from questions asked by others in your group.
- After session #1, you will be asked to view and evaluate a short online clip.
- Prior to session #2, you will submit your evaluation to your trainer who will give you critical feedback. You will also receive emailed instructions for joining session #2.
- During session #2 the trainer will guide you through the process of evaluating a program with a child or group of children.
- Next, you will evaluate the same online clip with a child or group of children and submit your evaluation to the trainer who will give you critical feedback.
- That's it! Once you complete the course, you will be invited to join the active KIDS FIRST! jurors and if you accept, will be notified by email of opportunities to evaluate new programs.
If you have any questions about any of this, please contact our Jury Manager, Lauren Longworth at 505-989-8076 or contact us via email.
Independent Producers Members who join the jury, benefit from one free endorsement fee waiver after completing the course and evaluating six titles.
KIDS FIRST! is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media, a national, 18-year-old, nonprofit (501-c-3) organization that is a voluntary collaboration between the media industry, educators and child advocacy organizations. The mission of the Coalition is: 1) To teach children to become critical media users and; 2) To increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media.
