Freedom Writers

I chose Erin Gruwell from the movie, Freedom Writers.   Erin is a first time teacher in Long Beach, Florida.   She chose   to teach at Woodrow Wilson High School because it had integrated with black people two years before she moved there.   She believes that the integration was a positive thing for the school. While the other teachers hate the idea of blacks being in their school.   I chose to analyze Erin because, she seems very confident that she can teach her class when everyone else has little or no faith at all in her.  
On the first day of school, Erin is very excited to start teaching.   She feels as though she needs to look like a professional teacher But Erin will soon realize that it does not matter whether she looks like a teacher or not. Walking to her class room across the crowed campus, Erin sees all the students she will be teaching but does not realize that they are all segregated into groups by race.   Erin enters the run down class room and notices that the desks are all filled with writing, a sign that kids do not pay attention much in class. Her first class enters the classroom, the students move all the desks to their own special group and begin talking loudly.   Minutes later, during role call a fight breaks out and Erin soon learns that this school year will be a challenge for her. The students see Erin as a high class white girl who will give up on them if they push hard enough.  
Erin is stuck in a classroom of unteachable Asians, African Americans, juvenile delinquents and even the poor students just trying to make it through the day. The only thing that the students all have in common is they all hate each other. Students refuse to participate in her class but Erin tries her best to engage them everyday by using a variety of techniques.   One day, Erin even tries playing rap in the classroom to get their attention.   She still has faith that she will get these students to listen and learn something.   When Erin comes across a racial cartoon... [continues]

Read full essay