In the beginning of the film you saw Ms. Gruwell's department head comment on the pearls she was wearing and then suggest that she not to wear the pearls to class. Later we see that she ignored the advice and wore them to class on the first day of school anyway. Why do you think she was given the advice and why do you think she ignored it? At one point Ms. Gruwell is having a conversation with her department chair about giving her students the new books that are sitting on the shelves collecting dust. What was the importance of that discussion? Finally, what do you think is the most important message(s) of the film?
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Mrs. Gruwell was sending the same message to the school both by wearing her pearls as well as challenging her department head about getting books for her class. Multiple times over the course of the film, Mrs. Gruwell attempts to prove that she can achieve anything she sets her mind to if she doesn't take no for an answer, and this is the same message she tries to teach the kids in her class. She doesn't allow preconceived notions about the kids in her class keep her from reaching her goal of inspiring them to live up to their potential. By not letting people keep her down, Mrs. Gruwell proves to the kids that they can be successful in the same way she is. By getting books for her class and wearing the pearl necklace despite the fact that she was warned against it, Mrs. Gruwell is proving to the school board that the children in her class have much more potential than the board believes. There is another message that I took away from this movie that is similar to the idea I already discussed. The movie gets across the idea that, in order for relationships between people to be successful, they must break down the walls they put up and rid themselves of the judgments they have of one another. In order to do that, however, they must break down the walls they've built up within themselves and rid themselves of all the judgments they had of themselves. Years of people putting them down caused them to believe they couldn't be any better: that they were doomed to stay in the societal box they've been put in. This movie proves that, with work and effort, that box can be broken, and that is one of the biggest reasons as to why I really enjoyed this film.
During her meeting with the department head, Ms Grewell was advised not to wear her pearls to class. She ignores this advice and wears the pearls anyways. I think the department head gave her this advice because she has some very strong prejudices against the children and views them as animals. It says a lot about her that she really thinks these children would steal their teacher’s necklace. Ms Grewell however, knows these kids are real people and trusts that they would never do such a thing. Later, when she is talking to the department head again she is told that the children basically aren’t smart enough or deserving of having real books. Ms Grewell asks if “there’s someone else she can talk to”. This scene is essential because it’s when Ms Grewell begins to question authority in order to achieve her goals, which relates to the main theme of the film. I thought the main theme of the movie was that if you try hard enough you can achieve anything, which is exactly what Ms Grewell did.
I think that Mrs. G is a very stubborn person, but in a good way. She was stubborn about wearing her pearls to the first day of school because she knew that she wasn't going to change who she was, what she was going to do or wear for anybody else but herself. She also ignored the advice because she wasn't afraid of the kids, she wasn't there to just baby sit but to teach and do her job. Later on in the movie she has a conversation with the department head about the books that they wouldn't let the kids use. I think this goes to show the schools general attitude towards the kids. They wont branch out to help, and they wont even give them a chance to succeed. I think the most important message of the film was that anyone can succeed if they put their mind to it.
Mrs. G had one thing in mind at the beginning of teaching and she wanted to help her students. She wanted to do whatever she could under her power to teach her students what they needed to know. I thought it was great that she would start two other jobs just to help out her own students. I think the main thing to being a good teacher is having the ability to connect with any of their students. I also found it to be a great idea when Mrs. G got the journals for her students because that was a way where she could figure out what is going on in her students lives and gives her ideas on how she can help them. The main reason she got through to each of them is because she took them to the museum so they could really see how they really aren't the people with such bad lives and it made each and everyone of them rethink their life a little bit.
The film portrayed the message that anything is possible with perseverance. Ms. Gruwell tries to teach the class that once you set your mind to something, you can achieve it, as long as you don’t take “no” for an answer or give up when faced with difficulty. This message was demonstrated through Ms. Gruwell wearing the pearls every day to school and through her buying new books for her students. In the beginning of the movie, the department head wanted Ms. Gruwell to take off the pearls because she had stereotyped the kids and was prejudiced towards them. The department head thought that they were all criminals and would steal anything that looked expensive, but Ms. Gruwell had faith in her students before she even met them. Ms. Gruwell ignored the advice because she wasn't prejudiced and believed that no one should be judged from the outside, so she wore them anyway on the first day of school. These stereotypes would’ve stood in the way of her goal to inspire the kids. She could've believed the department head and formed prejudices then and there, but instead she stood up for her beliefs by defying the advice and by wearing the pearls on the first day. The discussion about the books further proves that the department head was prejudiced towards the kids because she thought they destroyed everything and were disrespectful. Ms. Gruwell bought books for the kids because she wanted to inspire them and show that when faced with an obstacle, you can always overcome it. This message to the kids could help them fully live up to their potential that she believes every one of them has inside of them. Prejudices and stereotypes greatly limit the potential of society, because they believe that they cannot overcome an obstacle, but Ms. Gruwell tries to shake that belief and show the students anything is possible if you don’t give up.
The department head told Mrs. G not to wear her pearls to class because she had judgments and prejudices of the students. She believed that they were all bad kids, and she probably assumed they would try to steal her pearls. Mrs. G did not take this advice, or any other advice that the department head gives her. Mrs. G believed in the students she was teaching, she knew that they were smart and had potential to succeed. The department head believed that the students could not read "normal" books, but Mrs. G persevered and was able to buy books for her class. As the film continues we see the students begin to care about school, do all of their work, and become friends with one another. If Mrs. G had listened to the advice of the department head, she never would have been able to teach the kids as well. Because Mrs. G believed in her students, they were all able to succeed.
By ignoring the advice and wearing pearls anyway, Ms. Gruwell showed her defiance and determination to be a successful teacher. This was a small sign that she wasn’t someone who took rules or norms unquestioningly. The advice may have been given to her for her own safety but Ms. Gruwell saw the challenge that the department head was implying she couldn’t handle. When Ms. Gruwell began to build the students’ enthusiasm for learning, she saw that the students could be doing better if the school invested more in them. The conversation that she had with the department head showed the attitude of those with authority and how they could be doubtful and selfish. I think how Ms. Gruwell handled the situation was very brave because she stood up to someone with more power in order to get something done. I think the most important message of the film was that anyone could overcome any personal or interpersonal conflicts that they have by having an open mind and not judging anyone from their past. They could break free from the future that seemed predetermined before them and see other’s for who they were instead of their associations.
I thought "The Freedom Writers" was a very eye opening movie. At Westborough, we never experience problems with gangs and violence and a lack of education, but these are real problems that plague many inner city schools in the U.S. Something that struck me about the movie was Ms. Gs determination to help her students. She easily could have been like any other teacher at the school, but she was really dedicated to helping her students. At first, she was so frustrated and disrespected that I was surprised she didn't just give up on her students. She saw them as more than just hopeless students and really set her mind to helping them. When Ms. G was told she could not use the books for her class by the department head, she didn't just give up on getting the books. Ms. G was never forced to pay out of pocket for books, yet she was so dedicated to her students' education that she did just that. When she was told no by the department head and principal, she went to the higher up person in charge to get her way. In addition, when it was suggested that she shouldn't wear pearls to class probably because they figured they would get stolen, she did so anyway because she trusted her class. She was not told what to do by anyone, she did her own thing. It's awesome and inspirational watching the kind of impact that a single person can have on a group of students. Ms. G taught the students to be accepting of one and other, no matter what their race was. It was traditional for races to be segregated and only talk to their own people, but in Ms. G's class everyone was like a family. Overall, I am glad I got to see The Freedom Writers because it taught me important lessons about life like to never give up when you put your mind to something.
When Mrs. Gruewell has her fist interview for her new teaching job, the department head suggested that she not wear the pearls to class the next day. I think the Department head said this out of prejudice she had for the children placed in Mrs. Gruwell's class. From the beginning she despises the fact that the school is now integrated, and through her suggestion to Mrs. Gruwell, she's basically hinting that all the kids in her class are bad, when really it is her suppression and lack of hope in them that cause them to act out, among other things. Mrs. Gruwell ignores her suggestion because she is all for the integration of schools, it's the main reason she chose to work at that school. By wearing the pearls she is making the statement that the kids in her class should be treated like any other person, no matter the color of their skin, how much money they have, or what area they live in. She does not let the Department head get to her, and change her mind showing that she is not a bystander, but sticks up for what she believes in. When the Department head prevents her from getting the books, again she does not accept it. She know that the school isn't working hard enough to bring out her students true potential so she takes matters into her own hands and seeks a higher power. Ultimately she proves the department head and the principal wrong, that she is a good teacher and her children are not only improving in school but in their own lives outside of school. I think the main message in this movie was that if you are passionate in what you believe, devote hard work and take matters into your own hands that you can not fail, and can achieve anything. I really enjoyed this film because Mrs. Gruwell was so set on helping her kids, few teachers ever show so much devotion and passion in what they do, but she should be a role model to all teachers.
By wearing the pearls to school, not only did it show the school that they didn't need to treat her students like they are criminals and that they are going to steal everything. But she also showed that she was going to do what she wanted whether the school board like it or not. Mrs. Gruwell looked over her bosses and went straight to the source of power, where she knew she could be heard, and when she was told that she needed to listen to her own school's advisors all she said was "no." Mrs. G set her mind on helping these kids and when she was through with them she made a difference that would last them their entire lives. If we choose to live by the lesson "You can do anything you set your mind to" you can achieve great accomplishments and goals. If you choose to sit back and let people boss you around then you're not going to get anywhere in life you're going to live knowing that you didn't do all that you could to have a better life.
The department head gave her the advice because she had no trust for the students and didn’t want Ms. Gruwell to draw attention to herself or be in danger. I think she ignored it because she wanted to go into the classroom with an open mind rather than predetermining how the students would act. The conversation about getting books is important because when she doesn’t get what she wants she asks to speak to a higher authority figure, or person of power. This shows that if you can access people of power you can accomplish what you want. I think the most important message of the movie is that if you are persistent and dedicated to creating change you can accomplish it.
Ms. Gruwell is a strong and dedicated teacher with a huge heart and a passion for giving direction to people's lives. especially students because she knows that students living in the hood or other unfortunate situations like the ids of room 203. With the kids acting so uncooperative in the beginning, i was almost positive they would never warm up to her, or want to learn and become students who cared about doing something with their lives. Ms. Gruwell knew how to unite them together despite their backgrounds and racial stereotypes. That's what makes her teaching methods revolutionary and effective. Ms. Gruwell is a role model for all teachers who want their students to succeed.
I think that the importance of both of these scenes in the movie is that Ms. G refuses to take no for an answer. She ignores the department head's advice and wears her pearls to class anyway to show that she will not be bullied into doing anything and she will run her class the way she wants to. She later will not allow the department head to tell her that her class cannot read certain books. She recognizes that she must go around her and get to someone with more power, which is exactly what she does. The importance of this scene is that she will never take no for an answer, even if it is just to prove a point. She exhibits the idea that you should never stop going after what you want, no matter what roadblocks are put in your way. It is this that I think is the most important message of the film.
I admire Ms. Gruwell for her ability to stand up against the people in charge for what she believed in. She knew that the students had potential, but lacked the resources to use their potential. The head of the department saw the kids as almost nothing, she was one of the reasons that the kids weren't doing well in school before Ms. Gruwell. She didn't give them the necessary supplies that they needed to have a good learning experience. Ms. Gruwell was able to see that the students weren't the people that everyone had made them out to be, they were smart and intelligent people, but were never given the chance to express themselves. After watching this movie it me to never give up no matter what is in my way.
I think Mrs. G was given the advice of not wearing the pearls because the department chair probably thought that the kids would want to steal them or break them. The importance of the discussion with her department chair about the books was that Mrs. G believed that the kids can read the books and make a difference in their lives. The department chair person thought otherwise. She did not believe that the students could not succeed in reading them, therefore really giving them no chance to let them prosper as readers and become smarter. She would not have inspired those kids in becoming graduates from high school if she was their teacher because she gives them no hope at all. Mrs. G was really the only reason why they succeeded. The most important message of the film is courage. I say this, because it must take a lot to be the odd man out, and make a major change in their lives to improve them.
By wearing the pearls, Mrs. Gruwell displayed her belief in the children, a belief that no other teacher in the school had. The department head advised Mrs. Gruwell to take off the pearls based on a preconceived prejudice that the type of students Mrs. Gruwell would be teaching would certainly steal her pearls. Mrs. Gruwell showed a belief in the children that they aren’t bad people, giving them a chance that few other teachers provided. This belief is also shown as Mrs. Gruwell fought for the student’s rights to books: they weren’t allowed real books because as a whole they were distrusted to take care of the property. Mrs. Gruwell understood that this distrust in the students based on prejudice lead many of the kids to act out, as they were treated unfairly and as delinquents. In the community which these students came from, many had been limited by the notions of what they were meant to do, for instance Eva followed in her father’s footsteps and joined the gang to protect “her own”. I believe the message is that by living up to one’s own potential, each person doesn’t have to be limited by his own predetermined future. Many of the students had been told before that they were bad, that they would steal and act out. With Mrs. Gruwell’s support and allowing the students to expand their view beyond their surroundings and community, the students could finally see a future that was beyond what they had always been told was their own.
While the head of the department was also white, much of the movie runs on stereotypes and their own personal bias, the movie seems to drive the point more than Mrs.gruwell herself would that she would be unstoppable as long as she wanted to teach her group of once-misfits. She not only refused to follow the rules but refused to limited by their encroachments of what the previous teachers felt to be their just and moral system of which they had become accustomed to functioning. Much like the movie The Blind Side, the determined well off young white woman changes the life (or in this case lives) of a minority figure by disproving previous sterotypes and not succumbing to pitfalls that tend to trap their fellow race. The end.
The department head suggest Mrs. Gudwell take off her pearls because of the area and type of kids in the school. The school was located in LA wear the riots had recently occurred. The department head was only trying to give her a good suggestion. But Mrs. Gudwell didn’t take no for an answer because she had a goal in her mind. And she finally achieved her goal after a tough struggle in the beginning. The importance of the discussion about the books with the department head was that Mrs. Gudwell wanted to prove her kids had changed, and when she asked to speak to someone else in charge it showed that she knew that she could convince someone with a different view of the kids. The most important message of the whole movie was that if you put your mind to something you can become successful. It was shown through both the kid’s success and Mrs. Gudwells success in achieving what she wanted.
Mrs. Gudwell was told by numerous people not to wear the pearls, not given any reason in particular, but obviously due to the fact that these people meant that the "type of kids" who attend Wilson high would attemp to steal them. Mrs.Gudwell however, decided to wear the pearls despite of this, and her pearls were not stolen, exemplifying the fact that there's no need to judge or hold prejudice against people, especially those whom you've never even met. This is just one of the important messages of this film. Another, is the fact that if you want something done, you have to get off your butt and do it yourself, and in order to do it, you have to seek the person in power, the person who ultimately gives the thumbs up or down. Mrs.Gudwell was constantly discouraged and told no but other teachers as well as the principal, but this did not stop her and she eventually got her way.
Mrs. Gruwell ignored the original advice given to her because she didn't understand why she would have to take them off. She didn't think that the kids could steal the pearls or do anything with them. The importance of the discussion with her department head establishes a wall that she must overcome throughout the movie. It made her motivated to try to get the books to the kids anyway. I think that the message of the film is that when a person wants to succeed, then they need to better themselves with a proper instruction, like Mrs. Gruwell.
I feel that Mrs. G ignored the advice to take off the perals for two seperate reasons. One reason being that she had faith that the students would be better than what was expected of them. She hadn't ment her students but even the department heads comments didn't crush her hope for improve the in-class lives of her students. I also believe that she kept the pearls on as a reminder of her father and his accomplishments in the civil rights movement. He made such huge strides throughout the movement that I think it helped her keep her hope. Through the days she does wear her pearls she continually touches her necklace I believe she uses it as a sense of comfort. After the descussion with the department head I believe that gives her even more determination to change the lives of her students. Her deparetment head is completely unjustified in her choices because there are so many other options. If she was worried about the condition of the books the students could have done in class reading and see how that goes. The progression of the students is clearly shown through the progress of the movie and the only reason the students believed in themselves is because someone showed them improvement was possible and believed in them.
I feel that Mrs. G ignored the advice to take off the perals for two seperate reasons. One reason being that she had faith that the students would be better than what was expected of them. She hadn't ment her students but even the department heads comments didn't crush her hope for improve the in-class lives of her students. I also believe that she kept the pearls on as a reminder of her father and his accomplishments in the civil rights movement. He made such huge strides throughout the movement that I think it helped her keep her hope. Through the days she does wear her pearls she continually touches her necklace I believe she uses it as a sense of comfort. After the descussion with the department head I believe that gives her even more determination to change the lives of her students. Her deparetment head is completely unjustified in her choices because there are so many other options. If she was worried about the condition of the books the students could have done in class reading and see how that goes. The progression of the students is clearly shown through the progress of the movie and the only reason the students believed in themselves is because someone showed them improvement was possible and believed in them.
Gruwell’s interaction with her department head both at their first meeting and when they discuss giving her students new books highlights that we and they mentality we had been discussing, and how the human mob mentality and need to belong to a group results in persistent stereotyping and detrimental preconceived notions. Her department head has the prejudicial assumption that all of Gruwell’s students from the integration program will be destructive and both incapable and unwilling to learn due to their race and the neighborhood they live in, due to this she refuses to allow Gruwell to use the books she is convinced will enhance her teaching of them. Overall these views kept her department head as well as the teacher of the honors class from even attempting to teach these kids, they write them off and refuse to give them the opportunity to learn or challenge their preconceived notions. As Gruwell mentioned at one point, they were encouraging all these kids, sometimes forcing them, to go to school but then saying that they can’t learn. But it also works the other way, the students had preconceived notions towards the white or privileged, which we saw when they argued with Gruwell about her attempts to understand them. They assumed all whites had beliefs similar to her department head. This all makes the point that this we and they mentality is highly detrimental to any sort of progress and skews perception.
She was advised not to wear the pearls because the other teachers assumed that the kids would get the wrong idea about Mrs.Gruell. The department chair may also have assumed that the pearls would either be stolen or damaged by the kids because they were so violent and disrespectful. Mrs.Gruell decided to ignor this advice because she didn't have any pre-judgements against the kids even though everyone seem to have a distast for them. The importance of the discussion she has with the department chair is that when she is told the students aren't allowed to have the books, the reason is that they will not be able to understand the content. Mrs.Gruell refuses to listen to her department head and says that the kids know they are given the other "books" because no one believes they can do better. It is important because it shows how much confidence she has in her students and that she won't take "no" for an answer. I think the most important message of the film is that the walls created by the different groups of students are the real barriers. But when these walls are torn down by shared interest (to live and lead better lives), the students can do what everyone told them they could not. They are able to let go of their anger and hatered for one another and they are able to work together to make a positive change.
The message Mrs. Gruwell was sending to the department head by wearing her pearls to the first day of school was to not be prejudice towards the kids and not treat them like they are criminals because if you treat them like they are criminals, they will start acting like criminals. This shows Mrs. Gruwell's positive stubborness, and her determination to change these kids' lives when no one else wanted to. Mrs. Gruwell realized that in order for her class to respect her, she needed to treat them like they were imporatant, which was something they were not used to feeling. Another example of Mrs. Gruwells determination to help these kids was when her and the department head were discussing whether or not to get new books. The department head was very resistant in letting the kids get new books because she thought they would damage them. Then Mrs. G brought up that they did this because they have always been given used and old books that were of very bad quality. These kids have lived their whole lives being treated like they have no hope or opportunity to succeed in life, and Mrs. G understands that if you make them feel like they are important and make them feel like they do have a chance, then they will be able to perform well. Giving them brand new books made the kids feel imporant and motivated them to do well. I think the overall theme of this movie is to never give up on doing something you love to do, even if it means sacrificing other things. Mrs. G's passion was to help these kids and was willing to sacrifice her marriage to do so. She knew that helping these kids was the most important thing to her, and she was willing to do whatever it took to help them succeed.
I think that the department head was suggesting that the students were either capable of stealing the pearls or that they would act in a negative-savage like way and do something horrible I guess. But Mrs. Gruwell ignored the advice because she didn't think of her students to be any different than the other students. She stuck to her goal to help the students the whole entire time and she did whatever she could to get them fair education as other students. When she asked for the new books for her class from the department head she found it quite astounding that she said no to give her students the books. The department head didn't even try to give those students a chance for change, she didn't even give them the benefit of a doubt. But this didn't stop her she went and found someone in higher power but he couldn't do anything about it. So Mrs. Gruwell took matters into her own hands unlike any other teacher would do and she worked three jobs just to give her students a chance at a fair education. She believed in her students when no one else did and she influenced them to change their lives for the better before it was too late. She showed her students that if they set their mind to anything, they should never give up instead struggle to see it through and be successful.
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