The Freedom Writers first became known throughout their books. They were obviously around before that, but the books brought them into the spotlight.
Erin Gruwell used the first book as a project within her classroom. She starting having her students write entries to their own diary. Those diary entries helped the students share their anger and relieve stress. Those diaries eventually tuned into The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. This book is constructed by all of the diary entries of the 150 Freedom Writers to give us an idea of how the students were living and going to school, an awful picture.
Here is an idea from the Freedom Writers Foundation Website of what the students wrote about:
“We began writing anonymous journal entries about the adversities that we faced in our every day lives. We wrote about gangs, immigration, drugs, violence, abuse, death, anorexia, dyslexia, teenage love, weight issues, divorce, suicide, and all the other issues we never had the chance to express before. We discovered that writing is a powerful form of self expression that could help us deal with our past and move forward. Room 203 was like Anne's attic or Zlata's basement, it was our safe haven, where we could cry, laugh, and share our stories without being judged. We began writing anonymous journal entries about the adversities that we faced in our every day lives. We wrote about gangs, immigration, drugs, violence, abuse, death, anorexia, dyslexia, teenage love, weight issues, divorce, suicide, and all the other issues we never had the chance to express before. We discovered that writing is a powerful form of self expression that could help us deal with our past and move forward. Room 203 was like Anne's attic or Zlata's basement, it was our safe haven, where we could cry, laugh, and share our stories without being judged.”
They wrote about their lives and how they are making it through. Erin Gruwell used that escape route to help her students get through their rough times, while learning at the same time.
The Freedom Writers Foundation has also published three other books to help teachers. These books are Teach With Your Heart (2008) by Erin Gruwell, which is a book about the lessons that she learned from the Freedom Writers. Teaching Hope (2009), a book by the Freedom Writers teachers illustrating different stories and experiences they have had. The Freedom Writers Diary: The Teacher Guide (2007) is the curriculum that Gruwell used while teaching the Freedom Writers. All of these books are an essence of how much impact Erin Gruwell has had on this society.
*Information and quote from Freedom Writers Foundation Website
No comments:
Post a Comment