Tubegazing

A documentary crew spends a year following a rookie inner-city teacher in 'The Education of Ms. Groves.'

The Education of Ms. Groves

(Sundance, 8 p.m., Aug. 28-31): Humbling. That's how Monica Groves describes her first year as a teacher. Fresh from the ranks of Teach for America, she walks confidently into a sixth-grade classroom in Atlanta and lets a documentary crew capture the dips and swings in the journey. At times angry, fatigued, and tearful, she always centers herself with a deep desire for all her students to succeed. One disappears into foster care. Another makes the honor roll while his family is living in a hotel. Punctuating the series, her students read poems they've written directly to the camera. Their fiery eloquence is perhaps the best evidence that their novice teacher has earned their trust. Grade: A–