Prepare for the Freedom Writers Exam

 Film + The Freedom Writers Diary, pages 1–29

Part 1 – Understanding the story

1. Who is Erin Gruwell, and why does she become a teacher?
2. What is the school environment like when Erin first starts teaching?
3. Why do many of the students have problems trusting teachers?
4. What different groups or conflicts exist among the students?
5. How does Erin react when she realizes how difficult the situation is?
6. Why is the students' writing important in the diary?
7. What do the students write about in the first pages of the diary?
8. How does writing help some of the students express their feelings?

Part 2 – Characters

• How would you describe Erin Gruwell as a teacher? Give three adjectives and explain your choices.
• How do the students initially see Erin?
• How does Erin's attitude towards her students differ from the attitude of some other teachers?
• Choose one student from the film. What problems does this student face?
• How do the students change when they begin to trust Erin?
• Why is trust important between a teacher and students?

Part 3 – Film and Diary

• Which gives you a better understanding of the students' feelings: the film or the diary? Why?
• In the film, we can see the students' lives. In the diary, we can read their thoughts. Which is more powerful? Why?

Part 4 – Agree or disagree?

Discuss with a partner. Give reasons for your answer.

Agree or Disagree?

• A teacher can change a student's life.
  Agree or disagree? Why?
• Students should be allowed to write about their personal experiences at school.
  Agree or disagree? Why?
• It is difficult to learn when you do not feel safe.
  Agree or disagree? Why?
• People often judge others before they really know them.
  Agree or disagree? Why?
• Your background does not have to decide your future.
  Agree or disagree? Why?
• Writing can be a way of dealing with difficult experiences.
  Agree or disagree? Why?
• Erin Gruwell does too much for her students.
  Agree or disagree? Why?

Part 5 – Think deeper

• Why do you think the students are divided into different groups?
• What does freedom mean to the students?
• Why can telling your own story be powerful?
• Why might it be easier to write something than to say it aloud?
• What do the students have in common, even though they come from different backgrounds?
• Do you think Erin understands her students at the beginning of the story? Why or why not?
• What do you think is the most important message in pages 1–29?
• If you were one of the students, what would you think about Erin's teaching methods?