Freedom Writers
Film Application Paper
The Freedom Writers
Organization Development
Seminar Two
Prof. Williams
Rebecca Shafer
1/17/2012
Film Application Paper: The Freedom Writers
In the case of the Freedom Writers, the teacher was the Practitioner and the students were the team. When she first came into that situation the team was not a team they were disorganized and had no sense of teamwork. At the time the teacher/practitioner came into the classroom and was an outsider was not sure what exactly to expect or exactly what route to take. As the teacher/practitioner spent more time with the class, she learned a little each day of what to expect from the class and through trial and error was finding a way to make them a team. The teacher had to use different techniques to find out which technique was going to work the best with the class to make them a team. Once she got the class to start to trust her then she could start using other techniques to get them closer together. She found that she had to get creative in order for them to listen to her and also for them to get involved with the rest of the class. As an outsider coming in she not only got resistance from the class that she was trying to get to work together but she also met resistance from other teachers and faculty members as well. Erin Gruwell, was faced with all kinds of issues. She had to look at the whole situation from an outsider’s position. She had to diagnose all the problems of the class and the faculty to find out how to solve the problems. She had to listen to the kids and observe how they acted in order to figure out a way to teach them in such a way that they would learn. And not only did she have to find a way for them to learn she had to change the way that she taught so that they learned in a way best suited for their life. She was met by all kinds of challenges because each time she tried something different she was met with resistance. If she wasn’t met with resistance she was met
The Freedom Writers
Organization Development
Seminar Two
Prof. Williams
Rebecca Shafer
1/17/2012
Film Application Paper: The Freedom Writers
In the case of the Freedom Writers, the teacher was the Practitioner and the students were the team. When she first came into that situation the team was not a team they were disorganized and had no sense of teamwork. At the time the teacher/practitioner came into the classroom and was an outsider was not sure what exactly to expect or exactly what route to take. As the teacher/practitioner spent more time with the class, she learned a little each day of what to expect from the class and through trial and error was finding a way to make them a team. The teacher had to use different techniques to find out which technique was going to work the best with the class to make them a team. Once she got the class to start to trust her then she could start using other techniques to get them closer together. She found that she had to get creative in order for them to listen to her and also for them to get involved with the rest of the class. As an outsider coming in she not only got resistance from the class that she was trying to get to work together but she also met resistance from other teachers and faculty members as well. Erin Gruwell, was faced with all kinds of issues. She had to look at the whole situation from an outsider’s position. She had to diagnose all the problems of the class and the faculty to find out how to solve the problems. She had to listen to the kids and observe how they acted in order to figure out a way to teach them in such a way that they would learn. And not only did she have to find a way for them to learn she had to change the way that she taught so that they learned in a way best suited for their life. She was met by all kinds of challenges because each time she tried something different she was met with resistance. If she wasn’t met with resistance she was met
References: Brown, Donald R. An Experiential Approach to Organization Development. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print. LaGravenese, R. (Director). (2007). The Freedom Writers [Motion Picture].