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Freedom Writers is a Hollywood film based on the book “The Freedom Writers’ Diary” by Erin Gruwell. The movie begins showing the 1992 race riots resulting from the beating of Rodney King. This sets the scene for the racial tension present in Long Beach, California. This racial tension has touched the lives of every student assigned to Mrs. Gruwell’s freshman English class. In order to give the students an opportunity to open up about their individual thoughts and experiences, Erin buys composition books and encourages her students to write each day. Erin Gruwell goes above and beyond for her students and helps to facilitate the growth of an open family environment lacking in the lives of everyone involved. The students grow to understand that they can accomplish their dreams with their diligence and effort, and that gang life does not truly benefit anyone.
Precious Knowledge is a PBS documentary following the Ethnic Studies Program found at Arizona High School. The making of the documentary was spurred by political attention given to the program with the aim of placing a ban on the program and all ethnic studies programs on the basis that such programs prove to be divisive as they place emphasis on the differences that exist between races. The documentary aims to show that the Mexican American Studies Program does not perpetuate hate or division, but rather generates love and unity. The Mexican American Studies Program was created with the intention of increasing graduation rates of Hispanic students and closing the achievement gap between white students and students of color. As a result of being instructed in topics in which they are interested, a marked increase in interest, attendance, and participation has been noted by stud...
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...eed. As a group, we admired both films and their powerful messages as they each gave different perspectives on education, perspectives that we may not have been aware of previously. The films showed that some students in our diverse country face numerous challenges that hinder their ability to achieve the same educational success that we can
Works Cited
Choi, J. (2009). Reading Educational Philosophies In Freedom Writers. The Clearing House, 82(5), 244-248.
García, J. (2013). Critical Media Review: Precious Knowledge: Arizona's Battle Over Ethnic Studies.. Urban Review,45(1), 94-97. Retrieved March 30, 2014, from the Academic Search Premier database.
LaGravensese, R. (Director). (2007). Freedom Writers (2007) [Motion Picture]. USA: Paramount Home Entertainment (UK).
Palos, A. L. (Director). (2011). Precious Knowledge [Documentary]. USA: Dos Vatos
Productions.
This film is one that has faults, but is also very credible and a major wake-up call for those currently in power to make a change and help improve the schools of America, securing a better future for all.
Tara Yosso’s is a motivational, informational book that gives us an insight and awareness of how the Chicana/o students struggles throughout their education in the American society. Critical Race Counterstories Along the Chicana/Chicano Educational Pipeline, portrays how Latino students have been marginalized in the educational system. Yosso addresses the problems that might be hindering students of color to drop out of school to continue to higher education. She does this research by analyzing various situations that still happen in the K-12 educational system, as in high school, and higher education. Yosso also addresses counterstories to better understand the experiences and struggles Chicanas/os go through in their schooling. Counterstories are important to be able to know what Chicanas/os struggles go through. Also tells about the outcomes that Chicanas/os have overcome when they are in a situation were they ate being underrepresented and how they have been dealing with these unequal educational opportunities. Her book addresses, awareness of how the Chicana/o culture is being underrepresented in the American educational system. It gives an understanding of why the Chicana/o students are leaking out of the educational pipeline. It also shows the obstacles this Latino students have to face to be able to make it through the educational pipeline. Chicana/o students want to continue to higher education they have to transform the educational system and acknowledge this culture to be successful instead of setting them to failure. Furthermore, this critique will analyze the strengths and the weaknesses of Tara Y...
Latino grassroots politics in the academic realm has been considered as predominantly Chicano in nature. However, the geometry of this academic sector is no longer one dimensional, due to the formation of a Chicana feminist consciousness; the rise of an identified gay community within the Chicana/o student populace; and the emergence of “Latinos” in era of Chicanismo, The abrupt growth of Latinos (e.g. Spanish speaking of Mexican, Central or Latin American decent) in the United State’s educational system led the general population to characterize them as subjects on the cusps of political power and influence. But this widespread depiction of Latinos as an untapped potential is intrinsically linked to an impression of civic cohesion within the Latino student population. Although there is a correspondence between these parties in terms of the alienation they have felt and the discrimination they have endured throughout their academic careers, there is a minimal collective effort in confronting against their oppressive status. This is mainly a result of conflicting ideologies and social agendas within the Latino student community, as well as the relegation of Hispanic subgroups into the lower echelons. Latino students, nevertheless, have demonstrated their capacity, when both Chicanos and the marginalized Hispanic subgroups join efforts to reach a communal objective. This debunks the historical notion that Chicano students are the only group of Hispanics in the academic sphere that have been actively challenging the processes of social exclusion, and also displays the capacity of a collaborative effort.
In the book “Academic Profiling” by Gilda L. Ocho, the author gives evidence that the “achievement gap” between Latinos and Asian American youth is due to faculty and staff of schools racially profiling students into educational tracks that both limit support and opportunities for Latinos and creates a divide between the two groups. Intersectionality, the ways in which oppressive in...
Latino immigrants in the U.S. tend to have the highest dropout rates within the school system. Though, the aggregate statistics goes beyond students’ poor performance, there are many factors that can influence students to make the choice to quit school; for this essay, I will use Critical Race Theory and labeling theory to help me deconstruct the reasons behind this phenomenon, using example 1 of section I.
Students were grouped by IQ, those who had an above average or higher were helped to go to college and those who had a low IQ’s were not given the support or the push needed to get them into college. Educators allowed low education standards and refused to see students as equals. The advisors set students sights low for the future by encouraging how service jobs were a practical choice for us Mexicans. Cleaning houses were the normal thing to do for Mexican-American females. Students were tired of the inadequate staff and the staff's lack of concern for their students. The students sent out a survey among the other students to see if they were satisfied with what they were getting from their education. The result was that the schools and instructors were not meeting the needs of the students’ more so of the Chicano students.
In the documentary, Precious Knowledge, it stated that M.A students weren’t allowed to speak their native tongue Spanish and administration were given the power to use corporal punishment ( POC are targeted more than their White counterparts). There was a purposeful segregation when it came to various ethnic groups, it was no surprise that Whites had the College Prep courses and all other minorities were given vocational courses since policy makers came under the false assumption that Whites were going to strive and POC were just going to end up being in agriculture. POC were given an unfair and unequal opportunities that not only underestimated their intellectual capabilities but also negated their chance at upward mobility in society and decreasing their likelihood of getting a stable, well-paying job in their lifetime. Under these harsh conditions, these M.A students and their allies sparked what is now considered the Chicano Movement. This powerful activism led Tucson city council to set up the Ethnic Studies department across their schools to boost Latinx achievement and cut their high school dropout rates. It’s important to note that these programs were born out of the same protests mentioned above and confrontation of the police (Movement
One can only contemplate why US historians have failed to acknowledge Hispanic contributions to the country. What is certain is that this neglect must be changed. Hispanic Americans, especially the youth, are deserve to learn about these significant contributions to the United states. This knowledge could increase their self-esteem and cultural pride.
When you look at someone, you see a person, but sometimes, you forget that that person has a story. I learned that when I watched the film, I Learn America. When I first watched the movie, I saw students that have come to America. They have come to an international school in New York to learn English. As the film goes on, you see that each of the students that they focus on have struggles that they have/had to overcome to come or stay in America. Before, I did not realize how much they had to go through in order to come to the United States. As educators, we have to get to know our students. We have to understand their lives and their backgrounds and create a good teacher-student relationship and help students build a “home away from home”.
Erin Gruwell began her teaching career at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California where the school is integrated but it’s not working. Mrs. Gruwell is teaching a class fill with at-risk teenagers that are not interested in learning. But she makes not give up, instead she inspires her students to take an interest in their education and planning for their future as she assigned materials that can relate to their lives. This film has observed many social issues and connected to one of the sociological perspective, conflict theory. Freedom Writers have been constructed in a way that it promotes an idea of how the community where the student lives, represented as a racially acceptable society. The film upholds strong stereotypes of
My father, being the military man that he was and still is, took my family traveling all over the world. In Italy, I saw the leaning tower of Piza and mimicked its slant. In France I stood atop the Eiffel Tower and stared down into the city of Paris. I have even walked on the sandy beaches of Hawaii and felt the cool ocean breeze blowing against my face. But for all these marvels that I have experienced, one experience was given to me in every country. My father would always take us to see the monuments of our fallen soldiers. And for a time I never could really understand why.
Racial conflicts are like a virus, spreads out in all modern day societies. In the Freedom Writers movie, one can see that this virus has taken over many people in America. Erin Gruwell was successful in curing her students from Racism. She opens up their minds and gave them a new perspective to look upon. She can be looked at as their new role model since their family is either in jail or dead.
...n people have nothing. If people had more compassion for others the United States would not have all the problems that it does today. Mrs. Erin Gruwell had compassion for the students; when they saw how much she cared they changed their perspectives on life. Against all odds toward against Mrs. Erin Gruwell, she had the power of human will to teach the student. The writer introduced several scenarios on how young innocent children were influenced by family and friends of the same racial background to create hatred and gang’s violence against other races. Five messages in Freedom Writer are: Non judgmental, Racism, having compassion, the power of the human will, and education. Being non judgmental, having compassion and having human will helped Mrs. Erin Gruwell educate the children at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School. Segregated by race, united with education.
Freedom Writers is exalted by a true story and the diaries of real Long Beach juvenile after the LA riots also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest. Hilary Swank a two-time Academy Award winner stars as Erin Gruwell whose interest in becoming a teacher is soon ruined by a bunch of Blacks, Asian, and Latino criminals who disrespect her more than each other. When Erin prepares to concentrate on them like no grown up as ever done she soon realizes that for these kids getting through the day alive is good enough, they are teenagers fighting a war long ago before they were born. Like no other teacher in that school, Erin gives the students respect and dignity. For the first time, these teens soon understand that their lives matter and they have something to say.
The film Freedom Writers directed by Richard La Gravenese is an American film based on the story of a dedicated and idealistic teacher named Erin Gruwell, who inspires and teaches her class of belligerent students that there is hope for a life outside gang violence and death. Through unconventional teaching methods and devotion, Erin eventually teaches her pupils to appreciate and desire a proper education. The film itself inquiries into several concepts regarding significant and polemical matters, such as: acceptance, racial conflict, bravery, trust and respect. Perhaps one of the more concentrated concepts of the film, which is not listed above, is the importance and worth of education. This notion is distinctly displayed through the characters of Erin, Erin’s pupils, opposing teachers, Scott and numerous other characters in the film. It is also shown and developed through the usage of specific dialogue, environment, symbolism, and other film techniques.