begginning to draft paper #2

I have chosen two movies to base my second paper on. I want to use "The Freedom Writers Diary" and "Mona Lisa Smile".

 INTRO

Teachers everywhere have many different strategies and teaching methods that work for them and their students. Some teachers bring a very strong sense of their own personalities and experiences into the classroom, while others are faced with the complete unknown when hired to teach. Their strengths and weaknesses can be documented to help others to reach the goal of teaching successfully through trial and error and sharing these experiences.  All in all, teachers are different across the world. Pointing out the similarities and differences over time, location, and many other factors will put into perspective the types of teachers who have dedicated their career to making students academic lives better.

I will build my body paragraphs from these different topics. I think 1200-1500 words will be sufficient for me to do compare/contrast paragraphs for some of these. 

possible topics for body paragraphs:

teacher's personal traits; appearance, gender, where they come from, alienation, culture shock, private lives (love life, are they happy?)

school traits; location, time period, students attitudes, funding, teachers attitudes, school overview

effectiveness of teachers; roles they play, students grades, control of the classroom, lesson plans, field trips, are students responsive?

roles of the teachers

When defining the roles of these four given teachers from totally different text and locations, you could say they were all commonly the disciplinarian of the students. What I mean is that either the students obeyed because of consequence, like with sister MPH who "ran the first grade with an iron hand in the shape of a cross". Or they obeyed to avoid embarrassment and because they respected their teachers, like with MacFarland, Escalante and Watson. Mrs. Watson did not earn her respect right away, she earned it by challenging the girls and becoming their friend, mentor, therapist in a way, and finally respected teacher and disciplinarian. That is huge progress for her because when she came to Wellesley she was immediately stereotyped and the girls were curious, why wasn't she married? Why had she come there? They even questioned her capabilities. In the end they came to love her very much. I think everyone can agree that MacFarland was a mentor and friend as well as a disciplinarian for some. He got the rowdiest boys to settle and they did not disrupt him. I don't think MacFarland had to discipline Mike Rose much because he wanted to be at school, MacFarland was the one who recognized Rose's potential and got him back on the right track at school, so he became a role model to Rose in a way. Mr Escalante was an ally to these students, as well as a mentor and disciplinarian. He had to initially start by letting the kids know who was in charge, he did this successfully then he could move on to become their ally and mentor and help them build goals, like passing the AP calculus test. He seemed to stay focused on math even when he brought them home to cook for them while they studied, so I would not classify him in the friend category, but ally and mentor for sure.

MacFarland vs. Escalante

I read through Mike Rose's story, part 2 and found some similarities between him, and Mr Escalante for Stand and Deliver. When Rose felt like he was struggling to the point of giving in to frustration, it reminded me of the students that Escalante came to teach. They had struggled with lack of proper instruction, lack of self worth and lack of basic skills. So much so that by the time Mr Escalante came, they had little to no value of Math. Rose then says "Jack MacFarland couldn't have came into my life at a better time". And I feel this is true for the students in Mr Escalantes class as well. Both teachers entered a disruptive classroom of students in the last part of their high school years.The time when the students would make or break their future.

Both sets of students had outside influences holding them back like family health, sports expectations, and the need for income and leaving school to work.

  He says that MacFarland came their to "teach his heart out". I think the same applies to Escalante who could have left the school when he had the chance. Instead he chose to remain at the school and teach for the students who clearly needed it. Both teachers "brought a prep school curriculum" to the new schools they taught at. Mr Escalante came in and successfully taught his students Calculus, a class recognized by the Advanced Placement program, and rewarded with college credits. MacFarland brought in texts to study and recite with his class that they had not been exposed to, or even able to access before.

 They seem to have a similarity as well where in class they paced the room. They both made harder materials more understood by using their own words to explain them to the students. Both teachers showed a way of controlling the students in the class and still upholding encouragement and respect, as well as discipline. Escalate often told one rebellious student to leave instead of allowing him to interrupt the others, while MacFarland "made the troublemaker look foolish, rather than daring".

 MacFarland encouraged specifically Rose to work harder, as did Escalante with many of his students. In the end, you see a bond between student and teacher, just like in the movie Stand and Deliver. Both teachers drove the children to challenge themselves and explore possible ideas for their futures. As well as encourage them to try harder, and be capable of tasks they never thought they could before.

Reactions to Mona Lisa Smile

First of all I have looked on netflix and YouTube hoping to find the ending of this movie to watch! I have seen it before when it came out and it was nice to see it again. I really like the setting that the movie takes place in. That is a part of the country I have never seen and the time period is intriguing as well. I find it a bit disturbing that in that time, in that upper class setting, that it was acceptable for the students to treat the teacher with such disrespect. The level of disrespect is present from Ms Watson's superiors as well.
 You see these young ladies who are taught to memorize and recite. They do not look past the text in any creative manner. It pinpoints the exact difference our culture had at that time in history, from one coast to the other coast. You can see this because Ms. Watson came from California and had the idea that she could make a difference to students on the east coast. At first she felt defeated, which I would too. I feel that teachers have earned a high level of respect and you can see this was not present in this movie.
  I like that she questioned the roles of her students, especially those who showed interest in breaking the mold. I do feel like she was a bit overly pushy when she applied for law school on behalf of her student. Only because this student wasn't really "allowed" to be exploring options other than marriage and the home life that came with it in those days.
  All in all I highly enjoyed this movie, and I plan to rent it at the library and watch it again!

Ideas for paper #2

I have come up with a few ideas for paper number two.

• using my own educational experiences, but it seems more difficult because it took place long enough ago that I have trouble remembering specifics. 
• I thought about using my sons preschool teacher as one example, since I spent the last three years volunteering and running the school board for his Cooperative Preschool. 
• The two movies we have watched would be better criteria for a full length and descriptive paper because the idea is still very fresh in my mind having just watched them both. Also having bits of the movies available on You Tube.
• In another class I am taking "Intro to Education" we have to watch a movie similar to these ones, from a list given to us by our instructor. One of the choices in The Freedom Writers Diary, which just so happens to be one of my all time favorite movies. In addition to liking the movie, I find the character "Mrs. G" to be very motivating and like a role model. 
• I am almost positive I will be using the two movies; Mona Lisa Smile, and The Freedom Writers Diary.

How are the schools the same?

Mona Lisa Smile and Stand and Deliver

1. Both movies show a dedicated and motivated teacher placed in not quite the ideal teaching environment. Both teachers have an idea of what they want to do to make a difference in their students lives.
2. Both movies have students that show some if not a lot of resistance towards their new teachers. One group doesn't care and has no intention of learning math right away, while the other group shows arrogance and disrespect, feeling like they knew more than their teacher.
3. Both movies show the new teachers bringing the students out into the real world for field trips exposing them to something they can relate to, besides just a textbook
4. Both sets of students come to realize and understand what is being taught to them. In the end they develop a respect for their teachers.
5. Both teachers have limits and doubts placed upon them by their superiors

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.