The new documentary film, Race to Nowhere is sparking conversations in auditoriums, classrooms, and living rooms across the country. The film chronicles the harmful effects of stress on students and the unrelenting pressure to succeed.
Co-directed by Vicki Abeles, an ex-Wall Street lawyer and mother of three, and Jessica Congdon, a commercial film editor, Race to Nowhere focuses on young people who are pushed to the brink. It examines the roles of teachers and parents who are trying to do what’s best for their children and classrooms.
In an interview with CNN News, Abeles says the U.S. has a system and culture dominated by high-stakes tests, competition and pressure to perform. “We see unintended consequences ranging from teachers burning out to students burning out to unhealthy outcomes, and in the end, children who are arriving in college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.”
In West Hartford, the Parent-Teacher Council recently hosted a panel discussion to talk about the documentary. More than 60 parents attended the event to hear how the community can help address some of the issues highlighted in the film to help ease the pressures on students in town.
Panelist Bob Lorenzo, a counselor at Sedgwick Middle School, pointed out that the film is a one-sided look at California families struggling, in crisis, and pointing the finger at schools as scapegoats. He said the “Race to Nowhere” is really a “Race to Somewhere.”
Mary Lou Shand, a school counselor at Conard High School, said she was saddened by the fact that the film emphasized homework and grades as more important than learning—something she says is not the philosophy at Conard.
“We really push effort over grades, love of learning over grades, and 21st-century skills, and feel it’s a very healthy environment,” says Shand.
Are there stressed students at Conard?
“Yes,” says Shand, “but we deal with that. It’s our job, and parents are advocates for their children and we all help them get through the pressure-filled world.”
The role of parents
According to a survey conducted by the West Hartford school system, parents acknowledge their role in creating a positive home environment for their children. The majority of parents surveyed (85 percent) say they set limits on the hours their children devote to sports, work, television and schoolwork, and84 percent also say that part of their children’s responsibilities as students is to learn to regulate and balance all of their activities, including schoolwork.
“Life is a balancing act, between family, friends, peers, sports, dance, and all the extracurricular activities,” said panelist Shannon Mlodzinski, a Curriculum Specialist at Aiken Elementary School.
Mlodzinski thinks West Hartford has a wonderful school system, but like everything else, there is always room for improvement.
“We want to discuss what works well, what doesn’t work, and what areas we can improve,” she said. “There isn’t one easy fix, but we are glad parents came out to listen, be heard, and give their opinions.”
Homework policies
Many parents at the panel discussion asked about homework policies, with some parents contending that their children receive too little homework, while others said they get too much.
Michael Cobb, a panelist who teaches math at Bristow Middle School, says homework is part of the learning progression. “Kids getting material, falling down, picking up what they don’t understand, persevering and gaining understanding—it’s all part of the process and students aren’t as successful without it.”
The panelists all agreed that homework is important but that it’s often difficult to determine how much is appropriate, because what’s too much for one child might not be enough for another.
Mlodzinski summarized it this way: “For every child who struggles, there is a child who races through the homework. Many have afternoon activities, others don’t, so homework time and amount vary not just in West Hartford but in society. It’s hard. Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we don’t.”
“Often teachers don’t know what other teachers are assigning, and there are times when there can be homework overload. So there’s no one policy to deal with this situation,” said panelist Kathleen Coghill, an AP environmental science and biology teacher at Hall High School. “Unfortunately, teachers don’t have the whole piece; kids have the whole piece, parents have a bigger piece and communicating with teachers is essential.”
Coghill, a former environmental engineer, takes a view of homework that’s different from the prevailing view in the film. “It’s not either/or, too much or too little—but every child has a different continuum, and that’s where communication is essential among parents, students, counselors and teachers.”
Reducing homework overload
What can be done to reduce student stress and prevent homework overload highlighted in the documentary? Coghill says student responsibility is key. “Students need to learn how to learn, and that’s a role teachers can help with by giving them responsibility.”
Coghill posts homework assignments for the entire week on a blog and leaves it up to students to set their goals, get their work done, manage their time and activities, and reduce their stress levels.
Mlodzinski agrees it’s important to make sure children are well-rounded but says teachers, parents and students must find a balance that works. “There is no one policy or guideline—the biggest issue is communication. Parents need to communicate with their children and teachers and talk about what’s happening,” says Mlodzinski.
Teachers appreciate getting feedback from parents about the level of homework difficulty, says Coghill. “If we are going to change, we need to change together.”
Open dialogue
Many teachers and parents who have viewed the documentary don’t believe schools are solely responsible for all the stress in children’s lives today. They say the film does a nice job of looking at all the influences affecting today’s students.
“We’re all pieces of the same puzzle, and I hope that by working together and having an open dialogue we can start making changes,” says Mlodzinski. She says change can’t come just at home or at school but has to happen everywhere.
“Parents know their children best, and they need to be their advocates, speak up when it’s too much, cut back, and not worry about what the neighbors or anyone else is saying,” says Shand. “Our job is to keep the love of learning alive.”
