Jude Vincent B.

Macalos BSEd- Social Studies 3-2 Educ 10

Movie Review: Freedom Writers (2007)
Freedom Writers is a 2007 movie about discrimination, racism, gang violence and
injustices and how a teacher changes the lives of these students who are subject to
these horrible realities.
Their community in Long Beach is riddled with gang violence. At a young age
they were made aware of their difference from normal America. Death was a normal
sight for them. Their community is divided into cliques Little Cambodia, the Ghetto, Little
Tijuana etc. Ingrained into their mind is the desire to protect one of their own due to the
injustices they have received earlier in life. This behavior manifests in their classrooms
by aggression towards people from different tribes. Most important of all, they are all
hurt children abandoned by society who are simply trying to survive.
Erin Gruwell, the teacher, employed several teaching techniques. Initially she
used music and humor in trying to build rapport in the classroom. She also tried to
breakup existing dynamics changing the seating arrangement integrating the students.
She made them realize that they’re all similar, victims of gang violence. She became a
beacon of hope towards her students, awakening the potential within them and inspiring
them to go ahead and dream.
Erin’s tenacious heart inspired her students. She continued to persevere in giving
her students quality education despite opposition from school management. She even
went ahead and got several jobs to support her passion. She chose to tackle topics in a
manner that adheres to the world view of her students. Introducing them to the horrors
of holocaust made them realize that there’s some sense of immortality when you are
written in the pages of history. The trip to the museum, dinner, and meeting the woman
who helped Anne Frank moved them so greatly that it slowly opened the heart of the
students.
The change in the students manifested in many ways. They wrote about it, they
tried to correct the mistakes of the past. They cooperated in many things such as fund
raisers and all. Now, they are now willing to open up and are unafraid to seek counsel.

Societal pressures and bias are the usual struggles that is seen as the struggles
toward their learning. The students grew up in a cycle of violence which made them
hostile towards one another. The education system also played a part by creating an
environment that acted more like a prison rather than an institution of knowledge. An
institution that mostly cared about what those students can exhibit on tests. Bias from
the administration gave these students subpar instructional materials and didnt give
them enough support for them to be able to function.

I really love its core idea which is “Hope”. Hope for a better tomorrow, for another
door to open for everyone. This also exhibited an ideal type of education wherein the
school doesn’t only mold their minds academically but holistically as well.