Waiting for Superman

phoenix focus

As we all know the American educational system is not quite up to par. The Times talks about the Real Problem with America's Educational System. It doesn't always prepare students for the future. There is a need for reform in the school system. One of the reasons I left traditional high school and went on to the Missouri Academy was because I wanted more educational opportunities. I felt there was no room for advancement and no challenging curriculum. The Academy provides tougher classes that prep me for the future. 

The documentary Waiting for Superman is about the failing education system and the struggle to get into schools like charter schools. The children must play in the lottery of education, leaving the future of their education up to the luck of the draw. Fandango provides an excellent summary of the documentary. One question that I would like to answer is... 

Does their success depend on the luck of the draw? 

I think in a way it does, but it doesn't define their future. Being one of the few chosen ones to be accepted into these schools is certainly a boost to their education and future. Every student has the potential to succeed, but a good education obviously raises the chances of success.  

The Importance of Education

Nowadays it seems we have access to every piece of information out there. We can get all of this information with a click of a button or should I say a swipe of a finger. Smartphones let us take the internet with us wherever we go. With all of this information so easily accessible there is more opportunity for people to educate themselves. Education can open so many doors and boost confidence. It is important to be a continuous learner for multiple reasons, which are discussed in Anam Kidwai's article Top 15 Reasons why Education is Extremely Important.

The First Lady, Michelle Obama, gave a speech to the Elizabeth G. Anderson School in the UK about education and it's important role in success. It is more geared to females and education(sorry guys), but the message still relates. Knowledge is a superpower. You can use it to defend and protect yourself or to change the world. Education is part of the foundation to life. You have to lay it down to be strong. If the foundation crumbles the building will fall, but if the foundation is sturdy the building will stand tall and can continue to grow.

http://sevenarticle.com/

56 Up

This video, airing in 2012, is the most recent video from the series. The participants in this series are far from the seven year olds in the very first video. Time seems to have flown by in this (so far) 49 year journey. Together the world has seen them grow up, get married, move, find jobs, endure illness, have kids, and face everything else life has thrown at them. below you can see the comparison between their seven year old selves and their fifty-six year old selves.

Andrew

Bruce

Jackie

John

Lynn

Neil

Nicholas

Paul

Peter

Susan

Suzy

Symon

Tony

Life is a wonderful thing and we are so lucky that these people have open up their lives to us. Through this series we are not only able to see how people change and progress, but also how the world has changed and progressed. 

"Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man".

That is the bases of the whole series. I feel that the saying has rung true. Looking back I can see the seven year old child in the fifty- six year old adult. Their life may change, their ambitions may change, but their personality remains. Their character traits make them who they are and nothings changes that, not even age. 

49 Up

"I did have a privileged childhood, but you have to take responsibility for you life somewhere along the line and some people take responsibility earlier than others. I was just a bit later taking it."

This is one of the statements Suzy makes in 49 Up. I thought it would be a great topic to write about this week. 

Taking personable responsibility for your life is a big milestone in one's life. For some people this is an easy task and comes naturally, but for others, like Suzy, it may be quite a bit harder. Ron Haskins writes about the sequence of personal responsibility and its application to life. Personal responsibility is about not blaming others for the mistakes you have made, but instead looking to yourself to find the fault. One of the best examples is when a student blames the teacher for their poor grade in a class. Instead of taking the responsibility to say that they were the reason for the poor performance, the student blames the teacher. The student will claim the teacher was too harsh of a grader or the teacher disliked them and that is why they recieved the less than satisfying grade. 

Personal responsibility and growing up go hand in hand. A new level of maturity is reached when one starts to take responsibility for one's life. You never get very far in life by blaming others for your mistakes. This doesn't allow a person to grow and learn. Paul Brodie talks about the importance of personal responsibility on his blog. If you have problems with taking personal responsibility I hope this has persuaded you to make some change in your life.