TO SIR, WITH LOVE
Ricky Braithwaite is a British Guiana-born engineer who has worked in an oil refinery in Aruba. Coming to Britain on the verge of World War Two, he joins the RAF
as aircrew. Demobbed in 1945, he is unable to find work, despite his
qualifications and experience, meeting overt anti-black attitudes. But after
discussing his situation with a stranger whose name he never learns, he applies
for a teaching position and is assigned to Greenslade School, a secondary school in London's East End.
Most of the pupils in his class are totally unmotivated
to learn and largely semi-literate and semi-articulate. But he persists,
despite finding that they are unresponsive to his approach.
Braithwaite decides to try a new approach, and sets some
ground rules. The students will be leaving school soon, and will enter an adult
society, so he will treat them as adults, and allow them to decide what topics
they wish to study. In return, he demands their respect as their teacher. This
novel approach is initially rejected, but within a few weeks, the class is
largely won over. He suggests out-of-school activities, including visits to museums, which the kids have never thought about before. A
young teacher, Gillian Blanchard, volunteers to assist him on these trips. Some
of the girls start to speculate whether a personal relationship is budding
between Braithwaite and Gillian. The trip is a success and more are approved by
the initially skeptical Head.
The teachers and the Student Council openly discuss all
matters affecting the school and what is being taught. The general feeling is
that Braithwaite's approach is working, although some teachers still advocate a
tougher approach to the kids.
The mother of one of the girls comes to speak to
Braithwaite, feeling that he has more influence than she has with her
impressionable daughter, who is staying out late and might be getting into
trouble.
Later Braithwaite touched the hearts of the students by
his innovative methods of handling class. And tears rolled over when he was
given a farewell with a song, ‘TO SIR, WITH LOVE’
This is how the story goes on. At the end Braithwaite
gets a job in a company. Did he take up the new job or wished to continue his
teaching profession inspiring students?
A
very old but an effective thought provoking movie. MUST WATCH IT.
S.Jeya Bharathi, AP-ECE
Watch the title song on youtube in this link given below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukONzCkxLkk&noredirect=1#t=18
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