Stand and Deliver is based on a real math teacher, Jaime Escalante (protrayed by Edward James Olmos)that changed the education in James A. Garfield High School in Los Angeles County, California.
The movie sets around 1980s, where the new teacher, Jaime Escalante, was to teach Computer Science at Garfield High School. However, he was to teach mathematics 1A, basic arithmetic, but soon realizes that there was potential for the students to learn calculus. He was been threatened by teachers and his students, put he finally convinced 18 students to take calculus. In helping them to take the class, he held a summer course to teach them algebra, math analysis, and trigonometry. He soon develops series of methods to get them to understand math such as using props and humor to illustrate math concepts.
The film also showed the students' home life and school life, contradicting of how it is difficult for them unlike some families are today. After all the hard work, in their senior year, the seniors are ready to take AP Calculus, hoping when passing the standards test, earning college credit.
However, after taking the AP Calculus exam around spring, the Educational Testing Services accuses the students have possibly chested on the exam due to the same errors and finishing the exam around the same time. Escalante thinks that racial and economic status of the students are giving the Educational Testing Services doubts of their intelligence. In order to prove they have not cheated on whatsoever on the exam, the students agree on retaking the test on the end of summer, and the test will be harder. At the end, all of the students once again, passed the exam and Escalante wants the original scores reinstated.
In my opinion, this is a great movie. This is educational, has the Latino culture, and displays of how some students' lives were like when they did now received enough education. However, watching this movie, it encourages to push and go forward to goals and have a better life than what you expected before.
So Nancy...excellent summary of the film (I've seen it once or twice myself--it's one of the few "teacher movies" I actually like). But your review only comes at the very end! I'd like to hear more about exactly why and how you think the movie is good. Next review? More analysis and a bit less summary.
ReplyDeleteTwo more people have reviewed this movie:
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