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What Can We Learn From Exceptional Teachers?
Over the weekend, I watched a 2007 movie called "Freedom Writers"
that I, as a teacher, found inspirational and instructive. It
reconfirmed some of my beliefs about how teachers can have a
life-changing role in the lives of students. If you haven't seen it, I
suggest you rent it. You won't be disappointed.
It tells the true story of a then twenty-three-year-old, first-year teacher: Erin Gruwell. In the fall of 1994, Gruwell was given a position at the poorly performing Wilson High School in the Los Angeles area. As a new teacher, she was assigned to teach some of the most difficult classes in the school with students who had years of failure and were considered behavioral problems. Freshman English with kids who had failed in other schools and were bused into Wilson as a last resort? Her class was every teacher's worst nightmare.
During the course of the film, I was alternately terrified by what Erin faced and impressed with her determination to succeed in spite of such odds. As it turned out, Erin not only succeeded in getting their attention and getting them to work, she succeeded beyond anyone's expectations. She managed to stay with the group for four years and turned their lives around. Among this group of students, none had parents who went to college and few had parents who even graduated from high school. Yet one hundred percent of the Erin's students graduated from high school, many went on to college and some even got Ph.Ds. It is a remarkable story.
So, how did she do it? One important change Erin made was in the curriculum. She connected the curriculum to the lives of the students. No one can deny that students need to read classic literature at some point in their schooling, but it is important for students to connect with what they are learning. In many situations, students just need to be reading something --anything -- but especially materials to which they relate.
Erin had the same problems that most of us have in the classroom. We are teaching subject matter that students don't relate to and are not interested in learning. The first book she started with was Homer's Odyssey, a classic story, but not one that many inner city students find relevant to their lives. Erin ended up buying the books out of her own pocket. That is a steep price for teachers to pay, and many teachers buy classroom supplies on a regular basis. One of the buzz words in education today is 'differentiated instruction.' Erin definitely differentiated the instruction for the whole class.
A second important change from the typical classroom Erin implemented was to create a sense of community. She did this in multiple ways, but one of the most effective ways was to take students on a field trip. It was a bonding experience and an opportunity to see a way of life different from their own.
In addition, she also was interested in them as people, not just as students. She cared about the students and was able to project that feeling to the class. Many teachers teach the subject matter and avoid student interaction, primarily because there is no time in the schedule for interaction. Perhaps it would be better to sacrifice some of the curriculum to encourage a sense of community.
A third modification Erin made to the program was to showcase the work of students through writing a book called Freedom Writers. There is nothing as powerful as showcasing student work to motivate students and to create a sense of community. Students work together on a common project, the overall project, and showcasing their individual work brings a sense of pride. Journalism teachers do it on a regular basis.
Erin quit teaching when her class graduated and she started the Freedom Writers Foundation to try to help other teachers use the same techniques.
With dropout rates in the 50% range in most US large cities, we need many more Erin Gruwells. We need teachers who are dedicated and who want to connect with their students. Of course, many teachers already do and are doing a great job, but we need more --more teachers aware of what it takes to make a difference.
These are some of the guiding principles from the Freedom Writers Diary:
Believe in your students.
"She told me she believed in me. I have never heard those words from anyone…especially a teacher." Diary 23
Break down "comfort zones" in your classroom.
"Everyone in here seems to know everyone else; just like that TV show Cheers, where everybody knows my name." Diary 25
Make your classroom a safe environment.
"I walk in the room and I feel as though all the problems in my life are not important anymore. I am home." - Diary 24
Make learning relate to your students' lives.
"This story ["The Last Spin"] is a trip. I've never read something in school that related to something that happened in my life." - Diary 14
Engage your students' by tapping into their different learning styles.
"Ms Gruwell has some pretty amazing teaching methods. Our class just read a book called Durango Street, and now we are making a movie of it…Not only did this movie give us a better understanding of Durango Street, we also learned a lot about one another." - Diary 13
Enlighten your students by bringing in guest speakers.
"Now after meeting Miep Gies I can honestly say that my heroes are not just made up characters - my hero is real." - Diary 42
Make learning come to life.
"Ms. Gruwell can never do things the simple way. She always has some big teaching scheme even when we are nowhere near a classroom." - Diary 116
Involve your students' families in class projects.
"Our day began with a breakfast by the "Dream Team Moms." These are the dedicated moms who have adopted our class as their kids." - Diary 49
Be inclusive and treat your class like a family.
"I bet if it wasn't for this second family, a lot of people wouldn't even be with their first." - Diary 44
Empower your students to succeed!
"Historians say history repeats itself, but in my case I have managed to break the cycle because I am going to graduate from high school and go to college, an opportunity my parents never had." - Diary 105
We can all be life-changing teachers if we use some of these principles.
 Esther Wojcicki is the driving force behind the development of Palo Alto High School’s award-winning journalism program - the largest high school journalism program in the country. She focuses on assessing and improving student learning through low- and high-tech tools.
POSTED ON HOTCHALK.COM
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