An 80-Year-Old First Grader

I don't watch a lot of movies. (After going to one or two a week during my teenage years, I feel that I've seen them all!)

But I recently read about a movie I just had to see... "The First Grader" is based on the true story of an 80-year-old Kenyan man who - upon hearing that the government had instituted free education for all - decided to go to school.

His motivation? He wanted to read and understand a letter he had received...

Here is the trailer...

Most of us take literacy so for granted that we can't even imagine living in a world where the written word means nothing. The only time many of us experience the frustration (and humiliation) of not being able to read is when we travel to a non-English speaking country.

I loved the movie, not only because it was a teacher-student story or because I taught adults for many years. But also because there were hints of Kenyan history that I have vague recollections of hearing about in my younger years... So, for me, the movie was not only a celebration of human determination - and a reminder to appreciate the educational opportunities that came my way - but a link in my knowledge of world history.

And the real man who inspired the movie? Here is a You Tube segment about him.