What is the artist's techniques in terms of media or style in the 1988 film Stand and Deliver?

The film is taken as more of a documentary than anything
else.  I think that this contributes to the realistic look and feel of the movie. It was
consciously a low budget film, but the manner in which it is taken helps to bring out
that the narratives featured in the film are real, the experiences valid.  Having it
filmed in a manner that reflects documentarian style helps to underscore the realistic
nature of the topic, and keeps the focus on the story and plot.  The use of close- ups
on Escalante as he teaches fosters the idea that the kids are studying him as much as
teaching him.  Being one of the first teachers in their lives to actually believe in
what they can do, they view him with skepticism and doubt, studying him and surmising as
to what his angle might be.  In this light, the manner in which the school scenes/
instructional scenes are filmed help to bring out this element in the students'
character.  The fact that there is not much of a defined or distinct style in the
presentation of the film helps to deliver all of the attention on the story and
development of the characters within the film.