Freedom Writers

In the movie Freedom Writers a young teacher named Erin Gruwell, learns to grow and overcome many obstacles in the classroom. At the beginning Erin comes in with a mindset that this is going to be traditional. That it is going to be the perfect classroom setting. She hopes that she can teach these kids, while using a more conventional way of teaching. Erin is soon faced with a harsh reality. That these kids come from all walks of life and school isn’t their biggest obstacle. She soon finds a strong tension is very obvious in the classroom. They all belong to different gangs or affiliations, staying out of jail and being able to see the age of 18 are much more a reality for these kids. As one of the projects they are assigned is a journal. She has them write down all there hardships or thoughts in this journal, promising the kids that she will be the only one to read it. After reading these journals, she realizes the different paths these kids live. Because each student had their own set of problems, teaching them was hurdle Erin must overcome. The kids realized how the public school system worked; they were passed from one teacher to the other with barely passing grades. That way they were the next teacher’s problem. They didn’t engage in school they just went through the motions of the day and barely picked up anything new. Their attitudes toward school are in direct correlation with how well they did grade wise. Both were negative.

Erin used a technique she had to go back a few steps and learn about each other before they could learn. She had them all move their desks and she would ask a question and they would have to walk to the middle if they liked or agreed with the statement she said. After the kids looked and realized all their classmates standing besides them. The class soon realized they may be from different walks of life but they are all facing the same problems. The kids in the class started to show respect towards Erin. Once Erin had their trust she soon started teaching books that related to the kids. That was Erin’s ticket in getting these kids to listen and partake in reading. It was picking books that they could relate to, and also getting them new materials. She faced many challenges with the other teachers at the school. They looked at her class of misfits, with the attitude that they will never amount to anything. They are just all going to end up in jail, a gang or dead on the streets. It was Erin against everyone. She had to prove to her students that they were worth something. The kids have been passed from one teacher to another without one teacher ever really caring. It took Erin’s passion for these kids to succeed that drove her to work extra jobs for new materials. And show the other teachers that these kids aren’t incompetent they just needed to feel like they mattered and that they had the same chance as everyone else at the school. Erin expected the best out of her students and pushed to students to do their best. And for some this is the first time an adult stepped in and forced them to do better in their education. It was her driving force behind the kids that made them believe. She was their sturdy figure in their lives. They called there class a family and for some students that was the most family they had.

After watching this movie, I found some lessons I can use. The facts that she drove her students and made them believe in themselves, when they even didn’t. That’s hard to do, and she did it in unique ways she got them to break down their barriers for an hour a day and accept everyone. So if I can take away the fact that every teacher must push their kids to do the best that they can. And never ever give up on a child, they must realize their full potential.