Wendy,

Thanks so much for sharing the New York Times article on "Freedom Writers" .

After seeing the ads for this movie, I was looking forward to  it.  I 
thought, with Hilary Swank, how can you go wrong?  Wrong! I was extremely 
disappointed in the movie and thought I was the only one. I  felt that 
"Freedom Writers" was very cliché and certainly sent the wrong message to 
school administrators.  To fix the problems in our school system, all we 
have to do is have more teachers who are willing to put up their own money 
and time, etc. and everything will turn out right.  Adult educators know 
that it doesn't happen this way, because we have been putting up our own 
money, time and passion for years.  We have also known for a long time that 
students come to us with lots of "baggage" in the way of their learning. 
This is not at all a new revelation for adult educators.  As the latest 
research from NCSALL informs us, we need to consider all the issues around 
what happens in the learning process and how education can influence this, 
not just what is taught in the classroom, especially during the little time 
adult learners spend in that classroom.  As the writer of the article points 
out, let us not trivialize what is needed for educational reform. It is not 
about hero teachers, but really about long overdue systemic change.

Donna Chambers

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wendy Quinones" <wbquinones at adelphia.net>
To: "The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List" 
<professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 10:43 PM
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 765] Re: Movies and texts 
aboutlow-literateadults



> So many people wrote about "Freedom Writers" that I thought I'd send along

> this Op-Ed piece from the New York Times.  The "hero teacher" has always

> bothered me -- and I'm sure glad I teach adults!

>

> Wendy Quinones

>

>

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

> From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>

> To: <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 8:17 AM

> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 760] Movies and texts about

> low-literateadults

>

>

>> Professional Development Colleagues,

>>

>> Several weeks ago I asked about books and movies that inspired you as a

>> teacher.  We had a rich and interesting discussion that produced a

>> terrific list that I have archived on the Adult Literacy Education Wiki 

>> at

>>

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

>>

>> I hope you -- and others -- will help now with another question.  Can

>> you recommend good books or movies (or scenes from movies) that you

>> believe authentically capture the experience of an adult learning to

>> read, write or compute.  The film "Stanley and Iris" comes to mind, for

>> example. For some it is an authentic example, for others it is

>> inauthentic.  I am also interested to hear about scenes from films that

>> you believe are inauthentic, or that just plain get it wrong, and I

>> would like to know what you think was inauthentic about it.  I would

>> also appreciate hearing from people who learned (or are learning) to

>> read as adults.  From your experience as a person who has learned to

>> read as an adult, what texts, what films ring true? Which don't?

>>

>> Those of you who teach adult new readers might be willing to take this

>> question to your students and post back to the list what they say.

>>

>> Thanks for your help.

>>

>> David J. Rosen

>> djrosen at comcast.net

>>

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

>> National Institute for Literacy

>> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

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>>

>> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

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

>>

>



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