A High School Finds Itself Left Behind and Drowning (Review of HBO film)

The New York Times ^ | June 23, 2008 | NEIL GENZLINGER

[Islander7]

“....they seem not to be fans of Mr. Bush’s program ...”

Excuse me. That is Kennedy’s program. Bush just signed off on it.

[RogerD]

I'm interested in seeing this movie and I'd like to ask the help of anyone who believes, like I do, that the state of urban education is shameful, how does anyone, charter, private, home schooled, teach a child who is a senior, reads at an elementary level, and doesn't want to be taught, to learn?

It sounds hard, and it is, but it is not impossible. The first question is whether they are too stupid to learn or simply never cared enough to try. Stupid can't be fixed, but that's a rather small fraction of the kids who perform poorly. Lazy and indifferent are a challenge, but it's amazing what can be done if you break through that barrier. It's all a question of motivation and connections, and a teacher who cares may be able to connect with kids and motivate them. It's not a guarantee, and the teacher's style has to match the temperment of the kids (or be made to match), but the results can be spectacular.

To take your specific example: a senior who reads at the elementary school level, I know from personal experience that a math teacher can inspire a multi-year jump in math. I don't think you can fix everything in one year, but the sense of real accomplishment (not imitation self-esteem) can put the kid on track to make it through community college and beyond.

[cat76]

I teach at a Georgia elementary school, 90 percent poverty. The after-school program, funded by NCLB runs until 5:45PM M-Th. There is a also a before school program, starting at 7:30 AM. So some of the kids are there from 7:30-5:45PM. Many of the parents do not work, so it's free baby sitting for almost 12 hours. They receive snacks, homework help, recess time, and even free field trips during our inter-sessions (we are a year-round school).
The children in 3rd and 5th grades performed horribly on the state test in math and are completing a fast track summer school (2 weeks, with re-testing the final week.) This is also a free half-day program, with bus transportation, to and from. You are right, most of the kids have no fathers in the home, just an occasional boyfriend or grandfather trying to take up the slack. It's very sad and almost a hopeless cause. But we all keep trying (in spite of the bureaucracy), because of the kids.

[Sam's Army]

"they seem not to be fans of Mr. Bush’s program"

Can't wait to see if the media call Barack "Mr. Obama" incessantly if he wins the Presidency...

[steppinhi]

Hang in there and see if you can’t interest a few grandparents in tutoring some of the children. My 12-year old grandson failed Math 3 years in a row in AR and was dangerously close to failing English, also. When his mother requested that he be retained in 6th grade, we had to battle the teachers whose attitude was, “well after all, he’s only failing one subject”. We succeeded in having him retained and I enrolled him in school here in AL. After we resolved some of his glaringly apparent behaviorial issues, and with some tutoring from my husband and myself, he ended the 2007-2008 school year as an Honor Roll student and he passed Math for the first time in 3 years.

[Gabz]

Can't wait to see if the media call Barack "Mr. Obama" incessantly if he wins the Presidency...

Yes, they will. It is standard style. The first time the name is mentioned in a story, the title, be it President, Congressman, whathaveyou, is used and and subsequent mention is either Mr., Mrs., or Ms. Prior to this style change, at least 10 if not more years ago, any subsequent mention of the name contained no title of any shape or form, just the last name.

[Maverick68]

Parental involvement is indeed a key ingredient, but so is the expulsion of the bad students, teachers unions and blood thirsty lawyers that have ruined the discipline necessary to create a safe learning environment.

[peeps36]

If it’s on HBO it will be just another liberal propaganda film that bashes G W Bush and conservatives. I have no use for HBO, except for its boxing program.

[montag813]

they seem not to be fans of Mr. Bush’s program

And Ted Kennedy's program too. Amazing how the left always forgets that.

[Amelia]

Are these teachers uncertified because they don't know the subject, or because they don't have teaching certificates? (I expect the latter.)

The article didn't say. Some substitutes in our system are retired teachers, and some are "warm bodies" - I don't know about this system.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

[H]ow does anyone, charter, private, home schooled, teach a child who is a senior, reads at an elementary level, and doesn't want to be taught, to learn?

Ten percent learn, no matter what you do. Ten percent don't learn, no matter what you do. Teaching is the art of reaching the other 80 percent. Looks like urban schools in the United States have succeeded in reaching absolutely zero percent of the salvagable, they are more or less complete, utter failures. It is truly a singular achievement.

[Amelia]

Is anyone watching this show?

Poor Frederick Douglass is probably ashamed that the school bears his name at this point.

[SoftballMominVA]

The school is cleaner than I thought it would be, much cleaner

[SoftballMominVA]

That poor principal is doing her best, but she is way, way over her head with these kids that just don’t care.

[Amelia]

Yes, one of the first things that struck me was how bright and clean much of the inside appears!

[Amelia]

It is sad how much the teachers and staff seem to care, and how little the children seem to. The student at the beginning talking about having no home, who said she was the norm, probably is one reason why....

[Gabz]

It was more than likely scrubbed from top to bottom for the cameras.......and HBO probably paid for the cleaning.

[RockinRight]

I think so, because parents that care enough to use vouchers have decent kids.

The problem is that even the kids in these urban schools who are halfway decent, are being brought down by the thug kids, because one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.

[SoftballMominVA]

I am shocked that when a kid misses ten or more days the parents are required to come in for a discussion with an administrator. If they don't come, the principal goes to the house to find them!!

I'm finding that I'm impressed with the administration, and I didn't expect that. I expected to hate them and to be sitting here picking apart everything they are doing wrong - and I'm not seeing that in the least. I'm seeing administrators that are doing so many things right.

[wintertime]

Someday, your grandson will rise up and call you and you husband “Blessed”!