Directed by: Davis Guggenheim
The title is misleading, a lot of people would have thought this one is about searching for the new Superman after Brandon Routh. But this one is about the failing of educational system in United States. So for superhero movie fans who doesn't like a documentary movies consisted with people talking serious stuff and statistical graphics, this is not for them.
As for me I am not familiar with educational systems in the states, however this one gives me an insight that even in a country that has sent a man to the moon, there is something wrong with their educational system.
Guggenheim focuses on an African-American educator named Geoffrey Canada, who happens to be an idealist and has successfully open Harlem Success Academy, a successful charter school [school made and for the public] in the poorest area in Harlem.
Canada has a solution for failing systems; better teachers, highly paid and qualified. Although it is told that not all charter school successful but what Canada did was something nice, he gives back to the society.
Then this documentary spotlight the problems, like the difficulties to fire unqualified teacher, the teacher's union politics [I seriously doubt that teacher's union are evil as portrayed in this film, sure everything has a bad side but a union is meant to protect teachers from being discriminated in terms of profession, however the teacher's union in the states need to be reformed, I think] which hindered reformation in education and the educational system itself.
Not only on education, this one follows the fate of several children from low income to high income families who strive to get a placement in charter school. Since the seats are limited but the applicants are many, a lottery need to be made. Sounds fair but cruel. The one that made the cut has the chance for cheap and better education, the one that fails has to be sent home with big disappointment.
According to this film, public schools are failing and something serious need to be done sure. As for the title, it is an irony that people wait other people to save them from peril, sometimes all it takes is just one self action to save our self.
Now seeing the condition of educational qualities, teacher's and school in Indonesia I think this documentary is a nice insight for us to make education better and accessible for everyone, not just some commodity to earn cash or to elevate social status.
Sure as a documentary it tend to be subjective and you need to cross check the facts itself but as an idea that education should be good and available to everyone is a universal idea we share no matter where we come from.
As for me I am not familiar with educational systems in the states, however this one gives me an insight that even in a country that has sent a man to the moon, there is something wrong with their educational system.
Guggenheim focuses on an African-American educator named Geoffrey Canada, who happens to be an idealist and has successfully open Harlem Success Academy, a successful charter school [school made and for the public] in the poorest area in Harlem.
Canada has a solution for failing systems; better teachers, highly paid and qualified. Although it is told that not all charter school successful but what Canada did was something nice, he gives back to the society.
Then this documentary spotlight the problems, like the difficulties to fire unqualified teacher, the teacher's union politics [I seriously doubt that teacher's union are evil as portrayed in this film, sure everything has a bad side but a union is meant to protect teachers from being discriminated in terms of profession, however the teacher's union in the states need to be reformed, I think] which hindered reformation in education and the educational system itself.
Not only on education, this one follows the fate of several children from low income to high income families who strive to get a placement in charter school. Since the seats are limited but the applicants are many, a lottery need to be made. Sounds fair but cruel. The one that made the cut has the chance for cheap and better education, the one that fails has to be sent home with big disappointment.
According to this film, public schools are failing and something serious need to be done sure. As for the title, it is an irony that people wait other people to save them from peril, sometimes all it takes is just one self action to save our self.
Now seeing the condition of educational qualities, teacher's and school in Indonesia I think this documentary is a nice insight for us to make education better and accessible for everyone, not just some commodity to earn cash or to elevate social status.
Sure as a documentary it tend to be subjective and you need to cross check the facts itself but as an idea that education should be good and available to everyone is a universal idea we share no matter where we come from.
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