Freedom Writers

1. QUESTIONS PART I- A)THE STUDENTS

1.1. (1)Why are the students filled with such anger at the beginning of the movie? Do you think their anger is reasonable?

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1.2. (2) Why are the students so unwilling to associate with anyone outside their ethnic/racial groups? Where does this intolerance come from?

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1.3. (3) Why aren’t Ms. Gruwell’s students motivated to succeed in school? What outside factors affect their ability to learn?

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1.4. (4)Why do some of Ms. Gruwell’s students believe they won’t live past age 18?

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1.5. (5) What would you do to break the ethnic and racial barriers in Mrs. Gruwell’s classroom?

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2. QUESTIONS PART I -B) THE STUDENTS

2.1. (6)Think about your own school or out-of-school activities. Are youth respectful of each other’s differences? Are there problems similar to those in Wilson High? If so, what steps can you take to initiate change?

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2.2. (7) Ms. Gruwell is the first teacher to show trust and respect for the “at risk” students at Wilson High. How does Erin Gruwell demonstrate this? Why are some students more resistant to trusting each other?

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2.3. (8) Why is trust such an important component of a teacher-student relationship?

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2.4. (9)How do the classmates learn to trust one another? How does reading and writing initiate this change?

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2.5. (10)How are relationships healthier when the individuals involved have mutual respect?

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3. QUESTIONS PART II- THE TEACHER

3.1. (1)Why does Ms. Gruwell’s students hate and resent her at first?

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3.2. (2)Most of the teachers at Wilson High do not dress in formal attire. Why do you think Ms. Gruwell chooses to wear business suits and pearls to class? What impression does this make? How do clothes, accessories, and make-up affect how other’s perceive you?

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3.3. (3) How does Ms. Gruwell's upbringing, appearance, and attitude contrast with those of her students?

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3.4. (4) Why did Erin Gruwell (Ms. G) decide to teach instead of being a lawyer?

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3.5. (5) Describe Ms. G.s husband. What is his attitude towards her teaching career?

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4. QUESTIONS PART III-A)

4.1. (1)What is Eva’s (the Hispanic girl) view of herself and her “people”?

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4.2. (2)What does the scene with the Cambodian girl and Eva show? What does it convey? What is the message?

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4.3. (3)Why does Eva “hate white people”?

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4.4. (4)According to Eva, why was her father arrested?

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4.5. (5) What makes Eva choose to “go against her people” in the courtroom? Do you think this was a good decision? How do her family and friends react?

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5. QUESTIONS PART III-B)

5.1. (6)What does Ms. G do when she finds the picture of Jamal? What historical event does she bring up?

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5.2. (7)Why is this event relative to her students?

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5.3. (8)Miep Gies, the woman who hid Anne Frank, is a hero to Ms. Gruwell’s students. What does Miep Gies mean when she tells Ms. Gruwell’s students, “You are heroes everyday.”?

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5.4. (9) Why is Eva so affected by the ending of Anne Frank’s diary?

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