Forgive me for this late posting...again. I got the stomach flu over the weekend and have been stuck in the fetal position.
In the past, I have read parts of "The Freedom Writers" and have watched the movie, but in never ceases to amaze me what these, and many more students have to endure everyday to survive. And that is exactly what they are doing. No wonder it is so hard to teach some students when they are constantly wondering what is going to happen to them next once they get out of school. It's such a wonderful thing that these particular students were able to have Erin Gruwell as teacher. As one student said, "I walk in the room and i feel as though all the problems in my life are not important anymore. I am home" (54). What neat is that she doesn't create this type of environment by ignoring their problems, but by facing and confronting them. Gruwell create a curricula that the students can relate to and make connections. On top of that, she was able to have the students meet the authors, go on field trips to make the literature more real, and created opportunities for them to act.
One particular line that hit me hard as I was reading was where a student transferred mid term into Gruwell's class and was amazed by the class discussions occurring. He/she said, "Society just doesn't care about young people anymore, even if we are the future" (76). It made me stop and think, what are we doing as educators to make students feel this way? What is our government, both local and nationally, doing to portray this? And this line of questions and thought continue on. I had to stop for a little while because this line of thought became very depressing, but what can we do as educators to counter this line of thought amongst the youth when everything around them tells them differently?
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You mentioned how the students were able to meet authors of the books they were reading and go on field trips. I think these activities not only made the content and messages more real and meaningful to the students but allowed them to see how much Ms. Gruwell cared for them.
ReplyDeleteThe line on page 76 was especially hard for me to read as well. I think I am lucky enough that my students do not feel this way. I question whether it is because they are too young or because they are not all living in poverty/violence.
I agree with you that Ms. G made the books come alive by having her students meet the authors, but I think it was really meaningful to them to also have books about issue and people they could relate to as well. When I think of this thought I am reminded of another book I read called Letters to a Young Teacher by Jonathan Kozal. In the book he talks about when he taught at inner city school & the limited books with topics irrelevant to his 4th graders. He actually got in trouble for bringing in books that the kids could relate to.
ReplyDeleteAn answer to your questions... we can stop & listen. We don't have to know all the answers, get through all our planned lessons,...etc. We need to be able to take the time to look at our students. What's important to them? What are their realities... (bad or good.
I agree that we can stop and listen. Making personal connections are one of the most important things a teacher can do in his or her job! Reading those lines and having you reinforce them in your blog reminds me that tomorrow I need to make a few more personal connections in my classroom! :) I think I am going to make a point to find more about some of my students. We are studying poetry right now and what a great opportunity to really get to know my students!
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