Is Ms. Gruwell a Good Teacher?

After watching the movie Freedom Writers, I can conclude that Ms. Gruwell is in fact a very good teacher. She was willing to go to any length and do anything to help her students succeed. For example, she got several other jobs other than the teaching job just so that she could buy new books for her students from her own pockets. She tried different approaches to break down the barriers so that her students would learn such as taking them to the Museum of Tolerance and have a speaker come to class to discuss her own experience and how it related to the reading of Anne Frank.  She even put her students education above her marriage.  She honestly cared about her students and was willing to go above and beyond what was required of her so that her students could reach their potential.

Omar

The Teachers I Will Write About

The two teachers I have chosen to write about for my Compare and Contrast paper are Mr. Holmes (my HS Science teacher), and my math teacher Ustadh.

Omar

Compare and Contrast Ms Gruwell/Ms. Watson

Ms. Gruwell and Ms. Watson are different in that they teach different subjects (one is English and the other is Art History), and their approach to teaching is different.  Although both try to open their students eyes to their own potential by introducing curriculum that is different, Ms. Watson leaves teaching at her school when she is forced to stick with the curriculum given to her.  Both teachers encourage their students to be more, but while Ms. Gruwell encourages her students to attend college and complete their high school education, Ms. Watson tries to encourage her students (all girls) to not just seek out just marriage, but to strive for a college education and more.  Both teachers do have to deal with adversity from within the upper management of school, but Ms. Gruwell also has to deal with the everyday violence she is surrounded by.  

Omar

Compare and Contrast Mr. Macfarlane/Ms. Gruwell

There are similarities and differences between Mr. Macfarlane and Ms. Gruwell.  Both teachers taught underprivileged students.  Other people saw both groups of students as un-teachable, but both teachers saw the potential of their students.  Both teachers also taught English. They introduced new and exciting authors/writing for their students to be exposed to.  Ms. Gruwell introduced them to the writing of Anne Frank and Mr. Macfarlane introduced his students to Nietzsche and Frost.  They both went above and beyond what was expected of them to break through the barriers to reach them and get them excited about learning.  Both teachers were well educated and chose to teach underprivileged high school students.  They ignited their student's interest in reading and writing. They both encouraged their students to go beyond high school, to go to college.  However, Mr. Macfarlane was more interested in expanding their knowledge, while Ms. Gruwell also did but taught them also about tolerance.  She also had to deal with constant violence around her, while Mr. Macfarlane did not.

Omar

Freedom Writers Reflection

I thought the movie was inspiring.  The teacher, Erin Gruwell,  starts teaching English at a High School in Long Beach, California.  The students and faculty resent her efforts to change their lives.  She sees their potential and doesn't give up.  She tries new approaches to help them change the way they think of those who are not part of their gangs.  She introduces writing from Anne Frank and takes them to a museum.  She teaches them about tolerance.  She risks her marriage and gets other jobs to provide books for her students.  She breaks through the barriers put in front of her so that she can help them achieve their potential and succeed. She was an amazing teacher.  

Omar

Audre Lorde's Essay

Audre Lorde had a lot of teachers that she acknowledged in her writing.  Most of those who inspired, taught, or influenced her were women. Her Mother was one of the first teachers in her life.  She described her Mother as “a very powerful woman.”(pg. 15, Zami)  She taught her about her approach to perceiving reality.  Lorde wrote, “It was so often her approach to the world; to change reality.  If you can’t change reality, change your perception of it.” That is how her Mother dealt with things like when white people spit at her children because they were black. She interpreted it as them not spitting at her children, but how the wind moved the spit by accident to hit her children. The second woman who taught her was the local librarian, Mrs. Augusta Baker.  She taught her to love reading.  Lorde states, “By the time she had finished that one, I was sold on reading for the rest of my life.” (pg. 23, Zami) She took the time to read her two stories, which changed her life.  The third person who taught her was Sister Mary at Catholic School.  She taught her about discrimination.  She separated students into Brownies and Fairies. Audre Lorde worked hard in school to be part of the Fairies.    

 

Omar

What I believe makes a good teacher

After reading “What Makes A Good Teacher”, by M.F. Hassett, I have gained some new insights on what I believe makes a good teacher.  The first quality that I think that a teacher should have is the ability to adapt to both the students and parents individual needs. Not all students have the same temperament.  Teachers must be able to adapt their teaching style to optimize the learning experience of different students. The second quality that a good teacher should possess is the being able to enjoy both their work and their students. They have to really want to make a difference and like what they do.  They will find ways and teaching approaches that will make students more interested in what they are trying to teach. The third and final quality is that all teachers should have is the ability to be reflective and emotionally responsive to their classroom practices, materials, methods, and students. This leads to improvement in the way teachers teach students and provides a positive connection between teacher, student and parent.  Good communication and responding to feedback is important so that both the parent and the teacher are working towards the same goal of providing a positive learning environment that optimizes the learning experience of the student.

Omar