What an incredible, heartbreaking, though-provoking, meaningful film to watch - as a teacher, as an older sister, as a future-parent (and by future I mean WAY down the road - no surprises here, peeps!), and someone who has spent her whole life working with children.
This movie touches really deeply into the "rat race" that children, parents, educators, adults, teenagers, and medical professionals are witnessing in the lives of our youth. Coaches at extra curricular activities, guidance counselors who suggest full course loads, schools that create a competitive environment and busy resume builders are realizing the unhealthy and inappropriate way we are raising and reaching out to children in today's fast-paced world.
I could not scribble fast enough on my little notepad tonight while I sat in the theater at the local church who provided a viewing as part of their "parenting series" down the street from my apartment.
- Did you know that there is NO correlation between the amount of homework students are assigned and their academic achievement? In the U.S. and other countries?
Just so many ideas and questions to think about:
- There is no such thing as a "best" school to get into. We need to think about the "best fit" for our children when we pick the schools they go to as children and later on when they apply for college.
- Adults who are successful in their career fields are not the ones who can recite all of the rules for using a semi colon or apostrophe, but are the individuals who can socialize appropriately, problem solve and work in a group setting.
- We should differentiate between children who are 'good kids' and who are 'good students.'
- What about multiple intelligences? Does the SAT test creativity? Artistic ability? Naturalistic gifts?
- When we encourage children to perform and produce we overlook the PROCESS that they developmentally need to experience at school. Children need to learn, NOT memorize and regurgitate.
- Where do we value project based learning? How has NCLB prevented us from making that a priority?
- In the classroom - on a daily basis - is it quality or quantity?
- What kind of culture have we raised our children in? Is it one where they can be themselves and admit they made a mistake or are stressed out, or is it one where we are encouraged to cover up pain and horrible days with an "I'm fine."?
- If children do not have time to play, how do they find out what they love to do? If we all want to go to a good school and get into a good college so we can have a good job and be happy, shouldn't we find out what we love to do at a young age and do PLENTY of it?
- Our children will inevitably get stressed or be upset. Do we teach them how to handle it? Do we spend time in schools teaching social and emotional intelligence?
- What we spend time doing shows where our values lie. What do our children spend most of their day doing - both at home and at school?
- When did it become a teacher's job to dictate what their students do once the bell rings? Shouldn't we let them go home and have a separate life outside of school? One with their family and their peers and with nature? What happened to our "day of rest"?
- Let's learn the difference between what is PERFECT and what is "good enough" from our children and students. And I don't mean that in terms of settling, but in terms of having a happy, motivated child who has the ability to be creative.
Some books that were mentioned in the movie that I might be checking out from the library:
The Blessing of a Skinned Knee
The Blessing of a Skinned Knee
WOW. and WOW.
Get your ticket.
http://www.racetonowhere.com/
