Waiting For "Superman" App

Waiting For "Superman" has experienced its share of controversy since its release last fall.  Some say it’s a much-needed battle cry to encourage every parent, teacher and legislator in this country to become more engaged, while others write it off as inaccurate or propagandistic.  Love it or hate it, the documentary by Davis Guggenheim has people talking about education and working to improve learning opportunities across the country.  And I call that a success.

The biggest thing the film did for me was remind me what an advocate really is.  Watching those parents struggling to get the best possible education for their children made me question my own advocacy efforts and ask, “What more can I do to make sure my children are getting the high quality education they deserve?” and “How can I work to ensure that the public school system in this country adequately supports all students?”

Contrary to what some critics have said, I do not believe that the film was elevating charter schools as the magical answer to all our problems.  I think the film was saying that if parents are that desperate to get their kids out of certain public schools, then what we’re doing with education in this country isn’t fully effective. I agree with them.

The makers of Waiting for "Superman" have created a free app for iPad and iPhone with some fun, old-school learning games and ways to help you get involved in making positive changes in education.  Get involved and have some fun at the same time!

Kathryn Thompson is a mom to two school-aged kids, a toddler, and a deceased betta fish. She can also be found at The Parenting Post, DaringYoungMom.com and occasionally the gym.