在影片中表面的是在不好的学校想学习的孩子,但就我个人经历来说,这样的孩子是凤毛麟角,大多数人对教育完全没有兴趣。这种不感兴趣来自于两方面,家庭和社会。家庭的影响是很重要的,而且实质行为远胜于所谓理念。虽然中国的传统经历了百年摧残,但很多中国人还是相信“万般皆下品,唯有读书高”。从功利角度而言,美国人也大多相信教育就是力量,教育能够改变生活。虽然《The Great Stagnation》和最近的很多研究对是否真的如此产生质疑,但大多数人还是坚信这一点。
Education Narration (daily life of families and normal thinking of kids) • Statement Narration: o Kid’s response to math question (Narrative) o School day morning (Narrative) o Choice between public school and private school (Narrative) o Lottery for a school(Narrative) • Student Sample Interview – dreams and school performance (from low-income families) • Get in a good school, because bad school ruins kids (Point of view: importance to grab a seat in good school, and it worth to struggle )
Reality and Analysis to system, school and teachers, from perspectives of nation, family and individual kid • Education Reality (Nation) o Education system – the education expense comparison o Education system – Efforts from government o Status of students’ performance (by national test to all students) under current system • Education Reality (School) o How the school environment influences the student individuals • Education Reality (Family) o What else factors have influenced the individual education level? (Question) Family environment (subjective) – parents did not receive well education (from sample). (Narrative) Family environment (objective) – parents all wish their kids to get well education (from sample). (Narrative) • Realities Narration of Basic Education: Public Schools (Narrative) o Most public schools assigned by bills are “dropout factories”. o Result – Kids are forced to get in these bad schools thought they hoping for good educations like their families. (Indication: not fair) o Person who brings change – Michelle Ree • Realities Analysis of Basic Education: Public Schools o Causes of realities of public schools – local regulations and resources assignment plan have refrain the school management and teacher’s mind from what it is supposed to be like simply accept the support from states then make school simply as a good place for kids to get good education. o Reaction to reality Kids: Why kids hate schools? (Indication: Bad teachers.) Parents: Why should my kids suffer from a bad education? (Indication: Unfairness brought by education systems) • Teachers and the reality of schools: o What good teachers mean to education? What differs good teachers from bad teachers? o Supposed solution: Why can’t we get rid of bad teachers? (Question) o Solution obstacle: Tenure employment for teachers, even for the bads Rewards for teachers are all fixed for every teacher, no matter good ones or bad ones Teacher union are overprotecting and even have more rights to get involve in politics • Admit the devotion by good teachers, and pointing to the regulation of teacher union • How schools acting under current situation towards teachers? o Lemon Dance – throw the garbage to other schools – result: several public school will have more bad teachers and make those school worse o Rubber Room – isolate all the bad teachers, paying them for nothing but waiting for reassignment – result: cost loads of money 100 million dollars/year for NY • Change to this situation: o A new solution – Charter schools: public school + public money + independent running o Reform to the public schools – MR has shut down bad public schools Teachers lose their jobs Bring a more furious competition to get in a good school • Performance comparison between public school, private school and charter school : Charter school is the seemingly best choice for those low-income family but still wants to strive for good educations • Public school development narration (Reality): What makes public school become a failure like this? Public schools are good till 70s, and have made top people in various fields • Public school development analysis (Cause): the education system is falling behind. Education in old days is not aiming to get everyone in to university, but as the global economy developing and talent needs, everyone has to get into university to survive. • Answer to the Cause: o Some charter schools does not track students give students equal opportunity to compete for university education. • Employment and education status narration (Reality): The future of country economy comes from innovations. • Employment and education status analysis (Cause): Education on Math and Science and Technology is important. • Answer to the Cause: o School has different focus on nurturing kids’ interests, and there are charter schools focusing on education of math and science. • People’s living standard in US narration (Reality): Poor and rich seem to be set. • People’s living standard in US analysis with instance of “sound speed of flights” (Cause): the only way to get out from poor is to get well education. • Person to answer the call: o Ambitious educators establish the “baby college” program, and have proved that charter school works for changes in providing good education to low-income families.
Changes • New hope arises, and kids are desperately hoping to get in those good schools. • MR is making some positive changes: o Good performance from survived public schools o Better staff resources assignment: reassign the good staffs from bad schools. o Reform on tenure that can also satisfy teacher union: the teacher accept renewed contract with standard of performance review will get double income • US are making change on education system, and good school can’t go with good teachers. • Reality with hope: School lottery (echoing the beginning of the film) and lottery result (indication: still have way to go, but change is coming)
“We need good proves… leading people to say yes, we can do this” – Bill Gates “We need to know… if there is fortitude to lead them from the situation (even that comes with big sacrifice) …” – Michelle Ree Don’t give up. “Our system is broken, and it feels impossible to fix. But we can’t wait. Great school comes from great people. In every city, people are doing it everyday, people like you. There are steps you can takes to create great schools. We know what works to create your schools, to create any school, to create every school: quality teachers, more classroom time, world class standards, high expectations, real accountability. The problem is complex, but steps are simple. It starts with teachers becoming the very best teachers, leaders removing the barriers to change, neighbors committed to their school. Great school won’t come from winning the lottery. They won’t come from superman. They will come from you.”