Universidad de Guadalajara

Centro Universitario de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades

Departamento de Lenguas Modernas

Lic. Docencia del inglés como lengua extranjera

Psychopedagogical theories

Professor: Juan Olmeda

Christian Daniel Sánchez Rivera

3rd Semester LIDILE

Classroom 97-m

Code: 213558191
 The real meaning of psycho-pedagogy

Psycho-pedagogy is a multidisciplinary science that it is compared as a bridge that connects two

of the biggest sciences in history, psychology and pedagogy. The fact that the previously fields
are linked by one of another means that they have an interdependence-relation which means
that they both complement each other to accomplish their objectives. Psycho-pedagogy deals
with the understanding of internal processes in an educational context having as an outcome the
improvement of the behavior of the students.

The movie freedom writers (LaGravenese, 2007) puts into practice the concept of
psycho-pedagogy. The purpose of this text is to analyze how Professor Erin Gruwell addresses
the principles of psycho-pedagogy mentioned in the reading of Cesar Coll (1997). Also the author
of this essay will discuss about how implementing psycho-pedagogy can provide help in an
academic environment and how the solution of the plot of the movie would have been resolved
if he had been in that dilemma.

In the movie, Erin Gruwell finds herself in a racist dispute among different gangs. She
had to uncover a way to put an end to this issue. The way she implemented psycho-pedagogy
into her methodology was by making the students aware that they were not very different by
each other. She used historical events that could relate to the social trouble that her pupils were
living in to catch their interest and attention. Little by little, she started to create a healthy learning
environment in which the students stop the chain of hatred that had followed them for such a
long time by implementing respect, responsibility, empathy, values that help to put an end to the
dilemma. Erin Gruwell’s actions began to have an impact in their students; impact that will soon
transform into appreciation. Her motivating actions modified the negative behavior of her
students, changing the violence that had been taken place in the classroom for a feeling of
belonging.

The most incredible fact about this movie was that it really happened. I could say that
if I had been in her shoes, I would have tried to find a way to make the students see that they
were not so different from each other. I would have made them understand that no matter if you
hurt or you are hurt by someone, the same red blood will be shed. I doubt that my actions would
have gone as far as hers, but now that I learnt what an artistic teacher is able to do I believe that
doing something less of what she did would be an insult to this sacred profession I have chosen.
Her passion did not only reach her students, but also reached a whole new generation of
teachers, and that of course includes me there.
Bibliografía
Coll, C. (1997). Desarrollo Psicológico y Educación II. España: Alianza Editorial.
LaGravenese, R. (Dirección). (2007). Freedom writers [Película].