how are the schools different?

Mona Lisa Smile

1. Female teacher in an all girls school. Teaching art history. The school is one of prestige and high level studies
2. Ms. Watson is in a time period where women were expected to become mothers and wives. Not at all expected to go on to a career.
3. Everyone in the school setting comes from upper class status. 
4. Some of the female students are beginning to challenge their"role" in society, while others basically defend its importance.
5. Ms. Watson is watched very closely in order to keep control over her teaching and lesson plans. Not wanting to expose the students to anything that may allow them to further their independent thinking style. 
6. Ms. Watson comes from California and a much more easy-going environment where women work, as well as become mothers and wives. And she is transplanted into a "hoity toity", upper class, judgemental environment. She puts herself there to make a difference. To expand these young girls thinking.

Stand and Deliver

1. Male teacher in a public co-ed school. Teaching Math. The school is one in the inner city, populated mostly by Latino and Mexican Americans. Some gang members and all rebellious.
2. Mr Escalante teaches in a later time period when public schools are victim of budget cuts, and criminal trespassing and vandalism. Students are barely even expected to graduate.
3. Everyone in the student roles are coming in from lower class status. But it does seem as though the teachers are that of a middle class status.
4. Most of the students have no other drive or goals but to fall into their expected roll in society. You see one student with dreams of a medical career, yet her family expects her to fall into her "role" before graduation.
5. Mr Escalante is not watched closely, he is not being pushed to help his students more. There is no motivation from other faculty to continue on with teaching more to these students. Not because it would further their independent thinking, but because no one thinks the students are capable.
6. Mr Escalante comes from a nice neighborhood to transplant himself into the rough urban school environment. All to help these kids graduate and earn college credits, as well as let them know they are capable of more.