This teacher tells the story of a dropout, Mike. Through the use of Freedom Writer activities, the teacher was able to convince their students to open up and grow closer together. When Mike decided to drop out of school after failing to complete his sophomore portfolio, the entire sophomore class gathered on the steps outside to plead with him to reconsider. This teacher watched as 100 students who were once themselves considered academic failures offered to help Mike move on to the eleventh grade, no matter what he needed.
When Mike failed to return to school, people began to accept the fact that no matter how connected and determined they had become because of their teacher's actions, perhaps it was inevitable that at least one among them had given up. As school ended, however, Mike returned with his completed portfolio, and if anyone ever asked him, ""Remember that day you dropped out?" he smile[d] as if it never happened."
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Empowerment #141
This teacher tells the story of his experiences with Justin, a student who seemed untouchable. Popular and always in trouble with the law, Justin surprised his teacher by opening up to him about his past. Something about this teacher's desire to help his students assured Justin that he could talk to this man, although he might never have done so with other teachers.
Justin had a troubled past, and most recently, he was upset about the death of his brother. His twin was found beaten and floating in a pond outside the city, and after visiting his grave, Justin was disturbed to find that his family had not purchased a grave marker to honor his brother's remains. Justin told this teacher that his goal was to graduate college while playing football in order to turn his life around and honor his brother. He was also working nonstop, not for spending money, but in order to be able to buy a grave marker for his brother.
Justin had a troubled past, and most recently, he was upset about the death of his brother. His twin was found beaten and floating in a pond outside the city, and after visiting his grave, Justin was disturbed to find that his family had not purchased a grave marker to honor his brother's remains. Justin told this teacher that his goal was to graduate college while playing football in order to turn his life around and honor his brother. He was also working nonstop, not for spending money, but in order to be able to buy a grave marker for his brother.
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Rejuvenation #120
This teaching tells the touching story of his experiences with Tara. The only shy 14-year-old white girl in his class of all males, it was obvious that Tara was not going to survive his speech class. In order to bring her out of her shell, the teacher told her that he was requiring her to participate in the school play as one of the leading roles.
Although she ran offstage in tears following her audition, Tara returned the next day and requested that she be allowed to participate in the play. For the first time in 50 years, the school advanced to the next level of competition after the play was performed, and Tara was named Best Actress. She went on to be an active member of the school's drama department, and she received the same award every year at competitions.
Visiting her teacher on a visit home after graduating, she confided in him that she was attending college to pursue a career as a drama teacher.
Although she ran offstage in tears following her audition, Tara returned the next day and requested that she be allowed to participate in the play. For the first time in 50 years, the school advanced to the next level of competition after the play was performed, and Tara was named Best Actress. She went on to be an active member of the school's drama department, and she received the same award every year at competitions.
Visiting her teacher on a visit home after graduating, she confided in him that she was attending college to pursue a career as a drama teacher.
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Rejuvenation #111
This teacher tells the story of Temika, her most difficult student. In a classroom filled with gang members and drug users, this teacher was able to reach almost all of her students, except Temika. After breaking up yet another fight caused by this student, the teacher began to read the journal entries that her students had marked for her to read from that day's journal-writing time. Surprised to discover that Temika had given her permission to read one of her journal entries, the teacher began to cry as she discovered the secrets to her student's troubled home life and the reasons behind her awful behavior. Knowing that her troubles with Temika were far from over, the teacher nevertheless was comforted to know that she had finally made a tiny breakthrough with this student that she previously thought was unreachable, and she became "determined not to give up on her, because...that was what she had come to expect from the people in her life."
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Disillusionment #96
The story of this teacher brought me close to tears. After watching his wife miscarry first a set of twins and then another child, he went to the doctor for testing, since he was also coughing up blood and had been experiencing muscular spasms. After finding out that he carries an extra piece of a gene, the doctor instructed him to have his family tested as well in order to see if it would even be possible for him and his wife to have children.
The next day in class, this teacher broke down and shared his test results with students. Many in his class cried along with him, touched that a teacher would open up to them on such a personal level. He ended by saying that he believed that maybe God had another plan for him at that point in time, and that maybe his students were meant to fill the void that he longed for his own children to fill. He told them, "Maybe God is telling me I already have a family, you."
The next day in class, this teacher broke down and shared his test results with students. Many in his class cried along with him, touched that a teacher would open up to them on such a personal level. He ended by saying that he believed that maybe God had another plan for him at that point in time, and that maybe his students were meant to fill the void that he longed for his own children to fill. He told them, "Maybe God is telling me I already have a family, you."
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Disillusionment #88
This teacher tells the story of how she finally gained the courage to stand up and speak out against oppression. She invited a National Guard sergeant to speak to her class, only to hear him say, "Join the Guard if you want to kill towel-heads!" Being of Arab descent, she was offended by this comment, but she had grown up hearing worse, so she remained silent.
The next day, she realized that she must address her students concerning racism and prejudice. After her lecture, a JROTC student approached her and claimed that although she was planning to join the military, she was not joining in order to fulfill some sick fantasy of killing anyone who was different from her. This teacher realized that she could no longer remain silent when it came to injustices that had and would continue to occur around her, because her students were always watching, and in order to change the attitude of the world, she would first have to start with those in her classroom.
The next day, she realized that she must address her students concerning racism and prejudice. After her lecture, a JROTC student approached her and claimed that although she was planning to join the military, she was not joining in order to fulfill some sick fantasy of killing anyone who was different from her. This teacher realized that she could no longer remain silent when it came to injustices that had and would continue to occur around her, because her students were always watching, and in order to change the attitude of the world, she would first have to start with those in her classroom.
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Engagement #61
This teacher runs an alternative program for troubled kids who have been kicked out of conventional classrooms. He acknowledges that these kids have been given up on and labeled as "druggies" and "stupid," although they are really just products of their stereotypical environments, having never touched drugs and having lacked the encouragement to show the depths to their intelligences to teachers.
In his story, this teacher talks of how he travels to students' homes to drive them to school if they are chronically tardy, and he speaks of the passion with which he must teach in order to inspire his students to succeed in an environment where they are typically inspired to go nowhere.
In his story, this teacher talks of how he travels to students' homes to drive them to school if they are chronically tardy, and he speaks of the passion with which he must teach in order to inspire his students to succeed in an environment where they are typically inspired to go nowhere.
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Engagement #49
This teacher decided to honor one of her students' heritages, something unheard of at her school. She planned and hosted an Ethnic Feast, and she tells the story of her interactions with one Bosnian mother who contributed to the preparations. The mother was in tears by the beginning of the feast, saying that no one, let alone a teacher, had ever celebrated her country before.
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Challenges #33
This teacher, Mrs. Sullivan, was surprised when a journal-writing activity turned into an emotional moment in her classroom. Her student, Ashley, shared with the class that her mother was not truly dead, as Ashley liked to say, but that she was addicted to crack and living on the streets.
Another student, Lisa, shared that she too had lived in foster care for a large part of her life because her mother was a drug addict.
As Mrs. Sullivan was touched by her students' stories, she decided to open up to them for the first time, and she shared that her mother had been an alcoholic. Her students sat in shock as they realized that for the first time in school, not only had a teacher inspired them to share their own problems and worries in order to gain help and support from their peers, but that a teacher had gone out on a limb and exposed her own troubled past to them.
Another student, Lisa, shared that she too had lived in foster care for a large part of her life because her mother was a drug addict.
As Mrs. Sullivan was touched by her students' stories, she decided to open up to them for the first time, and she shared that her mother had been an alcoholic. Her students sat in shock as they realized that for the first time in school, not only had a teacher inspired them to share their own problems and worries in order to gain help and support from their peers, but that a teacher had gone out on a limb and exposed her own troubled past to them.
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Challenges #24
This teacher finally grew tired of the gossip, rumors, and verbal backstabbing that they continually heard from female students. To combat the nastiness, they tried out an activity: Each student was given post-it notes, and they were required to write a short and positive note to each student.
Jen and Sandy were always talking about one girl, Patty. When Patty saw the kind note written for her by one of the meanest girls in the class, she burst into tears. She admitted that her dad had found out she was bulimic, her friends left her, and she tried to commit suicide. She confessed that she had been planning to try to kill herself again, but because of the kindness of her classmates (uncovered through this activity) she no longer felt worthless and despised.
The teacher claims that as they led Patty from the room to visit the counselor, the only two students to watch Patty go were Jen and Sandy, the girls whose gossip caused all of Patty's problems to begin with.
Jen and Sandy were always talking about one girl, Patty. When Patty saw the kind note written for her by one of the meanest girls in the class, she burst into tears. She admitted that her dad had found out she was bulimic, her friends left her, and she tried to commit suicide. She confessed that she had been planning to try to kill herself again, but because of the kindness of her classmates (uncovered through this activity) she no longer felt worthless and despised.
The teacher claims that as they led Patty from the room to visit the counselor, the only two students to watch Patty go were Jen and Sandy, the girls whose gossip caused all of Patty's problems to begin with.
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Anticipation #9
This story is of a teacher who teaches his students that they have really only three "birthdays" in their lives. He believes that when students enter high school, no matter what their age, they must learn responsibility, and this is their first birthday. At age 18, students are treated as adults by the criminal justice system, as well as by parents. For this second birthday, they become accountable. For their third birthday at age 21, students are allowed full access to alcohol. This teacher then discusses with his students the harms and dangers that accompany alcohol when it is abused. He instructs them that they must remember the responsibility and accountability that they learned from their first two birthdays when they celebrate this third birthday. He ends his emotional "birthday lecture" with the words, "Happy birthday, and welcome to the rest of your lives."
A Freedom Writer Teacher's Story: Anticipation #2
This teacher writes of the worries and fears that every teacher has on the first day of school. Despite their worries, however, they must have done something inspiring within just their first lesson. At the end, one student is quoted as having said, "...if every class is going to be like this one, I think it's going to be an awesome year."
Students' Stories
Here, I ask that you comment and share your own stories!
I know that each and every person has been affected by at least one teacher on some level. Granted, as you are sitting there racking your brain, you may only be able to think of teachers who have affected you in negative ways. I am aware of the state of our education system today, and I too have my own share of horror stories when it comes to high school experiences. However, this blog was created to focus on POSITIVE student/teacher experiences. Therefore, if you cannot think of an uplifting or heartwarming story, then thank you for your time and patience, but this is not the place to post angry rants about bad teachers.
If you can think of a teacher who touched your life in a positive way, however, then please share your story! It is not necessary to write about near death experiences, how a teacher saved you from becoming a dropout, or how your life was changed forever because of their actions. In fact, most of my positive experiences with teachers can be boiled down into just a few sentences. Perhaps a teacher encouraged me to participate in class, or maybe they inspired me to go to college when their fellow teachers seemed as if they could not care less about my academic future. Your stories need not be thrilling tales of harrowing endeavors on the part of your favorite teacher or teachers. Please just tell me who they are, what they did for you, and why you appreciate having had the opportunity to be in their classroom.
If you feel you need inspiration, please see my postings above this one that summarize some of the inspirational stories of the Freedom Writer Teachers from the bookTeaching Hope.
To post your story, please simply click "__ comments" beneath THIS post. You will be able to view others' comments, and you can post your own on the right side of the page. Thank you so much for participating!
I know that each and every person has been affected by at least one teacher on some level. Granted, as you are sitting there racking your brain, you may only be able to think of teachers who have affected you in negative ways. I am aware of the state of our education system today, and I too have my own share of horror stories when it comes to high school experiences. However, this blog was created to focus on POSITIVE student/teacher experiences. Therefore, if you cannot think of an uplifting or heartwarming story, then thank you for your time and patience, but this is not the place to post angry rants about bad teachers.
If you can think of a teacher who touched your life in a positive way, however, then please share your story! It is not necessary to write about near death experiences, how a teacher saved you from becoming a dropout, or how your life was changed forever because of their actions. In fact, most of my positive experiences with teachers can be boiled down into just a few sentences. Perhaps a teacher encouraged me to participate in class, or maybe they inspired me to go to college when their fellow teachers seemed as if they could not care less about my academic future. Your stories need not be thrilling tales of harrowing endeavors on the part of your favorite teacher or teachers. Please just tell me who they are, what they did for you, and why you appreciate having had the opportunity to be in their classroom.
If you feel you need inspiration, please see my postings above this one that summarize some of the inspirational stories of the Freedom Writer Teachers from the bookTeaching Hope.
To post your story, please simply click "__ comments" beneath THIS post. You will be able to view others' comments, and you can post your own on the right side of the page. Thank you so much for participating!
Project Description
For my education class, I was assigned to read the book Teaching Hope. This blog is my project to go along with this book, and I hope that you will help me make it a worthy project!
THE BOOK:
When Erin Gruwell began her career as a teacher, she was idealistic and excited to change the lives of students. After her syllabus was folded into a paper airplane and thrown at her head, however, she realized that her job was going to prove much more difficult than she had anticipated. After much trial and error, she discovered that by integrating the pains and hardships her students experienced every day into her lessons, she could finally get through to these troubled kids. By the time they graduated, Gruwell compiled their journal entries into one volume, and The Freedom Writers Diary was published.
As Gruwell began to notice that teachers across the country were using this book to change their own teaching styles and understand their students better, she realized that students are not the only ones with stories that should be heard. She scoured the country and found 150 teachers who were using her book as a model, and she asked them to compile their own stories to be published. Teaching Hope is the book that holds these stories. From tales of school bombings, divorce, problems at home, the death of students, and other heartbreaking incidents, these teachers prove that they are truly fighting for their students every day through their perseverance and determination to understand the problems of the average high school adolescent.
THE BLOG:
On this blog, I will post summaries of just a few of the stories within Teaching Hope. I hope that these stories will touch each person that reads them, and that you will be inspired to share your own stories of teachers who have touched your lives. Please see my post entitled "Students' Stories" for directions on how to share your stories.
THE BOOK:
When Erin Gruwell began her career as a teacher, she was idealistic and excited to change the lives of students. After her syllabus was folded into a paper airplane and thrown at her head, however, she realized that her job was going to prove much more difficult than she had anticipated. After much trial and error, she discovered that by integrating the pains and hardships her students experienced every day into her lessons, she could finally get through to these troubled kids. By the time they graduated, Gruwell compiled their journal entries into one volume, and The Freedom Writers Diary was published.
As Gruwell began to notice that teachers across the country were using this book to change their own teaching styles and understand their students better, she realized that students are not the only ones with stories that should be heard. She scoured the country and found 150 teachers who were using her book as a model, and she asked them to compile their own stories to be published. Teaching Hope is the book that holds these stories. From tales of school bombings, divorce, problems at home, the death of students, and other heartbreaking incidents, these teachers prove that they are truly fighting for their students every day through their perseverance and determination to understand the problems of the average high school adolescent.
THE BLOG:
On this blog, I will post summaries of just a few of the stories within Teaching Hope. I hope that these stories will touch each person that reads them, and that you will be inspired to share your own stories of teachers who have touched your lives. Please see my post entitled "Students' Stories" for directions on how to share your stories.
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