Introduction
The Boys of Baraka is a documentary about African American families living in violent and drug-infested neighborhoods. The documentary filmmakers follow the lives of four young African American males who are offered the opportunity to change their lives. At a meeting, recruiter Baraka tells potential pupils that they have three options: prison, death, or graduation from high school. Desperate parents and grandparents accept the concept of this odd African school since nothing is worse than the children’s existing situation. The film depicts the children’s growth and their journey to better their lives. Montrey is one of the key characters who has matured in areas such as learning and psychological development.
The Impact of the Baraka School on Children
All children in Kenya are allowed to spend their lives joyfully and wander outside without fear of harm. In Baltimore, it may be hazardous to walk outdoors and sit at home watching television. All of the boys mentioned in the film flourish in Baraka. Their behavior improves, their grades improve, and they have a new perspective on themselves. The boys are introduced to a systematic set of basic principles, ethics, and standards to follow throughout their first year at Baraka School.
Many of the pleasures of North American civilization, like technology, are absent from the classroom, which may distract youngsters. The lads at Baraka School are separated from their usual surroundings and are compelled to be inventive to entertain one another in their spare time (Vimeo, 2023). All males manage to radically transform their lives and behavior in their first year with the correct structure, regulations, and educational system in place. The boys were unhappy when the school was forced to close owing to political troubles in the nation, but three of the four preserved the ideals they had learned and proceeded to apply them at home, prospering.
Montrey is a true bully at the start of the film, frequently dealing with the cops. The youngster claims that he often provokes fights and gets himself into trouble. His father goes to prison on occasion and has little involvement in Montrey’s life, while his mother is frequently absent since she works the night shift at a women’s correctional institution to make ends meet. The youngster was the worst of the four main characters in terms of behavior. Montrey becomes an ardent reader at Baraka’s school, works on his character, and makes the dean’s list (Vimeo, 2023). Following his graduation from Baraka High School, he achieved the top score on the Maryland state math examinations and was accepted to Piney Woods Boarding School in Jackson, Mississippi.
Psychosocial Development
The psychological development of a kid is intricately tied to the environment in which they grow up. The immediate surroundings and the idiosyncrasies of the baby’s upbringing play a vital influence in the parenting process. Scientists have proven that the psychological environment of the family has a significant impact on the development of the child’s character (Lally & Valentine-French, 2017). According to experts, tense, restless youngsters prone to hooliganism and confrontations grow up in houses with frequent disagreements between parents (Lally & Valentine-French, 2017). In contrast, calm and serene children are raised in households where parents treat each other with love and respect.
During adolescence, peers supplant the family as the dominant social object. The same happened to Montrey, who spent most of his time with friends. Friend organizations are vital to adolescents because they allow them to put their decisions to the test and provide support in times of stress.
On the other hand, the peer group may play an essential role for the adolescent or contribute to antisocial behavior. When family and community situations are unable to balance the dysfunctional demands of the peer group, gang involvement becomes more prevalent. I believe that if Montrey had stayed in Baltimore, he would have certainly joined a criminal gang and lost hope for a happy future.
Montrey grew up in a neglected home, spending much of his time outside. He followed in the footsteps of his friends, who displayed violent behavior, regular fights, and scuffles. Once at school, Montrey continued to be aggressive, starting fights and arguing with the teacher (Vimeo, 2023). Montrey improved his behavior due to the teachers’ efforts and the lack of a negative atmosphere for the youngster (Vimeo, 2023). The child realized there was another way to express himself than being negative. This realization enabled him to concentrate on his academics rather than nagging and arguing with others.
Learning
Children between the ages of 11 and 14 are classified as adolescent learners. Their schooling spans the secondary general education term. Students at this age have unstable emotional functioning, active growth of self-esteem, active development of the demand for recognition, construction of their own thoughts and ideas, need for self-assertion, and formation of self-consciousness of their own “I.”
Adolescence is a critical period for children since it is a period of self-determination (Lee et al., 2021). The major job of adolescence is self-determination – social, personal, professional, spiritual, and practical. The selection of a future domain of work is crucial to the self-determination process.
Adolescence marks the beginning of a new stage in a person’s social life. Montrey was surrounded by people who, in most cases, did not have any goals, which could negatively impact the boy’s future. It is also important to emphasize the hormonal and physiological changes in the body that affect the teenager’s emotional instability (Bashkatov & Garipova, 2022). It is evident from Montrey’s behavior that he is rebellious, which hormones are to blame. As a result, the pursuit of academic cognition takes a back seat, which greatly affects academic performance and attitude toward school. It should also be noted that adolescents like Montrey see uneducated people most of their lives. This can affect their attitudes towards schooling as voluntary.
Fortunately, Montrey had a strong drive to study from an early age and expressed a desire to become a chemical scientist. Realizing what he desired aided the youngster in forming his opinion of schooling and discovering his own purpose. Montrey was able to grow in terms of learning thanks to the teachers, discipline, and atmosphere at school. He excelled in maths and was accepted into a prestigious secondary school. He was able to focus on his ambition to achieve in his academics because of a lesson he learned as a youngster. The youngster had no desire to join the ranks of gangsters and murderers.
Conclusion
Montrey grew in several areas of activity, mainly psychological and educational. The film demonstrated that children’s development is heavily impacted by their surroundings. Adolescents are frequently impacted by their surroundings. During this time, intellect is developing, and cognitive demands are being met to the greatest extent possible.
At the same time, teenagers are keenly interested in their personalities. They attempt to assess their talents and activities by comparing them to their peers and their acts. Montrey has succeeded in keeping the ideals and biases instilled in him by Baraka School. As a result of this experience, the youngster grew up to be well-rounded with his own set of objectives and accomplishments.
References
Lally, M., & Valentine-French, S. (2017). Lifespan development: A psychological perspective.
Lee, C. C., Enzler, C. J., Garland, B. H., Zimmerman, C. J., Raphael, J. L., Hergenroeder, A. C., & Wiemann, C. M. (2021). The development of health self-management among adolescents with chronic conditions: an application of self-determination theory. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(2), 394-402. Web.
Bashkatov, S. A., & Garipova, M. I. (2022). On the age-specific neurochemical and endocrine biomarkers of temperament traits in adolescents. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 43, 118-124. Web.
Vimeo. (2023). The Boys of Baraka. Web.