Changing By The Minute Documentary Tool Kit

Private SCREENER page for friends and family, not for general circulation.

I spent a year embedded as a one-woman film crew in a public middle school in New York City, and made a documentary called Changing By The Minute, that is part of a larger tool kit including the 62min film, a 10min short film, discussion guides, and bonus clips. All of the materials are available below for you to enjoy with your friends and family.

The goal of the project is to help reverse the narrative of early adolescence as a negative time — and support teachers in decreasing the stress and distress experienced by 10-14 year olds. This material is both a window into a school that embraces these years with joy, flexibility and deep acceptance and it is a view into the daily lives of early adolescents, featuring authentic, unfiltered interactions between students and commentary from them. This chance to hear directly from 10-14 year olds makes the took kit a powerful resource to:

• Engage middle grade students in meaningful conversation
• Catalyze dynamic professional development sessions with teachers
• Educate college students about the needs of early adolescents
• Inspire nuanced discussion in graduate programs about the nature and purpose of middle school
• Connect with parents and families about what to expect developmentally during these years

Read more about the project here: ChangingByTheMinute.com.

If you know anyone who may be interested in using the documentary tool kit in a college of education, a middle school, afterschool program, etc. — please do not send them this page. Please share the website which has the trailer and a lot of information, including a form where they may request a screener.

I hope you enjoy the film(s). Feel free to drop me a note with questions or comments.

Camilla Calamandrei

Headphones / external speakers recommended. Laptop speakers not recommended.
Click “expand” button on lower right of each window to view full screen.
TURN captions on or off via CC symbol, in lower right hand side of player.

Trailer (3 min)

Changing By The Minute (62 min documentary)

Y’All R Real Ones: Middle School Moments (10 min documentary)

Bonus Clips

Click here to access seventeen short clips of commentary, anecdotes, and insights that are intended to augment the 62 min. documentary film Changing By the Minute and provide jumping off places for additional conversations.

Discussion Guides

Discussion Guide for using short film with 10-14 year olds, during school and afterschool

Discussion Guide for using short film with new teachers, teacher candidates, and school counselor candidates

Discussion Guide for using 10min short film in professional development sessions with teachers, administrators and school staff

Discussion Guide for using 62min film with 10-14 year olds during school and after school.

Discussion Guide for using 62min film in professional development sessions with teachers, administrators and school staff

Discussion Guide for using 62min film with new teachers, teacher candidates, and school counselor candidates

Discussion Guide for using Bonus Clips with teachers, administrators, teacher candidates, college students, after school staff

To learn more, see: ChangingByTheMinute.com

If you know a school offering middle grades instruction or teacher education that would like to review the documentary tool kit, have them contact: RollingRiverMedia@gmail.com