I just want to second the shout-out to the Wire. I have watched the show from the first season, and I think it is the greatest show in the history of television. Hands-down. 

What is so great about this season is that the portrayal of the school system takes the time to really work through the implications of many issues educators are grappling with. One on-going discussion involves whether or not pull-out programs targeted to help "at risk" youth constitutes tracking. Another on-going issue is making the material relevant to the students'. There are no quick and easy answers - the show is realistic in its complexity. Watching it makes me want to work harder. 

There's plenty of graphic violence (physical, emotional and social) and language so, as they say, viewer discretion is advised.

Erik Jacobson 


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Laurie Sheridan" <laurie_sheridan at worlded.org>

> This is a TV show, not a book or film, but it's worth checking out.

> 

> I have recently been watching the current season of "The Wire," a

> fictional but grittily real series about inner-city life in Baltimore,

> including in the schools, on the streets, in police headquarters, and in

> city politics.  The interplay among the characters and their constant

> butting of their heads against an intractable bureaucracy is deeply

> compelling though often quite bleak, and I can't think of a better

> portrayal of the lives and backgrounds of some of our learners.  It

> principally follows a group of young African-American boys as they

> thread their way among unsupportive school system, police who sometimes

> abuse and sometimes nurture them, harsh family situations, and the pull

> of the street, gangs, and extreme violence.  It's riveting, and the kids

> who are in their early to late teens are brilliantly acted.    "The

> Wire," a bad name for a good show,  refers to a wiretap the police use

> to try to trap the most brutal gangleaders, who are constantly luring

> the young students into the world of the street, murder and deals gone

> bad.  

> 

> The scenes in the current season focus on the classroom and a new

> teacher (and former cop) who works with others in the school to find

> ways to reach, retain and educate the most at-risk among the youth.  You

> get a close look at the barriers to his doing this, to the kids'

> learning and continuing in school at all--and their constant pressure to

> fall back into "the life" on the street in gangs and dealing. 

> 

> It's on HBO, so you have to have cable, on Thursday nights, at least in

> Boston.   You can also get it from Netflicks or from the video store. 

> Previous years are nearly as rewarding, but this year focuses on the

> classroom so it's especially good.  For any of you who saw "Boys of

> Baraka" this year--this is like a continuation, and in a very similar

> setting with similar characters, and it's even better.  

> 

> Laurie Sheridan

> 

> >>> David Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net> 12/14/2006 3:01 PM >>>

> Andrea and others,

> 

> By "challenging" young adults I meant, school dropouts, returning to  

> an alternative education program who have relative little time (for  

> example one year) and who may be reading or doing math at an upper  

> elementary school level, who may be skeptical about what education  

> can do for them but who are willing to give it a second try.  Also,  

> because they are still young, they may bring with them some  

> adolescent street behavior not appropriate to the learning  

> environment.  So films or books about inspiring high school teaching  

> might fit the bill, too.

> 

> Any suggestions?

> 

> 

> David

> 

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net 

> 

> 

> On Dec 14, 2006, at 8:40 AM, Andrea Wilder wrote:

> 

> > David, Please define "challenging young adults."

> > On Dec 13, 2006, at 9:00 PM, David Rosen wrote:

> >

> >> Hi Wendy and others,

> >>

> >> Just to clarify, the book is to inspire the _teachers_ of classes

> of

> >> challenging young adults.

> >>

> >> David J. Rosen

> >>

> >> On Dec 13, 2006, at 8:22 PM, Wendy Quinones wrote:

> >>

> >>> Two come to mind -- "Dangerous Minds," which is more for high

> >>> school age,

> >>> and "Educating Rita" which is maybe for older folks.  Both are  

> >>> really

> >>> inspiring.

> >>>

> >>> Wendy

> >>> ----- Original Message -----

> >>> From: "David Rosen" <djrosen1 at comcast.net>

> >>> To: "The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List"

> >>> <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> >>> Cc: "The Women and Literacy Discussion List"  

> >>> <womenliteracy at nifl.gov>

> >>> Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 6:28 PM

> >>> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 682] A book or movie to inspire

> >>> teachers

> >>>

> >>>

> >>>> Colleagues,

> >>>>

> >>>> I was asked today for a recommendation of a movie or book (such

> as

> >>>> "Stand and Deliver") which would inspire teachers to have high

> >>>> expectations for their young adult students, to give each day  

> >>>> 100% to

> >>>> their teaching.  What would you recommend?

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>> David J. Rosen

> >>>> djrosen at comcast.net 

> >>>> ----------------------------------------------------

> >>>> National Institute for Literacy

> >>>> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> >>>> ProfessionalDevelopment at nifl.gov 

> >>>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> >>>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment 

> >>>>

> >>>> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education 

> 

> >>>> Wiki

> >>>> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/ 

> >>>> Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development

> >>>>

> >>>

> >>>

> >>> ----------------------------------------------------

> >>> National Institute for Literacy

> >>> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> >>> ProfessionalDevelopment at nifl.gov 

> >>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> >>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment 

> >>>

> >>> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education  

> >>> Wiki

> >>> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/ 

> >>> Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development

> >>

> >> David J. Rosen

> >> djrosen at comcast.net 

> >>

> >>

> >>

> >> ----------------------------------------------------

> >> National Institute for Literacy

> >> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> >> ProfessionalDevelopment at nifl.gov 

> >> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> >> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment 

> >>

> >> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education

> Wiki

> >> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/ 

> >> Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development

> >>

> >

> > ----------------------------------------------------

> > National Institute for Literacy

> > Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> > ProfessionalDevelopment at nifl.gov 

> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  

> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment 

> >

> > Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education

> Wiki

> > http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/ 

> > Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development

> 

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net 

> 

> 

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> ProfessionalDevelopment at nifl.gov 

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment 

> 

> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki 

> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> ProfessionalDevelopment at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

> 

> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki 

> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development