Questions
for Waiting for Superman
1. Who
is the intended audience of the documentary?
2. What
is the purpose of the documentary?
3. Is
it successful in its intended purpose?
4. What
is the presentation that is made about public schooling?
5. Where
are most of the schools featured located?
6. What
is the ‘defined’ purpose of public schooling?
7. What
is your definition/purpose of public schooling?
8. What
is the assumption with the statistics?
9. Were
there any significant differences among the students featured?
10. The
documentary says that students were separated or tracked based not just
academics but obedience, discipline, effort and response to authority. Are these worthy characteristics by which to
judge students?
11. Are
you being prepared for college? 2
year? 4 year?
12. If
you had to go to one of the failing schools, would you try harder or would you
give up?
13. Do
you think that other students in big schools are being prepared?
14. What
is the draw to these big schools?
15. Is
college the only option for students of good schools?
16. What
is Bill Gates’ interest in schools?
17. What
made some of the featured schools sought after for parents and students?
18. What
is the biggest obstacle to change?
19. How
does the National Teacher’s Union explain the issues?
20. How
do they impede the process?
21. Do
you think that they intend to?
22. Is
it really true that teachers can’t be fired?
23. What
was the solution(s) offered for students?
24. What
is your experience with school?
25. Was
there any student responsibility or accountability?
26. Should
all schools run the same?
27. What
do the increased hours and Saturday school insure?
28. What
did you notice about the alternative schools?
29. What
are the pros and cons of tenure?
30. Why
did Rhee come up against so much opposition?
31. Did
her lack of experience help or hurt her and the things that she wants to do?
32. What
is the difference between a student failing and a school failing?
33. What
is the advantage of a lottery system?
34. What
is the disadvantage of a lottery system?
35. What
do you think will happen to those featured students who did not get into a
different school?
36. Do
you think that they will still be successful students? Explain your answer.
