Race to Nowhere...........something for parents to think about

[npmommie]

documentary about today's children and the pressures on them

http://www.racetonowhere.com/

 

[The Mystery Machine]

documentary about today's children and the pressures on them

http://www.racetonowhere.com/

What happens when you are in middle America with crappy schools already?

Here it is a race to get an education that is not dumbed down. It is a fight to get into a higher level class.

I would like to see a documentary about that.

 

[allison443]

documentary about today's children and the pressures on them

http://www.racetonowhere.com/

The only place I am aware of that have this "problem" are very affluent communities.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I really feel sorry for todays kids. Its going to be so hard for them to do anything. I mean in the Uk the house prices are so high that most kids just cant afford to move out. I know people rent in the US but in the UK there is not very much available to rent not to mention its often more expensive to rent than buy a house near me went on the rental market for double what I pay in mortgage fee every month. We have a problem with public transport so to work you need to drive yet if you are under 25 insurance can be up to £3000 for basic insurance. Jobs are getting harder to get because employers want experience and how do you get that without a job, and at the moment there is talk of increasing maternity rights with full pay to 20 weeks and as bad as it sounds that means its going to be harder for girls to get jobs in smaller companies because they are not going to be able to afford that. The future is hard now for kids and it is only going to get worse.

 

[Deb in IA]

I'm more interested in "Waiting for Superman", the new documentary about the US public school system - what's right, what's wrong, and what to do about it.

It is by Davis Guggenheim, the same man who took on global warming with the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth".

Let's hope this can get the same dialog and awareness that that movie created.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2010/09/waiting-for-superman-debate-over-our-schools.html#tp

 

[LuvOrlando]

I agree completely with the idea behind this analysis.

The concerns expressed here are the reasons why I pulled my son out of the accelerated Algebra program. I couldn't get behind the way they were pushing his little 12 year old brain because I simply do not see it as a benefit to him.

What difference would it make if my kid can do Managerial Statistics in 10th grade if he has no common ground with his peers upon which to build stabilizing relationships? I want to raise 2 happy well rounded solid people and think it's important to remember that money & employment only make up a small part of a person's identity.

FYI, the meeting I attended for the parents of kids in this program was nothing short of scary. People need to realize there is a whole person attached to that little brain.

 

[Hoodie]

I'm more interested in "Waiting for Superman", the new documentary about the US public school system - what's right, what's wrong, and what to do about it.

It is by Davis Guggenheim, the same man who took on global warming with the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth".

Let's hope this can get the same dialog and awareness that that movie created.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2010/09/waiting-for-superman-debate-over-our-schools.html#tp

Will it be as inaccurate?

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I agree that the focus is on the numbers. It's not about learning it's about regurgitating the facts you've been given. There doesn't seem to be any hands on activities or fun or applied learning. It's all about read the book and answer the questions. Nothing comes to life. Nothing engages them. Even sports and extra-curriculars are geared toward winning at all costs. My daughter is one of those kids that actually has a hard time thinking outside the box. Everything is black or white. No gray.

 

[agnes!]

It's sad to say but a hs student who I know very well - has a 4+ GPA, did well on their AP tests/SATs/ACTs, is active in extracurriculars(language club, science team, etc.), is an officer in some of those activities - has this to say about high school...
they hate it and can't wait for it to be over. For example, they are in an AP English class and have to analyze all these books and this student hates it...says "whatever happened to reading for the sheer pleasure of it? Why do we have to dissect these books?" They're not anti-reading, they read 'Jane Eyre' and 'Picture of Dorian Grey' this summer and read science fiction (Ray Bradbury, Dune series) all the time...oh, when there *is* any time!

agnes!

 

[allison443]

It's sad to say but a hs student who I know very well - has a 4+ GPA, did well on their AP tests/SATs/ACTs, is active in extracurriculars(language club, science team, etc.), is an officer in some of those activities - has this to say about high school...
they hate it and can't wait for it to be over. For example, they are in an AP English class and have to analyze all these books and this student hates it...says "whatever happened to reading for the sheer pleasure of it? Why do we have to dissect these books?" They're not anti-reading, they read 'Jane Eyre' and 'Picture of Dorian Grey' this summer and read science fiction (Ray Bradbury, Dune series) all the time...oh, when there *is* any time!

agnes!

That is very sad...I see you even have a countdown in your signature to when school will be over
Does she hate all aspects of it? Academic, social, and extracurricular?

My dds had positive experiences overall in hs (very good students also) but I know there were times they struggled with things (socially and academically). But they wouldn't say they hated it.
My dd's absolute favorite activity is reading (also loves science fiction). The analysis of literature didn't bother her though. She went on to major in English in college and is now working (actually using her degree, lol), still reads 2-3 books a week on her commute to work.