I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School

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10/11/2016 thought- provoking.. mind -enrichment largesse.. highly recommended See more 05/12/2016 A compelling & important documentary for any schools in the US & abroad. The filmmakers stayed at this school for a whole year & recorded the lives of students & teachers in one of the roughest areas in America. The struggle the principal & staff had teaching these children is incredible & despite the set backs seem quite focused. Many of the students parents are either dead or crack addicts & there stories are truly humbling. Many of the students despite their behavior where highly intelligent & fascinating to see how life unraveled in this school. See more 07/22/2014 Teachers in inner-city Philadelphia with exclusively poor African-American students struggle to inspire and educate their students. Deploying the concepts of educators as heroes and education as inspiration, the subjects of this documentary encounter all the problems that you'd expect. While I normally reject the idea that education and inspiration are related, the context of this film and these teachers makes me challenge my own ideas. The principal of this school, Deanna Burney, must convince the students and their parents that they aren't categorically doomed to repeat the lives they see in their environment and that education has the power to take them beyond what they see. And at times she even has to convince teachers to believe in the "power of education." These are all idealistic notions that don't always hold up in real life, but it's hard to argue with her in the context of this film. Overall, my cold, dead, cynical heart was almost warmed by this film. See more 08/24/2009 A must see for those interested or who involved in childrens education. It's a true story which makes it that much more interesting. For both educators and parents alike to help them stay informed. See more Read all reviews

I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School

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