It’s always time for a good movie, and this time it’s educational. Okay, not necessarily educational, but about education. Chalk is a movie about three first year teachers trying to make it in their new profession without going crazy.
I found out about the movie because an old college friend did some of the video work for their New York City location shoots. He recently let me know that Morgan Spurlock was going to be on the Conan O’Brien show promoting the film and to make sure I watched it.
In the ‘doc’ comedy style of “The Office” and “Best in Show”, CHALK pulls you into the frenetic and awkwardly painful journey of three novice teachers as they navigate one memorable school year. Director Mike Akel provides a rare and realistic teacher’s perspectve into the absurd, provocative and occasionally volatile world of public education. In a country where 50% of teachers quit within the first three years, CHALK delivers an enormous dose of heart, hilarity, and hope for America’s most important institution.
You can visit the Chalk:The Film website and view a clip. The website implements a fun and enaging design and incorporates the educational motif very well. The movie itself looks funny and sad all at the same time. I actually started off as an education major, with the intent of being a high school biology teacher one day. I decided after a few educational theory classes in college that maybe it wasn’t for me, at least not via that route. So, seeing other teachers struggle with things that should be appreciated and applauded.