Please go see American Teacher

I wasn’t a huge detractor of the film Waiting for Superman until after its release. When I went to see the movie, I wasn’t immediately disgusted. After all, I believe that students of color deserve a better education, and I believe that we teachers are the most important part of change.

But mix Waiting for Superman with the recession and the public’s disdain for benefits and public employees, and you got some crazy anti-teacher venom.

That’s why I like American Teacher, which comes out this Fall. I got to see the premiere a few months back, and the film is an excellent response to Superman. (Disclosure: I’m in the credits!) Not only does the movie treat teachers as professionals, but it also tells the truth about a typical teacher’s daily life. The trailer:

As a teacher, I don’t want to be a martyr. I just expect to be valued. I’m hoping that people will go see this film and have conversations with their friends about how to make education a priority again in our society.