Beyond the Blackboard (2011)
Inspired by a true story, “Beyond the Blackboard” is about a 24-year-old first-time teacher who makes a difference in the lives of the homeless children she teaches in a shelter’s makeshift classroom. Set in 1987 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this movie tells the story a brand-new teacher and Mom who is given a tougher than expected teaching job and winds up teaching homeless children in a school that is housed in a room and called, literally, The School with No Name. She has some personal prejudicial hurdles to cross before she is able to be a true teacher for these children and of course there are hurdles like the lack of books and supplies.
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Wonderful character development!
This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
All I can say is what a beautiful inspirational story. It brought tears to my eyes to see such a caring individual change the lives of so many homeless children and their parents. It really shows the love that Stacy has for her students, to further their education when the resources were not provided. She went out of her way to provide the children with a learning environment, purchasing cleaning supplies, changing the classroom, providing education to their parents, and tons of supplies provided by her without the means of pay. Every teacher out there should watch this film for inspiration. It is you, combined with the child's willpower that changes the outcome.
The movie starts with a young teacher named Stacey Bess who goes for an interview and gets the job right away, without many questions being asked. When she asks the interviewer the name of the school, he says 'The school has no name... It is an initiative for homeless children.'And that is the beginning of her journey... A journey of learning... A journey of bringing a change... not only in the lives of her students, numbered somewhere around 20, but in the lives of thousands of people all around. Stacey Bess tells you how a teacher should be. The movie manages to capture that essence very well. The movie leaves behind, with you, an experience to cherish and to learn from for years to come.Emily VanCamp as Stacey Bess is beyond perfection, charming and so real that there are times you forget that she's just playing a part. All the supporting actors are excellent as well. All the child artists deserve a special mention.
I was lucky growing up- I had parents and Grandparents who valued education and were together as 1 family. In 1974 when I started college the furthest thing which I wanted to do was become a teacher, instead I became a volunteer juvenile probation officer while in college, a police officer afterwards and an Army veteran (all after college). God also blessed me with 2 wonderful sons whom I raised by myself because I lost their father in a car accident. I've always pushed education- expecting and demanding the best from their school boards, their teachers, myself, and my sons. Now, some 38 years after graduating the U of South Florida, I'm obtaining my Masters in Education. I've been a parent volunteer since 2006 in their high school, and I've been a substitute teacher since 2009. This movie just drives home what I've seen over the years, what I've fought for for my sons and their classmates, and for their parents. Thank you Mrs. Bess, for giving me the courage and the fortitude to carry on- I nearly gave up on my MA. Thank you for being the type of teacher which you are- you are indeed a rare breed of teachers and I wish that there were more like you. We don't give up- we look to reach all our students and their parents. You were there to help me and make me not give up- in 3 weeks I graduate with my MA, then it's off to the state board exams.
I was surprised. I didn't intend to watch the movie, but once I started I couldn't turn it off or DVR the rest. I wanted to stay till the end.I found the child actors to be believable and talented. I was happy with the job the adults did as well.I found the story to be sad, but truthfully what can be expected in our world today with the way things are (unemployment so high, lots of businesses going out and leaving people unable to take care of themselves any longer, and so forth). I found that the movie made me want to read the book, to see how accurate the story is. I can imagine that things were much worse than they were shown in the movie.I was happy that the ending was real and not a happily ever after ending. Life for the homeless rarely seems to end with everything hunky dory, for some people things improve, for a lot they just go downhill quickly.Most of all I was happy to get to meet the real person at the end of the movie. Although there was good info on how to help, which I am sure was most important to this wonderful woman, it would have been nice to have a better update on her family situation. IE: still married with this many kids, all grown or ages (fill in the blanks). It is something I always look for at the end of a true story.