WCSU to host showing of “Most Likely to Succeed”

Thursday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m.—WOODSTOCK— Education in the United States has been conducted in a similar frame since Horace Mann copied the Prussian model of the division of education by subject matter, age, and ability in the mid-19th century. At the time, this helped mold great factory workers who could expect to support a family and have a good life based on the rules they learned to follow and the information they memorized in school.
Times have changed but education has not kept up with those times, according to Ted Dintersmith and Tony Wagner, who have written a book and documentary on what education could and should be today called “Most Likely to Succeed.”
On Thursday, Feb. 8, the Windsor Central Supervisory Union will take part in the “Most Likely to Succeed”worldwide campaign to re-imagine education with a showing of the documentary at Woodstock’s Town Hall Theater at 7 p.m. followed by a discussion about education possibilities today.
“We have good programs throughout our schools but we have not yet made a bold commitment to creating learning environments that clearly reflect the demands of the 21st century. With this as a foundation, Windsor Central Supervisory Union is striving to be a leader in reimagining learning in a global, digital, and rapidly changing environment,” WCSU Superintendent Mary Beth Banios said.
The film offers an inspiring look at what students and teachers are capable of—if they have the vision and courage to transform schools. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Greg Whiteley, the film has been an official selection of two dozen of the world’s top film festivals, including Sundance, Tribeca, and AFI DOCS. It’s been featured at leading conferences on education, including ASU/GSV, SxSWedu, Harvard/GoldmanSachs, and NewSchools Venture Fund. Audience members call it the most compelling film ever done on the topic of school. In the past year, more than 3,500 communities have booked a screening of “Most Likely to Succeed.”
In addition to reviewing the history of American education and the type of thinker needed today, the film follows students in their first year at High Tech High School in San Diego as they participate in project-based, cross-discipline learning and problem solving. The focus there is critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and confidence-building as students learn to demonstrate their knowledge and thinking in creative ways through trial and error rather than memorization for a test.
WCSU educators hope the film will foster meaningful discussion among educators, administrators, parents, students, and community members about how current obstacles can be overcome and steps towards change can be taken on a local level.
This event is free and open to the public. Visit mltsfilm.org for more information about the film and movement.