Essay on An Analysis of Waiting for Superman - 978 Words

In 2010, Davis Guggenheim released one of the years most talked about documentaries, Waiting for Superman. His film was an eye opening, to many, look at the failings of the U.S. school system. The film follows five students across the U.S., who range in grade level from kindergarten to eighth grade, as they try and escape the public school system through a lottery for a chance admission to a charter school. Guggenheim lays the blame for the failing public education system at the feet of the various teachers unions, and makes a plea for the public in general to get involved in reforming the system. By analyzing Waiting for Superman through a sociological perspective, issues of inequality will be explained using the theoretical approach†¦show more content†¦There is one major problem with them though; there are never enough enrollment slots to accommodate all children. Therefore as stated earlier, most of these children’s futures are determined by luck alone. The finale of the film is a heartbreaking scene. The viewer watches as all five children along with their families wait to see if their numbers are called in the lotteries for a place in the charter school. Futures are determined by the drop of a ball rather than hard work and effort. Conflict perspective, as defined by David M. Newman, views â€Å"the structure of society as a source of inequality, which benefits some groups at the expense of other groups† (Newman 19). Waiting for Superman demonstrates inequalities in education by highlighting inner-city minorities and their struggle for a proper education. The defined conflict in this documentary is between the welfare of the children seeking a proper education and the welfare of the teacher’s, seeking to maintain their employment at any cost through the use of unions. Education becomes the focal point for this analysis of the conflict perspective. Newman states, â€Å"the most powerful institutional agent of socia lization after the family, is education† (Newman 67). The public education system is tasked with not educating, but also socializing and defining student’s sense of self as they mature throughShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman 1186 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Waiting for Superman† looks at a problem plaguing American schools all over the country today. This film makes it clear this problem hits hardest in the poorest communities of the country, he does make it clear though that it can happen in rich communities and suburbs.. The filmmakers attack all political parties and belief systems. The movie looks at many things , the funding of schools, how supplies are distributed to schools, how teachers are picked and monitored, teachers unions, differentRead MoreMovie Analysis : Waiting For Superman 1271 Words   |  6 Pageslife gives you lemons, make lemonade: a clichà © that seems to be used oftentimes and never fails to humor some truth in it. In the television show, The Simpsons, episode: â€Å"How the Test Was Won,† directed by Lance Kramer and the documentary, Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim, indicates the depleted issue in our education system. Both texts argue the decline of our nation’s literacy and school merit that comes with. Ultimately, Guggeheim builds his credibility with citing reputableRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman 935 Words   |  4 PagesWaiting for Superman is a documentary that scrutinized public schools primarily located in inner-city areas. The documentary provided criticism towards educational reforms and the process of seeking alternative private or institutionalized education (i.e. charter schools). The film showcased the testimonies of five students and their desires to escape the failing public schools in the area. Waiting for Superman is metaphorically titled to suggest that a false sense of hope is given to studentsRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Waiting For Superman1023 Words   |  5 PagesWho is Superman? Many might recognize Superman as a hero of great prevail, with super powers that bend the laws of the universe. Truly, Superman is recognizably one of the strongest and well-known heroes in the DC Comics universe. Children view him as a role model, perhaps as a personal hero - one with astounding power and absolutely triumphant morals; one that always does good. If our perception of a â€Å"superhero† is a person that does good in any situation, then our definition of an actual SupermanRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman 902 Words   |  4 PagesWaiting for â€Å"Superman† is a documentary that focuses on five children-Anthony, Bianca, Emily, Francisco, and Daisy- who are looking for a better outcome for their education. The film is set up to follow differ ent stories to explain how the school system works and the different ways that each school district functions. In detail, it unravels the struggle of the American school system and how the roles of charter schools has increased. It shows the five different charter schools that each child wantsRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Waiting For Superman1169 Words   |  5 PagesSuperman Can’t Save Them All A school’s main mission is to set up its students to succeed in the future. Almost everyone goes through the experience of school, but everyone experiences it differently. For me, I was fortunate enough to not worry about my education while growing up. For some, a good education is never a concern and these students do not have to worry about being prepared for the future. For others, such as the ones in Waiting for Superman, a good education does not come as easily.Read MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman 1952 Words   |  8 PagesDanny kinder-key Waiting for Superman 2010 Mr. Davis Guggenheim—an American film director and producer wrote and directed Waiting for â€Å"Superman†, a documentary that deals with the American education system. Guggenheim argues that they are failing more each year in producing successful students. He finds where the faults are within the public educational system. He takes the time to show us some of the faces to those numbers to make his pubic realize they areRead MoreMovie Analysis : Waiting For Superman2121 Words   |  9 PagesAfter watching both â€Å"Waiting for Superman† at home and â€Å"Race to Nowhere† in class, a lot of conclusions can be made from both incredibly made documentaries. Both films offered their audience the opportunity to be informed about the problems and issues in contemporary American education, both clearly with two completely different points of view. â€Å"Waiting for Superman† and â€Å"Race to Nowhere† were both created in 2010, and here and no w in 2015, major issues in the United States surrounding educationRead More Rhetorical Analysis of the Film, Waiting for Superman Essay1246 Words   |  5 PagesEducational systems in America are impaired, and the very educators that are meant to teach are the one’s pulling it down. That is the apparent message that Davis Guggenheim attempts to convey in his documentary â€Å"Waiting for Superman†. He uses many strategies to get his message across. Some of these include cartoons, children, and those reformers that are attempting to pull the system out of the ditch that it has found its way into. He makes his point very well, and uses facts and figures correctlyRead MoreExamples Of Education In Waiting For Superman1242 Words   |  5 PagesA proper education is one of the most important things in a childs life. In the powerful documentary, Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim, the audience is given an insight on charter, public, and private/ boarding sch ools. While the underlying tones of the film are leaning towards the positives of these prestigious schools, the main principle is how important an education is, and the steps the country is taking to improve it. Throughout the film, a strong pull of emotion is presented