Stand and Deliver -- and how things fell apart
I loved the movie "Stand and Deliver", about the maverick math teacher in Los Angeles who created a hugely successful AP Calculus program at his high school. I remember seeing the movie in the theaters with my dad and aunt (my family NEVER went to the theaters normally) and the huge excitement I felt walking out of the movie theater. And of course the tale was standard pizza and movie video night fare before my own APs in high school.
I knew that Hollywood had taken liberties with the story, and had telescoped more than 14 years down to 2 or 3. But I hadn't ever read a detailed account -- from an educator's perspective -- on what made the program work so well. And although I'd heard hints and bits and pieces, I'd never learned about the full tragedy of how it fell apart.
If you are at all interested in reading about the rise -- and fall -- of this math program, check out this story. It has some very valid criticism of the public school system -- both administrators and teacher unions. I found it to be an utterly fascinating article.
http://reason.com/0207/fe.jj.stand.shtml
I knew that Hollywood had taken liberties with the story, and had telescoped more than 14 years down to 2 or 3. But I hadn't ever read a detailed account -- from an educator's perspective -- on what made the program work so well. And although I'd heard hints and bits and pieces, I'd never learned about the full tragedy of how it fell apart.
If you are at all interested in reading about the rise -- and fall -- of this math program, check out this story. It has some very valid criticism of the public school system -- both administrators and teacher unions. I found it to be an utterly fascinating article.
http://reason.com/0207/fe.jj.stand.shtml