As a high school English teacher, I am of the persuasion that there are certain books everybody ought to read at some point in his or her life. Whether the person enjoys these books he or she should read them simply because they are such an important part of our cultural heritage. Huck Finn, Paradise Lost, Hamlet, Lord of the Flies… If you haven’t read these or others that your high school English teacher assigned, stop reading this article and go to your local library. Just be sure to come back to this article after you’ve finished reading them.

In addition to being an English teacher, I am also a student of film. (I wrote my master’s thesis on Singin’ in the Rain). Therefore, I believe just as there are certain books everyone should read, there are also certain films everyone should see. Citizen Kane, Casablanca, On the Waterfront, Singin’ in the Rain…These films and many others hold an important place in our artistic and cultural tradition. As an educator, I feel it is my responsibility to pass along this important part of our heritage to the next generation. I don’t want these classic films to be forgotten and replaced by movies filled with alien invaders and sparkly vampires.

As someone who spends his 9-to-5 day with young people, I know the importance of being relevant and engaging students on their terms. As youth leaders—whether we are youth pastors, educators or volunteer workers—we need to remain in the know and use elements of our students’ world as a means for entering meaningful dialogue with them about important issues. Start in their world, then as you build a relationship with them, slowly bring them into your world where you can enfold them with God’s love and grace.

Entering into our students’ world and engaging them on their level is vitally important, but it is just as important to engage them on our terms once in awhile. Classic films such as the ones mentioned above can be the perfect tool for doing so. Film is a medium that our students already know, and these classics contain real substance instead of the explosions, car chases and scantily clad women occupying most of today’s cinematic offerings.

This article series, Connecting with the Classics, is being written to help youth leaders and Christian educators use classic films as a vehicle for exploring important issues and engaging in meaningful dialogue with students. Each week, I will offer some thoughts on one of these cinematic masterpieces and the insight into spiritual themes and the human condition the film gives us. I also will give some practical tips and questions that can serve as conversation starters to help you use these films to jumpstart discussions with your students.

So, I invite you to join me in this journey of Connecting with the Classics. My prayer is that you will find meaningful insight into these beloved films, as well as a means of connecting with students in new and unique ways.

Ryan M. Blanck, teacher and writer from Southern California. He is the author of Engaging the Media. You can find him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.