Futility, a photo from New York, Northeast

Photographer's Note

This photo was taken inside a ninth grade classroom. It is a first-year teacher (me), and there is absolutely no control of the classroom happening. Having zero experience with urban schools, this type of behavior astounded me. I had no idea how to manage kids who would do whatever they pleased, whenever they pleased.

The photo was not actually taken by me (obviously). I gave the camera to a student, to get his perspective on the classroom. Most of the images were mundane, but I was shocked to see this one come up on film (with all the chaos of the classroom, I had not even been fully aware of the situation to my left).

The good new is, after four years it has gotten much better.

convey, Potch trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

mnphoto (224) 2005-01-28 1:19

Very good documentry image

phred91 (26) 2005-02-14 6:28

Photographically it's not astounding but it's interesting in how the shot depicts people doing their own thing in what is supposed to be a classroom situation. Your text belies the title, however, as after a few years you managed to settle things down, thus it's not futile after all.

convey (170) 2005-07-14 0:33

you - or the person who took this picture, i guess i should say - did a good job of showing us how out of control classrooms are up there. it's kind of interesting how people in the northeast are generally viewed as smarter (or at least people who study more) than people in the southwest, but our highschool classrooms don't look quite like this. good job, whoever took this picture.

Igec (345) 2005-11-11 23:52

Very interesting note. Thanks for sharing

Potch (474) 2006-02-18 11:12

Very interesting photo and note. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Patricia

nika (0) 2006-09-01 14:57

I appreciate your attempt to approach us this part of the reality in your country that fits within what i feel is essential in this site :learning about the world through images , words and above everything people who interacts by here . Don t want to comment it under a technical viewpoint or prisma (because i lack knowledges about photography) , just to say that its documental value is quite interesting . My best regards and nice to have bumped into your page