These films can enrich your understanding of and investment in children from diverse families by providing more personal examples of their needs and challenges. They also provide examples of what teachers can do to help.
BEYOND THE BLACKBOARD
Based on the true story of Stacey Bess, Beyond the Blackboard offers a glimpse of the lives of homeless children and families. Ms. Bess becomes the sole teacher in a school for homeless children, which is attached to their homeless shelter. She advocates for her students, involves members of the shelter community in her classroom, and works with parents as partners. This inspirational story shows the effect teachers and their students can have on each other.
THE WATER IS WIDE
The Water is Wide is based on Pat Conroy's autobiographical book of the same name. As a young teacher, Mr. Conroy worked with children on a remote island in South Carolina. In the movie, he refuses to "follow the chain of command", advocating for what his students truly need. He also works equally on the children's academics and self-esteem. This film shows the challenges of working with low-income, rural students who have been under-taught and undervalued by their education system.
EMMA'S GIFTS
This documentary shares the story of one family dealing with the impact of Down's Syndrome. Emma is a 3-year old who has Down's Syndrome, and her twin sister, Abby, does not. Emma's Gifts shows the unique challenges Emma faces in the classroom and at home. You also see how her parents advocate for her, and who in the school and community are involved in supporting children with disabilities.
Thank you for providing these films as resources for gaining an understanding of diverse families. As an educator, I have gained insight on how the teachers in the films have handled diversity in their classrooms.
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