Time for School

Shugufa in 2009

Our Global Village experience has continued to inform our studies. This week, we watched the documentary Time for School. It's a fascinating project that chronicles the journeys of seven children from around the world as they begin their formal educations. The kids come from radically different cultures and backgrounds, and we've been talking about how different factors can help or hinder an education. For example, Ken from Japan lives in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. We watch as he begins school at six years old. He has already learned to read by his first day of class. He has tremendous cultural and family support, as well as a backpack stuffed full of new supplies. 

Neeraj in 2003.

Compare Ken's experience to those of Neeraj. On her first day of schook, she's about 9 or 10 years old (she's not sure), and living in rural India. Her mother takes an extremely dim view of education, arguing that she doesn't have an education, so why would her daughter need one? She also complains that the educated males in their village are unable to find work, and asks why should she bother educating her daughter as well? Neeraj is allowed to go to school only after a full day of hard labor. She attends a night school huddled around a small lantern with other girls from a similar situation. She walks home by herself each night, and arrives in her home after the rest of the household has gone to sleep.

We also meet children from Kenya, Romania, Brazil, and Benin. The first installment aired in 2003, and the filmmakers have followed up with each student twice since. The intention is to check in with each student multiple times over the course a twelve year period. (It's a similar idea to the more famous "Up" series, with a much more diverse set of subjects.)

You can view the original installment here: Time for School (2003). It's about an hour long, and it chronicles all seven children on their first day of school. It's fascinating in its own right. (But we didn't actually watch this in class.) 

Ken in 2003.

The second installment follows up on the kids three years later. It's about an hour and a half long. You can watch it online here: Back to School (2006) (We didn't watch this one in class either, but it's well worth your time.) 

Time for School 3 is available in two parts, and each is about an hour long. They show the students in 2009, and many of them are at crucial points in their educations. It also gives a recap of what we learned about each student and country in the previous installments. We watched these together in class, and you may have noticed your kids revisiting them at home to take notes on each respective student. 

Watch online: 
Time for School 3 (Part 1, featuring Shugufa, Jefferson, Neeraj, and Ken)
Time for School 3 (Part 2, featuring Nanavi, Raluca, and Joab)


There are plans for Time for School 2015, but it has yet to air. We've had discussions in class about where we think each child is by now, and why. 

In the weeks ahead, we'll also be exploring the nonprofits and NGOs that are doing work in these countries and communities to help students succeed.