SYNOPSIS

The storyline of the movie takes place between 1992-1995, beginning

with scenes from the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. Hilary Swank plays the role of
Erin Gruwell, a new, excited schoolteacher who leaves the safety of her
hometown, Newport Beach, to teach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long
Beach, a formerly high achieving school which has recently had an
integration program put in place. Her enthusiasm is quickly challenged when
she realizes that her class is all "at-risk" students, also known as
"unteachables", and not the eager students she was expecting. The students
segregate themselves into racial groups in the classroom, fights break out,
and eventually most of the students stop turning up to class. Not only does
Gruwell meet opposition from her students, but she also has a hard time with
her department head, who refuses to let her teach her students with books in
case they get damaged and lost, and instead tells her to focus on teaching
them

discipline

and

obedience.

One night, two students, Eva (April Lee Hernndez), a Hispanic girl and
narrator for much of the film, and a Cambodian refugee, Sindy (Jaclyn Ngan),
find themselves in the same convenience store. Another student, Grant Rice
(Armand Jones) is frustrated at losing an arcade game and demands a refund
from the owner. When he storms out, Eva's boyfriend attempts a drive-by
shooting, wanting to kill Grant but misses, accidentally killing Sindy's
boyfriend. As Eva is a witness, she must testify at court; she intends to
protect

her

own

kind

in

her

testimony.

At school, Gruwell intercepts a racist drawing of one of her students and uses
it to teach them about the Holocaust. She gradually begins to earn their trust
and buys them composition books to record their diaries, in which they talk
about their experiences of being abused, seeing their friends die, and being
evicted. Determined to reform her students, she takes two part-time jobs to

pay for more books and spends more time at school, to the disappointment
of her husband (Patrick Dempsey). Her students start to behave with respect
and learn more. A transformation is especially visible in one of her students,
Marcus (Jason Finn). She invites several Holocaust survivors to talk with her
class about their experiences and takes them on a field trip to the Museum of
Tolerance. Meanwhile, her unorthodox teaching methods are scorned by her
colleagues

and

department

chair

Margaret

The next year comes, and Gruwell teaches her class again for
sophomore (second) year. In class, when reading The Diary of Anne Frank,
they invite MiepGies (Pat Carroll), the woman who sheltered Anne Frank from
the German soldiers to talk to them. After they raise the money to bring her
over, she tells them her experiences hiding Anne Frank. When Marcus tells
her that she is his hero, she denies it, claiming she was merely doing the
right thing. Her denial causes Eva to rethink lying during her testimony.
When she testifies, she finally breaks down and tells the truth, much to some
of her family members' dismay. Meanwhile, Gruwell asks her students to
write their diaries in book form. She compiles the entries and names it The
Freedom

Writers

Diary.

Her husband divorces her and Margaret tells her she cannot teach
her kids for their junior year. She fights this decision, eventually convincing
the superintendent to allow her to teach her kids' junior and senior year. The
film ends with a note that Gruwell successfully brought many of her students
to graduation and college.

THE TEACHER
Teacher Gruwell from the movie Freedom Writers is one of the kind of
teachers that all of us want to be. In the movie, she shows enthusiasm,
patience, perseverance and some of the professional attributes of an
aspiring educational broker. She has that belief that she could change the
students common views on education. As I can see, she encounters
hardships in the movie but she never feels uneasy. Her feelings go like that
because she is happy with what she is doing. Although she received lots of
rejections from her department, she still continuously wants to implement
the use of books. She does that because she wants to make an advocacy.
That makes her a passionate teacher. Passionate in a way that she never
stops until she gets what she wants for her students. I can barely say that
she really made difference on the holistic perspectives of students to
education for she serves as the aide for students to graduate and pursue
tertiary level. The way she handles a class despite its shortcomings in some
areas is really commendable. To be honest, we can rarely see teachers who
possess the attributes of Teacher Gruwell nowadays. So, I congratulate those
teachers out there who were able to have endeavors in teaching just like
what Teacher Gruwell just accomplished. Actually, its uneasy to have those
kinds of students but she was able to attain what a teacher is supposed to
do. She never fails to understand her learners which is one of the significant
professional attributes of a pedagogue. Importantly, shes able to mold the
dreams of her students whose optimisms were clogged due to environmental
factors. Teacher Gruwell is truly one of a kind.

THE LEARNERS
For the learners, I pity them in a good way. As what I have said, their
dreams on becoming successful were clogged because if environmental
aspect. The students received racial discrimination from the people around
them. Naturally, they possess variety of beliefs, attributes, experiences and
many more. Multi-culture is present inside the classroom. They came from
different races. Most of them dont understand ones culture. They are used
to bullying each others personality and cultural background. Those things
end up to fighting. While seeing the movie, there are lots of questions that
left in my mind. I just dont understand their perspectives and principles in
life. Somewhat, they find peace when they are in a fight. Theres really room
for chaos. But, Teacher Gruwell saved and altered them, in terms of
attitudes, principles and etc. From the time of the said teacher, they are now
able to experience favorable and pleasant things. They are given a chance to
have a harmonious relationship with each because of the unstoppable
encouragement of their teacher. What they are in the time of Teacher
Gruwell is contrary of what they were before the arrival of the said teacher.

THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

At first, you can describe the learning environment as chaotic. The
noise, bullies and misunderstanding of the students make the classroom
messy and not favorable. The reason why the place where the learning takes
place becomes noisy is their different ideas and beliefs. They dont listen to
ones opinions because their minds are preoccupied with their own ancestral
and cultural beliefs. They are selfish to be exact. For the bullies, the
classroom is not good because each company is paired with bullies which are

not the right thing. They are fond of invading ones privacy. They let other
people sully their dignities because of figments. They go beyond the
emotional aspects of other people. Those misdoings are just nothing to them.
In other words, they are not bothered if someone will get hurt. You can really
see in them the people who are not raised morally. In terms of aesthetical
aspect in the learning environment, its bad. They are not provided with
great facilities by the school. The teacher is the one who finds ways in having
educational materials such as books. For social aspect, its kind of bad too.
Its because tour is made possible because of the financial support of the
teacher not the school. To capsulize everything, the place is not conducive
for learning.

PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING
The principles of teaching that are present in the movie are the following:
1. SHARE INTELLECTUAL CONTROL WITH STUDENTS
- When the times that Teacher Gruwell imparts ample of knowledge
to

the

students.

Afterwards,

she

entertains

questions

and

suggestions from the students.

2. PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHOICE AND INDEPENDENT DECISION
MAKING
- When teacher G gives activities to the students and let them think
and do of something that would come up the answers. The students
can have lots of strategies. In other words, teacher G lets them
discover on their own. Teacher is after with how they find ways on
accomplishing the activities.
3. REGULARLY RAISE STUDENTS AWARENESS OF NATURE OF DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF QUALITY LEARNING
- When the students are able to integrate the various ways of
learning that they have grasped from the deliberation of Teacher G.

When she also teaches the students on how to understand ones

cultural background.
4. BUILD A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS RISK-TAKING
- When she lets the students to be feel free and safe inside the
classroom. When shes able to serve as an aide to the students when
they astray. This is when she helps her students when they are in need
of someone to support them.

5. PROMOTE

TALK

WHICH

IS

EXPLORATORY,

TENTATIVE

AND

HYPOTHETICAL
- When teacher G lets her students to answer of something. Shes not
merely after with the right answer but with the students opinions.
The concrete example of this principle is when she lets her students
have their diaries. She also lets her students share their experience
about a particular topic.
6. USE A WIDE OF INTELECTUALLY CHALLENGING PROCEDURE
- In her teaching process, it was just at first when she was not able to
get the attention of the students. As she continuously have her
patience and perseverance, she was able to make her students
attentive in her class. Its because she was able to use appropriate,
challenging and interesting methods that motivate the students to
listen to her discussions.
7. ENCOURAGE

STUDENTS

TO

LEARN

FROM

OTHER

STUDENTS

QUESTIONS AND COMMENT

- One of the situations in the classroom that supports this principle is
when she lets her students to listen from the chosen student who is
talking. When she animate the students up to learn the cultural
background of the other students. This is one of the significant
principles for me because it merely talks about the focus of

education who are the learners. This principle also promotes

experiential learning.

PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING
1. LEARNING IS AN EXPERIENCE.
- For me, this principle is the best principle of all because we really
learn best when we are into the situation. This principle conforms to
one of the famous philosophies of education which is Experience is
the best teacher. We can cite a situation in the movie wherein this
principle is highlighted. This is when Teacher G let the students not
just merely learn the topics that she deliberates but also to the
experience or activities that are found during the discussions. The
students who are bullying other students learn something good
from what they do. It is the badness of hurting someone without an
acceptable reason.
2. LEARNING IS EMOTIONAL AS WELL AS INTELLECTUAL
-

I strongly believe this principle. The situation in the movie that

supports such is when teacher G continues to support the students
although teaching them is risky. She is doing that because she
thinks that they deserve to be understood and taught. In the given
situation, emotional there is the love that keeps teacher G teaching
the students. The intellectual aspect there is when she thinks that
the students deserve to be taught and understood. Those two
aspects result to learning. The learning that teacher G accomplishes
is that students can really be calm if the teaching is paired with love
and perseverance.

3. LEARNING IS A DISCOVERY

The situation that can be referred to this situation is when the

students bully other students. With that experience, they have
learned that what they did is not good. They discover something
that is needed to be known even before. But considering their
background, lets still be happy for the alteration. When they also
encounter inevitable problems and they face it firmly. With that, we
can barely say that they have discovered the things that are needed
to do in overcoming obstacles that await them ahead.

4. LEARNING IS A COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE PROCESS

-

We could trace a situation in the movie that supports this one when
Teacher G has changed the students characteristics. This is when
Teacher G gives words of wisdom that makes the students realize of
something good. After that, they can already have talks with each
other and help others in terms of activities. They dont feel aloof
whenever Teacher G gives activities that need a cooperation and
collaboration. By that, we can conclude that learning is abundant
when the activities are not individually done. Each student is able to
share

their

own

beliefs.

In

other

words,

they

are

already

brainstorming.
5. LEARNING IS A CONSEQUENCE OF EXPERIENCE
-

We can associate this principle in the situation wherein Teacher G

had a conflict with her husband. Her husband was not able to
understand her principle anymore. Teacher G spends her personal
money just to sustain those students who she doesnt really know
deeply.

6. LEARNING IS AN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS

-

What makes learning an evolutionary process is the integration or

the amendment of the learning as an individual continuously has

experiences in life. The situation that falls in this principle is when

we see the great change of students. With the help of teacher G,
their perceptions to the other people have changed. Its because
their prior knowledge about ones cultural background has altered.
We can see that in them because they do not bully their classmates
anymore. Change is really bound to happen but the learners should
see to it that they have learned from the changed that they obtain.
7. LEARNING IS SOEMTIMES A PAINFUL PROCESS
-

The situation in the story that we can link to this principle is when
they are able to have their diaries. They are able to remember the
bad things in their past experiences.

We can also associate in this principle the situation wherein teacher

G hurts her husband. Her main focus is the attention or changes of
the students behaviors. Her husband thinks that what she does to
her profession is too much.

TEACHING APPROACHES, STRATEGIES,

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
1. WRITING STRATEGIES
-

This is when teacher G is able to let her students have a diary and
writes their experiences in it. They can also write anything that has
a relevance to their daily life. In other words, their diaries serve as
reference of their lives.

2. HANDS-ON-ACTIVITIES
-

One of the situations that supports this, is when they are able to
have a tour. They are able to manipulate something and they learn
something from it.

3. INQUIRY
-

We can cite a situation in the movie that pertains to this method. It

is when Teacher G often guides her student to discover new things
not by spoon-feeding but to know in their own paces.

4. PROJECT
-

The situation that can be referred in this situation is when Teacher G

lets them have a diary wherein they write their daily experiences.

5. METACOGNITIVE APPROACH
-

This approach is made possible when teacher G lets her students

read a book which she gives to the students one by one. She lets
find out what will happen to the characters in the end of the story.
They let the students think beyond what they think.

6. CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH
-

This approach is easily be seen in the situation wherein Teacher G

let the students make a diary because they are able to recall their
past experiences. After that, they connect it to the present one and
construct a meaning out from it.

7. REFLECTIVE TEACHING
-

This is when Teacher G lets the students share their past experience
before the class and let them reflect from it. With that, the students
are able to come up with ideas or learning.

8. COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH

-

We can associate this approach to the situation wherein Teacher G

divides the class into two and instruct them to have a debate. Each
group has its own point of view. By the exchange of ideas, each

group is able to learn from one another. The cooperation of the

members of each group makes it a cooperative learning approach.
9. BANKING APPROACH
-

This is when teacher G deposits or imparts knowledge to the empty

minds of the learners.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
For the classroom management, the students were not managed well
at first due to misunderstandings and different principle of the students.
There are students who are fighting and bullying with each other. With the
help of teacher G, the management of the classroom has changed goodly. As
teacher G continuously having her patience and perseverance, the students
are calmed that results to motivating students to listen to her discussion.
Everything is well-managed. The students really listen to the teachers. When
a teacher reprimands a student, everyone behaves. In other words,
everything has really controlled not the learning of the students but their
behaviors.

INSIGHT OR REFLECTIONS
Upon seeing the movie, I have realized that whatever kind of students
you are having, as long as you are possessing perseverance and love to your
profession, everything will goodly happen as what you have expected. As a
teacher, I can barely say that our profession must be paired with hardships
for us to be challenged and get motivated to do better. With that, there is a
great possibility that we can attain our goals in teaching. Unfavorable
students, things and environment should not be reasons for us to abdicate.
There are lots of ways to overcome those things. Going back to the movie, I

have seen aspiring endeavors in the teaching of teacher G. She has greatly
done a big difference to the students. To be honest, that is the most difficult
part of teaching but still never gives up on those students. That made her a
commendable one. By knowing what teacher G has been through, I was able
to have whims on how to be an effective teacher. It challenges me to do
better. Im thinking this --- if teacher G aims and able to do it, why cant I? it
sizing me up. I am confident to accept the challenge and really touch the
lives of my future students. I should prepare lots of interesting activities that
are worth-having for the students. I should understand their abilities,
capabilities and potentials. To accomplish that, I should have activities that
suit them. For integration, I would choose activities that could maximize their
potentials. That statement gives me new principles in my profession. These
are to teach solely from the heart and teach not for mediocrity. For the
needier, I would impart to them words of wisdom that could alter their
negative views on education. I would arouse and let them realize how
education plays a crucial role in the lives of individuals.

THE TWIST
After the book is being published, the students are able already to know
themselves and appreciate the importance of education in the life of an
individual. They laugh at their insanities before wherein they had time to
bully with each other. They already put smiles on their faces and experience
the goodness of life. They ask a heartfelt apology to one another again. They
hug one another to show forgiveness. After that moment, one of them
remembers of someone who has changed their perspectives in life and gave
then principles that are really handy as they continue striving hard to
become successful in life. They make time to visit teacher G in the school

where they graduated. There, they are able to see their aspiring teacher who
teaches effectively to the learners who have the same characteristics of
them when teacher G was not their teacher. Instead of laughing at those
learners, they ask Teacher G to let them teach the students. They want to
experience the hardship that Teacher G had been through in their times.
They find it not hard for they are able to understand the learners. The
learners are just throwing crumpled papers at them, but instead of getting
mad at them, they pick up the pieces of paper and begin to share their lives
when they were on the learners ages. As they continue sharing, the chaos in
the classroom has gradually gone. Some of them prepare activities that
could promote harmonious relationship in the classroom. The students are
able to get calmed and able to reflect from their words of wisdom. The
students are enjoying the activities that they give. A couple of minutes after,
Teacher Gs tears fell from her eyes and she abruptly went out from the
classroom. One of her former students followed him and witness how Teacher
G cries with full of gratefulness. She cries for she was able to achieve what a
teacher is needed to do to her students. Her former students come to her
and give her a tap while uttering these words Maam, you are one of a kind.
You are my inspiration and you are able to make a big difference not just in
my life but also to my fellows Her former student gives her a hug while she
is continuously crying. After that, one of her former students with her
husband comes to her with full happiness. Shes stupefied with what she is
seeing. There, her husband explains and asks forgiveness for being
insensitive. Her husband kisses her and asks her to come home again with
her. Teacher G gladly accepts her husbands offer. Her husband kisses her
again. At their back, the students are smiling and feeling the happiness that
teacher G is feeling. Then, they come in to the classroom and Teacher G
expresses her gratitude. She utters that she is grateful that she fulfills her
dreams which is to really be a successful teacher. Many years later, Teacher
G died and her students who are now successful make a school which is
named after her.

POEM
A teacher who is made of passion,
teaches students with one direction,
To engrave to their heart a vision,
to human beings will be an inspiration.

Teaching is not merely a profession

But also a moral integration
For it gives a concrete demonstration
On the values application

If you want to pursue teaching,

have it without consulting,
for when the heart is dictating
everything will be worth-doing.

CURRICULUM VITAE
Name

: Rey Laurence M. Vergara

Age

: 19

Address

: Sabellano St. Sitio Insi Idiang Brgy. Quiot

Cebu City
Course

: BEEd-General Education

School

: Cebu Normal University

Father

: Rodulfo O. Vergara Sr.

Mother

: Rosario M. Vergara