Brava,
I was trying to respond along similar lines, but I've changed e-mail, but couldn't remember my password, and it never came, so I never posted.... Oh, well.
It will probably happen again now...
Bonnie Odiorne

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Donna Chambers" <donnaedp at cox.net> 


> 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" 

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

> 

> 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" 

> > To: 

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

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> >> 

> >> 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 

> 

> 

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

> 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 

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