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September 12, 2008
Off screen, into school
Erin Gruwell's teaching methods begin to spread.
DANIEL MILLS
A King David High School teacher, I recently returned from an intense teaching seminar at the Freedom Writers Institute in California. The seminar, which is led by Erin Gruwell, made famous by the film Freedom Writers, based on her experiences with inner city youth in a California high school, tries to impart innovative teaching methods, focused on diversity, to teachers from across the world.
I was one of 150 participants in the program. Gruwell inspired us with her practical ideas and love of teaching, but especially her belief in everyone's ability to succeed.
Throughout the five-day workshop, Gruwell's former Freedom Writers, the students from her original class, accompanied us. In fact, many of them are the organizational backbone of this incredible institute. Participants are encouraged to get to know the former Freedom Writers better during and after the scheduled activities. I found them all to be well-spoken, intelligent, responsible and caring adults.
Other than all of the in-class activities, which were held at California State University, Long Beach, we also had the opportunity to visit the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance. Gruwell used the Holocaust to teach her students about what can happen when we stereotype others. In one area of the museum, we were asked to step though either the "with prejudice" or the "without prejudice" door. A few of us who felt that we held no prejudice were surprised when we were denied access to the "without prejudice" door. Everyone has prejudices toward one group or another and the first step to understanding how this prejudice impacts one's relationship with members of this group is to acknowledge and admit to it. We must continuously re-examine our perceptions.
One of the most memorable guest speakers during this workshop was Renée Firestone. We had the opportunity to listen to her story and ask her questions at the end of our Museum of Tolerance visit. An 84-year-old Auschwitz survivor who lost her sister and parents to the Holocaust, this vivacious lady is filled with love and she is dedicated to making sure that those who were killed during the Holocaust are never forgotten. Later that day, she joined us at Paramount Studios for a special screening of The Freedom Writers Diary.
Many of the activities that we experienced during the seminar are described in Gruwell's teacher's guide. The Coat of Arms activity made us reflect on our identity and our values and gave us an appreciation for others' uniqueness. The Getting to Know You Bingo is a very fun way for participants to see beyond stereotypes. The Line Game (as seen in the movie) is intense but it builds trust and acceptance and makes us feel like we are part of a family.
We experienced many other activities from Ms. G's Teacher's Guide and each of them fostered acceptance of self and others in a fun and safe environment. In every activity we had the opportunity to work with different people, which prevented cliques from forming. I remember going to the bathroom during one of the activities and I couldn't wait to return to class because the activity was so engaging. In this nurturing and accepting environment, the best was brought out from everyone, without exception.
The last activity before we all had to catch our flights back to our various states and province (I was the lone Canadian) was the Toast for Change. This activity reassures students that they are not judged for their past and that they will now have a clean slate. Always in an atmosphere of support and acceptance, everyone had the opportunity to make a toast for something they'd like to change in their lives.
This workshop is the best I have ever attended.
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