At the Seattle International Film Festival this month I got an early look at a screening of the documentary Waiting for Superman by Davis Guggenheim. I think this film will change the way that people in America view the education system. I think it will cause a massive unrest. I hope it will.
It’s a film about the broken education system in America. It’s a film about trying to find hope when many signs point to hope being lost. It’s a film about great educators and loving parents trying to do the best for children and meeting road blocks all along the way. It’s a film about our future and whether we will get up and do something about it. Superman is not coming to fix it but someone needs to.
The past few months as I’ve gotten a bee in my bonnet about where education is going in this country, I’ve had conversations with people from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Excellent Schools Now, two groups who are working for education reform. ESN is specifically working for an education revolution in Washington State, while The Gates Foundation is looking at the country as a whole.
My interest has always been in the quality of education my children receive. I’ve been very narrowly focused, wanting them to get the best teachers and have the greatest opportunities, teaching them at home and volunteering at the school.
After some of the conversations I’ve been having and especially after watching this film, I feel the need to broaden my scope. All children in this country should have a chance at a quality education, regardless of race, economic status or family background. They must. If our country is going to grow and be a prosperous nation, we have no other choice.
It is not enough for your child and my child to get a decent education. Our country is experiencing a serious shortage of educated workers to fill positions in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math fields right now, while at the same time many people are unemployed. This gap is only projected to get worse unless we see radical improvements in college readiness.
I’ve always believed that family is the greatest influence in a child’s life. I still do but after watching that documentary, I’m convinced that excellent teachers can make a huge difference in the lives of ALL children, even those with no support at home. I can’t necessarily heal and strengthen every family in this country. Sometimes I struggle with my own. But I feel that it’s possible to help make excellent education available to all children.
I’m new to this issue but I’m passionate about it. I’m not a teacher, a professional lobbyist or affiliated with any organization. Through this blog, I hope to learn more and explore ways big and small that we as individual parents can not only improve our own kids’ educations, but effect major change in the way education is run in this country and specifically Washington State. I’d love to hear your ideas and maybe we can all be Superman together.
Next Post: It Starts With a Teacher