Waiting for Superman

I use summer time to try to read books, watch movies, or take classes that will help me be a better school counselor. I finally had a chance to sit down and watch "Waiting for Superman," a documentary regarding our nation's public school systems. I am more disheartened after watching it, and there is no doubt it was intended to create emotional feelings about our schools, and about our nation.

Here are some questions I have after watching this documentary:

Why is it that we have enough doctors to serve every person in America, but not enough good teachers?

Do teachers go into the teaching profession for the wrong reasons?

Why does it seem normal to have lotteries in inner city districts for children to be able to get a good education by getting admitted to a charter school or public/private academy that they have to pay for out of their meager earnings? (Many are single parents!)

Why are public school tax dollars distributed to create charter schools where there are limited spaces, and leave the rest of the children to attend failing schools?

Why is America so far behind other nations? Why don't we go to other countries and try to learn from what they are doing right?

America spends $33,00 per year on a prisoner and $8300 per year on a student.

I'm just not sure I get it. I am convinced that every child is born with an average to high IQ in SOME area. Yes, some kids are born with mental disabilities that prevent them from obtaining a traditional education, but just because a student is born into poverty doesn't mean he or she is born with a low IQ.

And what about parents who have no way to even think about paying for their student to attend a private school or academy, or moving to the suburbs? Their children are automatically doomed to attend a failing school. It is really discouraging.

If I can't be a Superman, can I in anyway be a Wonder Woman?? If I find any answers to my questions, I'll be sure to let you know, but I think my questions will lead to only more questions. My next quest will be to get a hold of "The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on the Nation's Worst School District" by Richard Whitmire. That school district, in case you haven't heard, is the District of Columbia in Washington D.C.

It's so frustrating to want to be an agent of change, but not really be able to do much about it. I know, it starts with me, in my own school district. That is why I read about and watch these types of movies. It motivates me to do a check with myself: am I doing ALL I can to advocate for students? Am I doing ALL I can to make sure students I interact with know I EXPECT them to do well? Circumstances are not an excuse to do poorly in school. Period.

And from personal experience, you can overcome terrible life circumstances and be a successful adult. The frustration comes from trying to teach inner motivation to every student. They have to know they CAN put aside their own particular struggles and move on. It's a choice. A hard choice, but it can be done!