In2why Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 My daughter and I are watching it right now, and I had read articles on most of the issues, but this movie is very interesting. Having seen and learned about this is the biggest reason we decided to homeschool and it only reinforces my decisions. The other thought I had, is that even though we live in the Country, and don't have the same issue that they have in the cities, it is spreading. I have always supported Unions and historically they made sense, but I am just not sure anymore. I also am thinking about this in concert with what is hapening in Wisconsin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 I have this in my Netflix que. I put it on about 6 months ago but haven't received it yet. There is also another movie on the same subject called The Lottery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 We all loved this movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 I highly recommend The Race to Nowhere for another viewpoint on the US educational system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 (edited) I highly recommend The Race to Nowhere for another viewpoint on the US educational system. Yes, I really want to see this. Edited February 21, 2011 by Negin in Grenada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Turns out, a lot of Waiting for Superman was staged. The kids said they were misrepresented and sometimes given lines to say. The movie was knocked out of the running for Best Documentary because of it. :DNot to say that the US Educational system doesn't have problems... :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Redbox has Waiting for Superman, and as soon as we're done watching Roots, I plan to get it. Turns out, a lot of Waiting for Superman was staged. The kids said they were misrepresented and sometimes given lines to say. The movie was knocked out of the running for Best Documentary because of it. Cites, please? I can only find one scene that was staged (the mom touring the school), and I don't see anything specific about the students. Now I'm very curious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freethinkermama Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Here's one article on the staged scene. You can learn more about it just by Googling. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/in-waiting-for-superman-a-scene-isnt-what-it-seems/ You might also want to read this. On-topic, but a different POV http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/20/ravitch.teachers.blamed/index.html?hpt=T2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Here's one article on the staged scene. You can learn more about it just by Googling.http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/in-waiting-for-superman-a-scene-isnt-what-it-seems/ (LOL, of course I already googled it!) Yes, that's the only reference to a staged scene that I could find. But the claim was that "a lot . . . was staged," so I was looking for more. You might also want to read this. On-topic, but a different POVhttp://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/20/ravitch.teachers.blamed/index.html?hpt=T2 I saw that last night. I have a lot of respect for Diane Ravitch, but I didn't think much of the article. I re-read it this morning (actually twice, once before you linked it) to see if I was missing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Sorry, this is an old thread... I finally watched "Waiting for Superman" last night. Netflix streaming has it now, btw. What bugged me was that there was so much focus on schools and teachers, but relatively little focus on parents. I think that parents are equally as important as teachers. Your kid's educational future doesn't have to be over because they didn't win the KIPP lottery. You could be supplementing their education at home through Afterschoooling. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Sorry, this is an old thread... I finally watched "Waiting for Superman" last night. Netflix streaming has it now, btw. What bugged me was that there was so much focus on schools and teachers, but relatively little focus on parents. I think that parents are equally as important as teachers. Your kid's educational future doesn't have to be over because they didn't win the KIPP lottery. You could be supplementing their education at home through Afterschoooling. Thoughts? Some parents lack the skills and resources to after school. I tutor a girl whose mother never learned basic arithmetic, and is too busy taking care of her very large family to learn. A friend tutors the child of an illiterate mother. Some families really need schools to educate their children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Jen, something I keep coming back to over and over again is the community support of an area. Some places have it, some places don't. There's a definite parting of ways on what could work or even look at depending on where a person lives. Where I'm at, I haven't found the pathway to the community yet, and I have a sinking feeling it's really limited. If I lived in a urban setting like New York, I can't even imagine the difference it would have. I'd never complain with resources like that around me (the kind NY could offer) - So there's a recipe in there somewhere to pay attention to when sorting out the possibilities for kids and their parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Sorry, this is an old thread... I finally watched "Waiting for Superman" last night. Netflix streaming has it now, btw. What bugged me was that there was so much focus on schools and teachers, but relatively little focus on parents. I think that parents are equally as important as teachers. Your kid's educational future doesn't have to be over because they didn't win the KIPP lottery. You could be supplementing their education at home through Afterschoooling. Thoughts? On an old thread about this movie (or was it The Lottery?) I posted about how shocked I was by one scene where parents are touring the school, and the school staff says they will make wake-up calls every morning if parents can't get the kids there on time. I think it was intended to show how dedicated the school was to helping the students, but that wasn't really the effect it had on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Regarding KIPP. I think those schools are awesome. But it's also sad, because it could be the reason they are so effective is that they are taking children away from the parents for longer periods of time. Longer school days, school on Saturday, etc. Instead of the solution being: taking children away from parents, why can't the solution be: helping parents be more effective? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I just wanted to chip in to agree with what Tibbie said... a lot of parents either are unable to help educationally, OR they are working so hard trying to keep their family afloat financially that they don't have any extra time or resources to be able to help. It's unfortunate. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Regarding KIPP. I think those schools are awesome. But it's also sad, because it could be the reason they are so effective is that they are taking children away from the parents for longer periods of time. Longer school days, school on Saturday, etc. Instead of the solution being: taking children away from parents, why can't the solution be: helping parents be more effective? KIPP schools around here tend to be located in high gang violence neighborhood. A latchkey child staying in school for longer periods of time is safer than being home alone. That was a documentary on my local news channel where the children were saying that schools are where they are safe from gang recruitment. The city even have a youth curfew in place to try to reduce gang violence. I don't see any school with longer hours as taking the children away from the parents but as keeping the children safe off the tough streets for this kind of scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 What bugged me was that there was so much focus on schools and teachers, but relatively little focus on parents. I think that parents are equally as important as teachers. Your kid's educational future doesn't have to be over because they didn't win the KIPP lottery. You could be supplementing their education at home through Afterschoooling. Several thoughts: 1) Agreeing with Tibbie, if you're undereducated yourself, it's overwhelming to think about afterschooling ... you have to learn yourself 2) Afterschooling takes time, as I know you're aware, and if they're in school all day (and probably on the bus for a long time) parents wonder *why* they have to make their children do school even more at home. My mom taught K for years and years. Parents would complain about or ignore the little books she sent home for reading practice. 3) Parents have bought into the lie that you have to have a degree or be a professional to teach ... the unions have perpetuated that. It seems unfair to complain when parents don't do anything when they've been told that, essentially, they can't. While I homeschool, I've found that my degree (and Dewey's philosophy that I've had to unlearn) are actually a hindrance to what we do. All that being said, I *do* think parents have a responsibility to raise their children. My mom complains that a lot of our "school" is just good parenting. I agree, but I think that is as it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Regarding KIPP. I think those schools are awesome. But it's also sad, because it could be the reason they are so effective is that they are taking children away from the parents for longer periods of time. Longer school days, school on Saturday, etc. Instead of the solution being: taking children away from parents, why can't the solution be: helping parents be more effective? I have a friend who is teaching middle school in one of the most gang infested towns you can imagine. Sadly there are some parents who do more harm. I agree that the best way to educate kids is to educate parents, but I just don't see realistically how you go about doing that in situations of drug abuse or gangs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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