A Motion Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

Recently, I've watched a couple documentaries about the education system in the United States. When I normally think about the hardships about school, my mind goes to essays and tests. However, some of these kids in Los Angeles, Harlem, and Washington D.C., are dealing with extreme poverty and gang violence, on top of their school work. The first documentary that essentially has changed my way of thinking was the critically acclaimed "Waiting for 'Superman'," a PHENOMENAL documentary that actually left me crying at the end. If you have not seen this documentary, turn off your computer, go down to the library or video store, or whatever and WATCH IT. It is such a powerful film that tackles an issue that we do not like to face: we are failing at our job as a country to educate those who need to be. This documentary delves into the very real problems. Problems and levels of unfairness that are apparent in lesser wealthy cities. Rent it. Get it. Watch it. Now. It will change your life.

The second documentary I feel in love with was called "The First Year," and although a smaller documentary, it captured the essence of how hard a teacher, especially a new teacher in their first year of teaching, has to work in one of these inner city class rooms dealing with little children brought up in gangs or poor neighborhoods. These teachers work to hard and sometimes there are things they cannot control. I was actually very inspired by one teacher in this documentary: Mr. Nate Maloney. He taught the fifth grade and was super hands on in his practicing. He would work one on one with students and help them out of class too. He would take some fishing, some to lunches, and just plain ol' visit some at home if they were sick. I was actually so inspired that I looked up more about him, and found out that he has since become the principal of the elementary school. I shot him an email explaining my gratitude for his involvement in bettering the lives of those who society might label as hopeless. "The First Year." Watch it. Now. It will change your life.

Both of these documentaries were so amazingly directed my Mr. Davis Guggenheim, who people might know as the director of "An Inconvenient Truth." That's the next one on my list. Thank you Mr. Guggenheim!