WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

Guggenheim starts the film with the ramifications of the act that no teenager should trail behind and how bad it was due to the remarks of George W. Bush and that many of the students are yet to pass on reading and writing levels as they scored between 20% and 35%. Guggenheim goes deeper into the numbers of the student who are good in mathematics, proficient in interpretation and how their marks consequently overwhelm the students when the test are done (Guggenheim , 00:18:26). According to Guggenheim the average mean of a charter school was 5.2 lower than that of a non-charter school mean which after the adjustment of different students character the mean difference was 4.2 which was statistically significant. As a way of highlighting the difference, Guggenheim points out the dropout rates in high schools and the America ranking among other states. Among 30 countries Guggenheim says that ranks on 25th position in mathematics and 21st in science which is a worrying trend. .The demonstration by Guggenheim for the viewers displays the pressure of being capable of having their children attend schools that will change their future rather than have the future determined by a district school. Even though the creator of the film did not bring into perspective the achieved progress in district schools and how students in charter schools are proficient in the same subject Guggenheim is able to focus on the achievements of the students entering in college and the graduation rates. Guggenheim also introduces Roosevelt High School in which he notes that only 3 out of 100 students graduated with the necessary classes for the fourth year and there was an overall of 57% of students who graduated (Guggenheim, 21:03).

Throughout the film Geoffrey Canada, the speaker of the film shares the views that superman did not exist and broke his heart but did inspire him to devote his life to helping the underprivileged. Guggenheim introduces the perpetuating problem of the educational system with what “good schools” is (Guggenheim, 10:53). Canada has been used as a strategy by Guggenheim to be able to capture the viewers because he is addressing the issue they have an interest in. in the film Canada notes that if he attended Morris High School in the south Bronx he would not have been successful as it lacked driving force. In order to strengthen Guggenheim argument of the ailing education system, Canada stressed out that the reason behind the failing system was as a result of no one was willing to take the responsibility including all the presidents.  To prove this theory an interview with Esparza’s mother proved Guggenheim and Canada right that no one was responsible (Guggenheim, 13:26). Guggenheim resulted to Canada due to his influential role that he plays as a leader who is very passionate and advocates for education reforms. Due to his strong character that most American’s can relate to Guggenheim is able to command a large number of people on believing that the American education system adequate reforms. Canada who has served as a president of the Harlem Children’s zone is looked upon many as he has extensive knowledge and is regarded as the most influential people in the world. His national leadership model has enabled Guggenheim to capture the attention of many because Canada can be identified by the people who are experiencing the distressed neighborhoods that Canada himself grew in. Guggenheim and Canada have shared values as they have the same interest of the public education system of Americans compared to that of charter institutions. Moreover, he addresses the dropout factories which the audience could relate to as well as Canada as he experienced the same.

At the end of the film Guggenheim places the views in the same shoes as the five children in the lottery so that they can share the same disappointment with the children who have the hope of joining charter schools (Guggenheim, 1:29:40). By this, he capitalizes on the hope and the fears of these families. The disappointment evokes emotion not only to the students but the parents and the viewers as well due to the inability to give them a proper education that can have a positive impact on their lives. The countdown in the lottery exerts more pressure and hope to the students and shows how difficult it is four out of the five students are denied a chance to enroll in charter schools (Guggenheim, 01:35:16). This means that right decisions should be made so that the students of tomorrow may have a future.  While Guggenheim focuses on the melodrama the viewers feel that they are emotionally manipulated as children have been maliciously deceived by putting their unrestricted faith in private schools which they had hoped to join only to be turned away.

Conclusion

Guggenheim has been able to patronize the audience by signifying that matters of learning are complicated but now the answers are available. By excluding a vast majority of teacher’s parents and students he has been able to portray a negative side of the district schools in America education system. The right decision should be made so that even the public schools can shape the future of their students by also encouraging parents to be part of their children education system rather than viewing them as part of a broken system as it would be precious time lost waiting.

 

 

 

 

 

Work cited

 Guggenheim Davis. (2016). Retrieved from fohttp://documentarylovers.com/film/waiting-for-superman/r superman.