Parents' Guide to

On the Way to School

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Stirring docu explores school journeys around the globe.

Movie NR 2009 77 minutes
On the Way to School Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 2 parent reviews

msbeird
msbeird Adult
June 11, 2021
age 9+

Humbling Film!

As a 4th and 5th grade teacher, and I've shared this film with my students every year. It's a great way to end the year with an appreciation for the learning we've had the privilege to do, while also allowing kids the opportunity to see how other kids their age go about their daily lives. I think it approaches each child's journey to school in a very respectful way. It doesn't encourage or send messages of feeling bad for those in different positions than those of the viewer, it's just a very honest look at our differences, while connecting us through the common desire to learn and improve our lives. I selected 9+ because it does involve reading subtitles and may be difficult for younger children to follow along in a meaningful way.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Destiny Y.
Destiny Y. Adult
January 2, 2017
age 2+

Absolutely incredible - perfect for every age.

I cannot give a higher rating for a film. Every kid (and adult) in my opinion, would benefit from this incredible film. It's uplifting but not designed to be a tear-jerker. The documentary maker is non-evasive. The silence and slow speed is what makes it genuine. A must see for any and all! (And 100% clean!)

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Jackson is an 11-year-old boy from Kenya who must travel two hours to school with his little brother. Zahira is a 12-year-old girl from Morocco who must travel four hours to school every Monday with her friends. Carlos is an 11-year-old boy from Argentina who rides 18 kilometers to school on horseback with his little sister. And Samuel is a disabled 13-year-old boy in India who is wheeled and carried the four kilometers to school by his two brothers. ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL shows the tremendous challenges and difficulties many kids in remote parts of the globe face simply to attend school and get an education. Whether it's running across open spaces to avoid getting trampled by elephants, finding rides from strangers after spraining ankles on rocky mountainous terrain, or carrying one's brother in a wheelchair through irrigation canals, the situations in this eye-opening documentary should put into perspective something many in the more developed parts of the world take for granted.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This eye-opening documentary should provide plenty for families to talk about. While it will most certainly give much-needed perspective to those of us who might complain about our commutes to school or work, what is especially astonishing about On the Way to School is how resilient and determined are these kids who are shown traveling far and treacherous distances to get an education. The challenges and difficulties they endure are almost beyond comprehension for those living in developed countries, and they underscore the problem of access to education so many in developing countries face.

While this documentary shows the "can-do" spirit of these kids, it only marginally touches on the inherent barrier placed on children and families living in these places where education is not as high of a priority or where kids must work to help provide food and sustenance. An argument could also be made that for all its implications about how it's relatively easy for kids in the developed world to get to and from school, the difficulties of kids trying to attend school in, say, Chicago's toughest neighborhoods could be equally as illuminating and worthy of investigation.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about similarities and differences between the kids in this movie and the kids where you live. Did parts of On the Way to School make you think that kids everywhere in the world seem the same? Where did they seem different?

  • Think about how you get to and from school. What did you take for granted before seeing this movie? What were some of the difficulties these kids faced? How did they overcome those obstacles?

  • How do the kids in On the Way to School demonstrate curiosity, perseverance, and courage? What about humility and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

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