"Most Likely to Succeed" screening to benefit FLAMCO

Here's a documentary no educator should miss -- Most Likely to Succeed. Here's its description from the filmmakers:

For most of the last century, entry-level jobs were plentiful, and college was an affordable path to a fulfilling career. That world no longer exists. The feature-length documentary Most Likely to Succeed examines the history of education, revealing the growing shortcomings of our school model in todayʼs innovative world.

 Directed by documentarian Greg Whiteley, the film has been named “among the best edu-documentaries ever produced” by Education Week. The Huffington Post stated that Most Likely to Succeed “delivers a message Americans need to hear, and desperately.” Film Threat said, “This film should be a required course for all parents and educators.”

A special screening Wednesday will benefit Foreign Language Association of Monterey County, FLAMCO. Proceeds will go to further fund various cultural and educational programs.

When: From 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, November 4th.
Where: Maya Cinemas Salinas, 153 Main St., Theater 14. 153 Main Street Salinas, CA 93901
Cost: $10. Students are FREE with official school ID. Educators will host a panel discussion after the movie.

You can purchase your tickets here.

See you at the movies!

A new documentary on teachers is coming our way

Davis Guggenheim, of Waiting for 'Superman,''s fame, is back in the education beat. This time, he follows four teachers and their heroic work trying to educate our next generation.

You can read more about it here. The movie will air on CBS at 6 p.m. Friday Sept. 6.

Maybe this time we can have a viewing party? What say you?

Watsonville Film Festival has shorts on education

And a movie en español, La Leyenda de la Llorona



The festival starts Saturday at noon at the Mello Center in Watsonville, but the films in education and the movies for children will play on Sunday, March 3. There will also be segments on immigration and produced by young students. Check it out!

For the entire schedule, click here.

"Won't Back Down" -- let's go to the movies!

Well, by now you've probably heard the buzz: the movie "Won't Back Down" is coming to a theater near you Sept. 28.

The film portrays two moms, one a teacher, and their quest to reform their children's school using "parent trigger" a controversial law that allows parents to demand wholesale reforms -- including the conversion of their school into a charter -- if they gather enough signatures. Read more about it here.

The movie's garnered a lot of attention already, given how controversial "parent trigger" has been. The law exists only in a handful of states, including California, but so far, the only group of parents to enact it in Adelanto, Calif., continues to fight with the their school board so they can pick a charter operator. Here's the latest news.

A reader came up with the idea. Why not have a screening of the movie in Monterey and then discuss it?

Well, how about it?

My bosses gave me the green light, so now I'm trying to see if we can host a "viewing" at a local theater. It would be fun to meet afterwards and talk about it. What do you all think?

The date's rapidly approaching, and it may be too soon to organize an event. If it's not possible, we could always host a live chat some other time. Unfortunately, I'll be out of town for a conference on Sept. 28.

I hope we can make this happen. It'd be an amazing educational opportunity!