TOW #30: Letter to a new APELC student

Dear New APELC Student,

Welcome to Junior Year and the wonderful world of AP courses! You’ve

probably walked into Mr. Yost’s room today feeling a bit intimidated by the

mountain of a year that lies before you; especially since you’ve opted to take the

widely-feared Eleventh Grade AP English. Well, you have the right to be a bit

nervous, as Junior Year is the cornerstone of your high school career. However,

I’m going to tell you today that if you’ve come into the year (and specifically this

classroom) focused and ready to improve yourself, you will be absolutely fine.

Since you’ve decided to take AP English this year, it probably means that

you’re the type of student who received high A’s and A+’s each marking period of 9th

and 10th

 grade English. One thing to be prepared for as you begin this course is that

you will likely not receive the grades that you’re used to receiving in an English

class. The nature of this course being an AP requires a definite shift in the mindset of

a student transitioning from Honors English classes. But this is no reason to be

discouraged. When you inevitably start out the year receiving grades that are lower

than you’re used to, use this as motivation to improve yourself rather than a cause

for giving up on the class. If you stay motivated and continue giving assignments like

timed essays and short quizzes your full attention, they will undoubtedly get easier

as the year goes on.

Another major thing that people feared last year coming into AP English was

the thought of taking the exam in May. If you’re anything like I was at the beginning

of Junior Year, a three hour long exam that includes hand-writing three full length

essays seems impossible. Rest assured though, by the end of the year you will be so

prepared for the exam that it won’t even seem like anything out of the ordinary. The

daily trials of this class will improve your writing and analysis skills, prepare you for

any arduous future testing occasion, and maybe even end up getting you credit to

put towards college. Overall, you’ve made a really good choice in choosing to take

this class. It is one of my favorites that I’ve ever taken. Keep a positive outlook this

year, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and stay focused. You’ll be fine.

Good Luck,

Abby Ponticello

Tow #29: Waiting for Superman part 2

            Waiting For Superman, a documentary by director Davis Guggenheim and producer Lesley Chilcott, exposes the major flaws of the United States public education system and expresses a need for reform. It follows a number of ambitious young children, both less- fortunate and well off, as they journey through the public school system and eventually apply for acceptance at charter schools. One of the major claims that is set forth by Waiting For Superman is that the difficulty of firing a teacher from a position in the public school system is extremely damaging for the good of the children at stake. Based on the information provided in the film and outside testimony, I am inclined to strongly agree with this claim.

            The information provided in this film informs the viewer that in many districts and states of America, there is a stipulation in the contract of public school teachers that makes it very difficult to fire them after they have been employed at any given district for a certain amount of time. The statistic that was used to back this statement was that in Illinois, while 1 in 97 attorneys loose their law licenses each year, only 1 in 2500 teachers loose their teaching credentials. The difficulty of firing teachers creates a situation known as the “lemon dance”, where each year school districts shift around teachers that are openly known to be incompetent or flat out bad. This creates a situation where districts keep teachers that they know are not benefitting the students simply on a legal formality. The students that fall into the hands of such teachers fall several grade levels behind their counterparts with teachers that are effectively covering all of the curriculum material. When these students are then moved on to the next grade and integrated with their peers, they find themselves struggling and becoming discouraged with the education system. For a system that will enable students to succeed, the contractual obstacles that stand in the way of firing truly bad teachers must be changed. 

Tow #28: Waiting For Superman

            Waiting For Superman is a documentary from well-known American director Davis Guggenheim and producer Lesley Chilcott. This film examines the flaws and failures of the American public school system in relation to that of other developed countries and the evolving expectations of education over time. Several children of different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds are followed throughout the film and their difficulties in the public education system are documented. Social activist and educator Geoffrey Canada, as well as other education-authorities, offer commentary throughout the film. The exposé-type nature of the content offered by Waiting For Superman responds to obvious failings of schools, teachers, and students in America over the last few decades, and a subsequent growing call for reform.

            Though this documentary embodies a sentiment of the masses, the direct voice behind the information of the film is director Davis Guggenheim. With this piece of work, Guggenheim aims to inform his audience of average American viewers of the bad state of public schools throughout the nation. By spreading awareness, the ultimate purpose is to rally the American people to get involved and eventually change the failing system. Though parents of children enrolled in “drop-out factory” inner city schools may be well aware of the deplorable state of American education today, middle or upper class Americans living in the suburbs may not have such a keen awareness. Guggenheim uses this documentary as a means to spread information beyond the direct pool of people it affects most.

            This film is not only heavily saturated with necessary information; it is also entertaining and contains many elements of good cinematography. The soundtrack is one prime example of a cinematic factor that helps to achieve the film’s purpose. The sad, slow piano pieces that play during clips of less-fortunate children and schools create an instant emotional appeal to the viewer that makes them feel personally invested in the issues that are being depicted. The information being presented is proved credible thanks to the wise selection of education-authorities such as Geoffrey Canada and former DC school superintendent Michelle Rhee that comment of the film’s content. The abundance of data and statistics relating to the failures of public schools is also instrumental in exemplifying the terrible state of the American public education system today. The inclusion of data appeals to the reader’s sense of reason and rational thinking, as well as proving that the views included are not biased and can be backed by cold hard facts.