For individuals that have not been openly exposed to urban schools and their surroundings, misconceptions often play a considerable role in their conception of these areas. These misconceptions not only apply to the portrayal of these urban schools, but also to the students that attend these schools.
|
Click on this picture to watch the clip
Perhaps the greatest source of these fallacies can be attributed to movies that attempt to depict these areas. For example, they envision the urban schools based on movies such as “Dangerous Minds,” a film centralized on the life of a retired U.S. marine that takes up a teaching position in an urban district. Another film that attempts to depict these situations include “Freedom Writers.” Unfortunately, many of these films fail to capture the true nature of urban districts and the students that attend these schools. Instead of focusing on the positive and unique aspects of these societies, these films often choose to focus on situations like adolescent pregnancies, gang affiliations, drug usage and violence. Those that have actually taught at, attended or worked at urban schools and that have actually been living in this environment are knowledgeable that urban schools are much more than these overrepresentations. Unfortunately, other people watch these films and are exposed to blatant misconceptions and stereotypes , thus shaping an incorrect vision of urban schools.
In my short clip that I’ve embedded in this page I compare and contrast two similar movies that are based on inner city settings. Do these films inspire, invoke charisma and passion or discourage new/preservice teachers working in urban/inner-city schools?