More and more teachers are talking about the film Race to Nowhere. Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people pushed to the brink, students who have become disengaged, and teachers frustrated with the fact that no one is listening to their concerns.
Race to Nowhereis a call to mobilize families, teachers, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing, and responsible citizens.
Teachers with parents are coming together, using the film as a centerpiece for raising awareness and creating an affirmative dialogue around public education.
An Invitation to Teachers - Become part of the Race to Nowhere conversation and contribute to a Race to Nowhere book that is being written. The purpose of the book is to create a solutions-based road map, offering meaningful and sustainable ideas in response to top-down so-called education reform measures. If you would like more information or to contribute to this book contact Vicki H. Abeles or Laureen Rowland directly.
A film that deserve your attention – Look for a new documentary about the pressures faced by American schoolchildren and their teachers in a system and culture obsessed with the illusion of achievement, competition and the pressure to perform.
Featuring the heartbreaking stories of students pushed to the brink
Teachers who are burned out and worried students aren’t developing required skills
Parents who are trying to do what’s best for their kids
Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace, students have become disengaged, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.
Scheduled for the fall are two nationwide screenings: Sept. 30 and Oct. 4. Click here for more information.
Race to Nowhere is a call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.
Click here for a Race to Nowhere Trailer. The film is a dramatic representation why teacher driven strength-based change is so important to students, their parents, and teachers. Race to Nowhere will help start the conversation around honest and practical discussions on school change. This film may or may not be the answer, but it is the beginning. Continue reading.
As the school change industry grows and becomes more powerful, initiatives to close the achievement gap and reduce dropouts become more confusing and chaotic.As reported by many What Works Conference participants, the school change movement has spun out of control and it’s time for those who know the most about our children to take charge.
The What Works Conferences surfaced numerous possibilities about what can be done to improve our schools.However, most ideas, were subtle and imbedded in the day-to-day lives and relationships of teachers, parents, and students.Between and among these relationships are the events, projects, and an ever changing learning environment that sparks insight, curiosity, and innovation in our classrooms.
One of the most interesting outcomes from the What Works Conference was the inside-outside thinking that described new approaches to school change.Inside-outside thinking resulted when classroom teachers had serious and authentic conversations about improving our schools with educational researchers, and policy makers.The What Works Conference was a first step in bringing together parents, administrators, and community leaders with classroom teachers to discuss and identify those patterns that create the conditions necessary for student success – both academically and socially.Conference presenters and participants found that school improvement does not often manifest itself in tangible ways, but rather takes place by discovering patterns or the way things operate successfully – in other words, what works.
Inside-outside thinking views school change from a system-wide perspective.Most school change initiatives have generally emphasized either internal or external efforts to improve our schools.Early childhood education (ECE) suggests a teaching and learning environment that has no boundaries, where all school community stakeholders play an authentic role in the change process. A close examination of ECE may reveal possible change strategies that can be applied throughout all of public education.
To understand inside-outside thinking and to get a better idea of how this approach works, click on the presentation below.This sample audio presentation will give you a flavor for the What Works Conference and the rich conversations that took place during the three week conference period.Panel members for this session includedLinda Fiddler, Teacher/Resource Specialist in Bakersfield, CA, City School District, Delaine Eastin, former Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of California, andDr. Alan Daly, Professor of Education at UC San Diego.
In the audio session below you will hear parts of a powerful presentation on how school community gardens are able to bring together parents, teachers, classified staff, administrators, and community leaders to create a teaching and learning environment filled with passion, excitement, and joy.Presenters, through their conversations, discovered that school community gardens can create a new context for school improvement – one that became obvious through inside-outside thinking.
An excellent example of Culture Matters thinking is the Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference. This Conference promotes Hispanic education and opportunity for thousands of children from 6th to 12th grades from Northern and Central California. The Hispanic Empowerment Association of Roseville sponsors this annual celebration of education. During the Conference, students learn about educational and career opportunities and the importance of hard work, responsibility, and self-reliance. Event organizers believe that education starts at home: Parents need support, children need quality time with their parents every single day, and parents need information on their rights and responsibilities. The Hispanic Empowerment Association of Roseville promotes active involvement by Hispanics in neighborhoods, community organizations, and local government in Roseville.
The CTA IFT is fortunate to have Martha Julia Sellers as a presenter at the May 16 – 17 Workshop.Dr. Sellers is a professor in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development at Tufts University and founding director of the Home-School Connection Program. Her teaching and research focus is on the comprehensive assessment of young children and cross-cultural competence in the provision of family services. She has worked with public schools in Massachusetts and elsewhere to promote Hispanic immigrant children's school success by strengthening communication between teachers and parents. Dr. Sellers is an extremely informative as well as engaging educator who presents a unique perspective on the critical role teachers can play in closing the achievement gap for all students.
A major force behind expanding family-school relations has been the Parent/Teacher Home Visit Project.This Project has relinquished the idea that our families and schools are problems to be address and have taken the approach that our families and schools need to be empowered to work together to support our children. Both the family and school have always been individually responsible for the social and academic success of our children,However, to meet the economic and social challenges today require a new configuration or arrangement that brings together parents, teachers and administrators for our children.To break through the rhetoric, members of the Parent/Teacher Home Visit Project have been able to organize and collaborate with local school districts, teacher associations and community groups to broaden and deepen family – school relations. These efforts have changed perceptions and created respectful relationships between families and schools. This mutual respect and trust lead to a better exchange of important information thereby increasing the academic and social success of pre k-12 students.
