''Educating Peter'' is a 1992 American short

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

directed by Gerardine Wurzburg about Peter Gwazdauskas, a special needs student with Down syndrome, and his inclusion in a standard third grade classroom in

Blacksburg, Virginia Blacksburg is an incorporated town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 44,826 at the 2020 census. Blacksburg and the surrounding county is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of Virginia T ...

. It won an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

at the

65th Academy Awards The 65th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1992 in the United States and took place on March 29, 1993, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles begi ...

in 1993 for Documentary Short Subject.

Overview

Peter Gwazdauskas, a third-grade boy with Down syndrome, is attending a traditional school with typically developing students for the first time. Previously, he was enrolled in a school exclusively for students with disabilities. His transition was based on federal law, which requires that students with special needs be educated alongside their peers in traditional schools. At first, Peter struggled. During the first half of the school year, he displayed challenging behaviors such as making loud noises, rolling on the floor, and occasionally acting aggressively toward classmates. However, by January, his behavior began to improve significantly. By the end of the school year, he was doing well. Recognizing his progress, the school awarded Peter an "Exceptional Student" award on the last day of school, celebrating his achievements along with his classmates.

Cast

* Judy Gwazdauskas as Herself (Peter's Mother) * Frank Gwazdauskas as Himself (Peter's Father) * Peter Gwazdauskas as Himself * Mrs. Stallings (Peter's Teacher) and her class. * Mrs. Colley (Special Education Teacher)

Sequel

'' Graduating Peter'' was released in 2001. The sequel follows Peter in middle school, high school, and his high school graduation.

References

External links

*
''Educating Peter''
at Direct Cinema Limited {{DEFAULTSORT:Educating Peter 1992 films 1992 short documentary films 1992 independent films American independent films American short documentary films Best Documentary Short Subject Academy Award winners Documentary films about children with disabilities Documentary films about Down syndrome Documentary films about education in the United States Documentary films about special education Blacksburg, Virginia Education in Montgomery County, Virginia 1990s English-language films 1990s American films English-language short documentary films English-language independent films