Crestwood School Presents The Documentary Film Race to Nowhere
Toronto’s Crestwood School presents Race to Nowhere, the hard-hitting education documentary that exposes the silent epidemic in schools. This documentary investigates and exposes how our high-pressure, high-stakes culture has invaded schools and children’s lives, creating an unhealthy, disengaged, unprepared and stressed-out youth.
Although not a Canadian-made film, I highly recommend seeing it – this is a problem faced not only by children in the USA, but here in Canada as well. I have long been an advocate for embracing the creative spirit and natural curiosity of children in our schools. The curriculum they are taught, and the way they are taught, needs to change. This is no longer the age of the Industrial Revolution. Solutions to problems will not come by teaching repetitive rhetoric in schools or testing our kids on how well they can memorize facts and formulae.
Surely there are teachers in our school systems who would love the chance to break free from being the droning voice at the front of the class our school kids learn to dread. There are reasons why The Dead Poet Society, The Emperor’s Club and Mr. Holland’s Opus are among my favourite movies. Yes, the basics are necessary, everyone needs a starting point – but then open the doors for our children – let them expand their minds and follow their passions. Certainly their passions may change many times over the course of their schooling, but would you rather they ventured down many paths of discovery to find the one that ignites their imagination or sat in a sterile square box being force-fed what the curriculum says they must learn?
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uem73imvn9Y]
Created by first-time filmmaker Vicki Abeles, the film tells the stories of young people pushed to the brink, burned-out teachers and deeply frustrated parents. It is a call to action, which Crestwood School, under the leadership of Dalia Eisen, answers by bringing the subject to the forefront of the educational dialogue.
Who: Crestwood School Parent Association
What: Race to Nowhere Screening and Panel Discussion
Date: Monday, February 27th, 2012
Time: 7:30pm- 9:30pm
Where: Toronto Botanical Gardens – 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto
