Geoffrey Canada is a very influential and important figure in the progression of charter schools. He is the founder of Harlem Children's Zone. I admire the work he has done to improve the opportunity of a good education for children in the Harlem, NYC area. This is a short clip from the documentary on charter schools, "Waiting for Superman". If you haven't seen it is definitely a must see. Lots of great information for educators, prospective educators and even non-educators. Parents of all people should be aware of the options their children have.
Last year, Waiting For Superman turned the nation's attention to American education. This was the first education documentary to receive such attention.
That being said, more attention is now given to the charter school debate because of it. If you are unfamiliar with the ongoing issue, Waiting For Superman is a good starting point. Although Dr. Ravitch wrote about the myths of the movie, it is still a resource when beginning any kind of research into the topic.
The first time I saw Waiting for Superman it had an impact on me. I remember leaving the theatre with tears running down my face and thinking, "How could anyone have a negative view on these schools". Seeing the impact on the children's lives that got into one of these schools was eye opening. However, I soon learned how few children actually get this life changing experience compared to the rest of New York City. Charter schools present great opportunities to those who get to experience them. The biggest dilemma is what do we do with everyone else who is stuck in the public schools? If we our going to continue to make charter schools a focal point then we also need a solution for the students who do not make it into charter schools. By focusing so strongly on charter schools we are not pushing out public system to strive to the best it can be. Overall, the topic of charter schools is significant for everyone. It doesn't matter if you are a future educator, current educator, parent, or even a taxpayer. Everyone should be knowledgeable about the subject on both sides!
I was able to check out the "Waiting For Superman" documentary last year when it was released and my initial reaction was that charters seemed like an inspiring revolution in education and a last hope of sorts for not only the five families that were focused on in the film, but for many within their communities. I looked at the concepts that these charters presented, such as smaller class sizes and extended school hours for students to get additional instruction, and thought to myself that if this can work for charter schools, what would happen if these concepts were installed into the public school system? One of the most emotional scenes I have ever seen was the lottery drawing and to see the heartbreak of the parents whose children didn't make it in and the joy of those parents whose child was accepted. In a sense, to the parents whose children didn't make it in, "Superman" was not there to save them of the failing public schools that their child came from.
From what I have seen and heard about Geoffrey Canada, especially his role in producing this documentary, he has done astounding work towards finding ways to improve education. His analogy of "Superman" as it pertains to the hope that many children and parents share towards being saved from a failing school system is one that is common way too much in today's society. Even at a young age, children can see what's going on around them and when they, along with their parents, see that something isn't right within their school and their odds for succeeding within that system, they will seek out the best chance for them to make the most out of their future.
Geoffrey Canada is a very influential and important figure in the progression of charter schools. He is the founder of Harlem Children's Zone. I admire the work he has done to improve the opportunity of a good education for children in the Harlem, NYC area. This is a short clip from the documentary on charter schools, "Waiting for Superman". If you haven't seen it is definitely a must see. Lots of great information for educators, prospective educators and even non-educators. Parents of all people should be aware of the options their children have.
ReplyDeleteLast year, Waiting For Superman turned the nation's attention to American education. This was the first education documentary to receive such attention.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, more attention is now given to the charter school debate because of it. If you are unfamiliar with the ongoing issue, Waiting For Superman is a good starting point. Although Dr. Ravitch wrote about the myths of the movie, it is still a resource when beginning any kind of research into the topic.
The first time I saw Waiting for Superman it had an impact on me. I remember leaving the theatre with tears running down my face and thinking, "How could anyone have a negative view on these schools". Seeing the impact on the children's lives that got into one of these schools was eye opening. However, I soon learned how few children actually get this life changing experience compared to the rest of New York City.
ReplyDeleteCharter schools present great opportunities to those who get to experience them. The biggest dilemma is what do we do with everyone else who is stuck in the public schools? If we our going to continue to make charter schools a focal point then we also need a solution for the students who do not make it into charter schools. By focusing so strongly on charter schools we are not pushing out public system to strive to the best it can be.
Overall, the topic of charter schools is significant for everyone. It doesn't matter if you are a future educator, current educator, parent, or even a taxpayer. Everyone should be knowledgeable about the subject on both sides!
I was able to check out the "Waiting For Superman" documentary last year when it was released and my initial reaction was that charters seemed like an inspiring revolution in education and a last hope of sorts for not only the five families that were focused on in the film, but for many within their communities. I looked at the concepts that these charters presented, such as smaller class sizes and extended school hours for students to get additional instruction, and thought to myself that if this can work for charter schools, what would happen if these concepts were installed into the public school system? One of the most emotional scenes I have ever seen was the lottery drawing and to see the heartbreak of the parents whose children didn't make it in and the joy of those parents whose child was accepted. In a sense, to the parents whose children didn't make it in, "Superman" was not there to save them of the failing public schools that their child came from.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have seen and heard about Geoffrey Canada, especially his role in producing this documentary, he has done astounding work towards finding ways to improve education. His analogy of "Superman" as it pertains to the hope that many children and parents share towards being saved from a failing school system is one that is common way too much in today's society. Even at a young age, children can see what's going on around them and when they, along with their parents, see that something isn't right within their school and their odds for succeeding within that system, they will seek out the best chance for them to make the most out of their future.