NOTE: I viewed the film on December 5 and I have written a review
I found this You Tube video while reading an excellent blog called, "Education for the Aughts". This film documents the educational experience of 6 high school students, 2 each from the United States, China and India. The trailer alludes to the fact that the United States needs to finally have a serious dialogue about the standards of American education. Is our system adequately preparing our students to be able to compete in the 21st century? It is an interesting discussion because along with academic rigor does there also need to be a shift in our own societal expectations of the value of intense academic preparation and competition contrasted with our own perceptions of leisure time and relaxation. The bigger question is not only WILL our students be able to compete, but will they WANT TO?
The film has been accepted into the Sundance Film Festival and hopefully it will make it onto the big screen. For more information, go to the film's blog: What Should America Do?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Two Million Minutes - A Global Examination
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2 comments:
Oh. Oh oh. What a rant I could go on about this, but luckily for you (! LOL!) I've been doing the ranting in my own space.
Our education will not improve---and boy does it need to---until we change our way of thinking.
We can add more and more on top of what we've got and be baffled why throwing more brainwashing and money at the issue doesn't solve it.
We need to look at it from another angle and change the way we think.
For example, my rant about the drug education program and its efficacy? Instead of "Don't do drugs!" and its boomerang effect we need to steer kids into good self-esteem and positive choices for their bodies and lives. Continual focusing on the bad choice...it just keeps it in mind, and terror wears off through fatigue after a while, and into curiosity.
I could rant on and on about testing and so forth, as well.
My biggest thing, though, is Let's Value Teacher (For Real) and Enable Them To Succeed.
Great post!
Julie
Using My Words
Julie,
Thanks for your insightful post. I couldn't agree with you more - and I will head over to your rant on drug education programs, which I too take issue with. The small quote I have written on the side of my blog relates exactly to your point. Kids have to learn how to like themselves because if they have self respect and good self esteem then you're absolutely right - they will make good choices - most of the time! I agree that drug ed programs are attacking this problem from the totally wrong direction.
So many issues with our Education system need to be addressed - I hope this film will be a catalyst for some discussion.
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