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The Freedom Writers Diary (Movie Tie-in Edition)
The Freedom Writers Diary (Movie Tie-in Edition): How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them | Erin Gruwell, The Freedom Writers
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER & NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE Shocked by the teenage violence she witnessed during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, Erin Gruwell became a teacher at a high school rampant with hostility and racial intolerance. For many of these studentswhose ranks included substance abusers, gang members, the homeless, and victims of abuseGruwell was the first person to treat them with dignity, to believe in their potential and help them see it themselves. Soon, their loyalty towards their teacher and burning enthusiasm to help end violence and intolerance became a force of its own. Inspired by reading The Diary of Anne Frank and meeting Zlata Filipovic (the eleven-year old girl who wrote of her life in Sarajevo during the civil war), the students began a joint diary of their inner-city upbringings. Told through anonymous entries to protect their identities and allow for complete candor, The Freedom Writers Diary is filled with astounding vignettes from 150 students who, like civil rights activist Rosa Parks and the Freedom Riders, heard society tell them where to goand refused to listen. Proceeds from this book benefit the Freedom Writers Foundation, an organization set up to provide scholarships for underprivieged youth and to train teachers
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Rachel.Rencher
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Pickpick

As a first year teacher, I have no clue how Erin Gruwell was able to pull off this amazing feat. It''s hard not to compare myself to her and feel inadequate. I know that's not what she intended, but I feel like I could never draw that same passion and ambition from my students. Have any other teachers read this and felt that way?

perfectsinner Oh good, this is in my pile 3y
TheBookHippie Depends where you teach or who maybe, but I‘ve had students like this at the alternative high school. As for first year -I‘ve seen it happen to two teachers in my 30 years of being a literacy tutor advocate. So it was an amazing feet in this story. Teachers are rock stars -I bet you are amazing. In my experience it‘s a mix generally of just the right time, place, students ..a lot of times you don‘t get to see your affect. But it‘s there! 🤍 3y
LA_Mead Yup. You are definitely not alone! I like to think that all the little things add up 😊 You never know what little things will change a kid‘s life. ❤️ 3y
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crhealey
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replaced some of the books I culled with new ones from the library book sale! #bookhaul #Iwasgoodipromise

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vnick0117
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Pickpick

I've seen a few reviews talking about how it's unrealistic for teachers to sacrifice so much of their personal lives the way Ms Gruwell did. I think they missed the point of the book. It's not about her. It's about the students and all they overcame. A teacher gave her students a new perspective. In turn, the students became role models to their peers, to younger generations, to people near and far. I think the book is inspiring. :)

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Come-read-with-me
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Pickpick

This is a stunning book that offers small glimpses into the world of people who are often described disenfranchised by society at-large. These micro-biographies are uplifting, heartbreaking, and filled with the promise of lives to come. I thought it was amazing. Thanks @rather_be_reading for the great gift of this book!!

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Come-read-with-me
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“She came to America in search of the American dream. Immigrants, like my mom, came to this land looking for endless possibilities, but now those possibilities seem limited” (p. 22.)

Slajaunie Welcome to Litsy! 📖📚💚 5y
Come-read-with-me @slajaunie Thanks 😀📚I‘m really enjoying it! 5y
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AGO715
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Pickpick

I have watched The Freedom Writers movie so many times I‘ve lost count. It is one of my all time favorites. I‘ve wanted to read the book since I first saw it. Well, a few weeks ago I found it on ThriftBooks. I‘m so excited to finally start this book and compare it to the movie!

CrowCAH Welcome to the Litsy family!!! 📚 5y
rretzler Welcome to Litsy! 📖 5y
AGO715 @CrowCAH Thank You 5y
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AGO715 @rretzler Thank You! 5y
SW-T Welcome to Litsy 😊 5y
AGO715 @SW-T Thank You! 5y
Chrissyreadit I love that movie! 5y
Chrissyreadit Welcome to Litsy! 5y
AGO715 @Chrissyreadit It‘s one of my favorite movies! Thank You! 5y
vamp Hello😉 5y
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TheBookHippie
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Pickpick

Teaching Anne Frank in a new way at the Alternative school today . ❤️📖

NaomiO Amazing!! ❤ 5y
Jee_HookedOnBookz I love what you do and I salute you! 5y
71 likes2 comments
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Librarylady
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Tomorrow begins a new school year for me - my 21st in education. Excited to hear Manny Scott, one of the original Freedom Writers, speak at our opening ceremony. Starting this book tonight. How much can I get done by tomorrow morning?

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britt_brooke
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Thanks a bunch, Danielle! 💚 I‘ve never been to California, but hope to get out there with my husband for a kid-free trip in the next couple of years. 🤞🏻

I appreciate everything you chose for me. 🤗 I really love the inclusion of a California book list. Nice touch!

@readinginthedark & @MicrobeMom - Thanks for organizing this fun swap! 🌹 #HS #hometownswap

rather_be_reading yay!!! Im glad you loved everything! I hope you do get to come to Cali at least once. 🌞 6y
MicrobeMom Wow! Excellent package! Enjoy! 6y
126 likes3 comments
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FantasyChick
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Ok @BookishTrish @tournevis @dixi_e I'm trying to be a little more...diverse I suppose...with my pick this time around but I need your help! I grabbed these books off my shelf and I'm ok with the book being a surprise but if there is anything pictured that you have read, might want to read or absolutely DO NOT want to read, please let me know so I can pick one to send 👍
#lmpbc

tournevis I've not read any of those. 6y
dixi_e Please not Heaven is for Real. I‘ve read it but it‘s also not something I enjoy (all religion no literature). 6y
dixi_e Never read Pyper despite always meaning to and I like Hosseini. (edited) 6y
BookishTrish I like the look of The Dante Club, and The Demonologist. I read the Hosseini when it first came out and have been meaning to reread it. 6y
37 likes4 comments
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Jennick2004
Pickpick

So good! Sad, inspiring, such an amazing message!

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Jennick2004
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So sad 😞

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Jennick2004
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Next up! I love books in this format so it should be a quick read for me!
#bookjar

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Joanne1
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May was a very poor reading month for me, thanks to a family holiday to Samoa and a general reading slump. I managed three books, the one tagged, plus The Dry and My Grandmother Sends her Regards and Apologies. All were good, none were amazing. I bailed on several as well. Hope June is better. The bookish photo is of Robert Louis Stevenson's Samoan house.

Cinfhen Nice photo...I've been wanting & waiting forever to read 7y
rockpools Samoa sounds amazing! Slow months are even more frustrating when the books are just OK, aren't they? 7y
Joanne1 @Cinfhen it's good but I thought overhyped. Having said that Harper really knows how create a landscape - it's like another character. 7y
Joanne1 @RachelO Samoa was completely amazing. But yes frustrating reading month, feels like a while since I read a really good book. 7y
Reviewsbylola A Samoan vacation soubds amazing! 7y
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readinginthedark
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Bailedbailed

I feel like a horrible person bailing on this book. I really want to hear about these kids--the intention of this collection of diaries is amazing. But it feels "fixed" (I think because the kids peer edited the diaries later, and editing for class isn't exactly the same as editing a nonfiction book). I have limited time with this copy since it's for a postal book club, but I plan to come back to it some day.

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Joanne1
Pickpick

Two years ago when I was working on my thesis in education my supervisor mentioned the freedom writers to me after a conversation we had about a writing project my students were doing. I watched the film, loved it and immediately downloaded the book and promptly forgot about. I finally started it on a recent flight, it's incredible. There's something about reading the words of young people as they've written them that makes it so powerful. This is

Joanne1 how education should look. Tolerance, empathy and compassion should be at the centre point of the curriculum. Their legacy and that if their teacher is awe-inspiring. If I could teach based on these principles instead of test results I might be encouraged back into the classroom. 7y
readinginthedark I was thinking about bailing on this one. 😕But you've convinced me to keep trying! 7y
Joanne1 @readinginthedark I think a lot of people have issues with the diary entries being over edited or not written in the language that the students would have spoken in and so their 'voice' was missing and they all sounded similar. I didn't find this. 7y
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readinginthedark @Joanne1 That's the issue I've been having. 😕 I'm interested in their stories, but I'm getting the impression that they didn't just edit grammar but also content. Which is a great thing for an English class but not so much for this book, I don't think. I'm going to keep trying for at least 20-50 more pages and see what happens. 7y
Joanne1 @readinginthedark I think you'll find that continues. They do go into the editing process a bit (editing each other's entries) in some of the later entries. Given I taught high school English for a decade, until recently, my heart was warmed by the fact that they actually edited and reworked their writing. I could never get my students to do that well. I also loved the focus on tolerance that drove the curriculum. 7y
readinginthedark @Joanne1 Oh definitely, I see what you mean. And their stories are really fascinating! Maybe it's just my current mood--not as motivated by intention. 7y
Joanne1 @readinginthedark yes that's exactly it, I loved the intention. 7y
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readinginthedark
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I didn't get any reading done today, since we were looking at more houses (and found the one for us, I hope!). But tonight I might break out the next book for my #beforetheyweremovies postal book club! I saw the movie a long time ago. Have any of you read this? #bookmail

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SonyaBeatty
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I watched the movie years before reading this book. I really enjoyed them both.

#aprilbookshowers Day 21: #subtitles

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Alma
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I watched the movie long time ago and couldn't get this amazing teacher out of my mind: Erin Gruwell. Devoted to the point of sacrifice, she helped her students and made them believe in their dreams and future. #octphotochallenge #girlcrush

Readingrobin The film made the book popular when it was out. 7y
Alma @Readingrobin That's true, in a way the movie can serve well the book. But the book is always better 😊 7y
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GoneFishing

It would be easy to become a victim of our circumstances and continue feeling sad, scared or angry; or instead, we could choose to deal with injustice humanely and break the chains of negative thoughts and energies, and not let ourselves sink into it.

mjdowens Thank you. This is a quote that could not come at a better time for me right now. 8y
GoneFishing Glad I could help. 8y
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SoniaC
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My #wcw is Erin Gruwell who as a young teacher defied convention and dared to show a group of at risk kids they are worth caring about and gave them the power of writing.

BookishFeminist Never heard of this book or her before but will be checking it out now!! Thanks for the great rec 😊 8y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa This one is siting on my bookshelf waiting to be read! 8y
SoniaC @BookishFeminist @Riveted_Reader_Melissa it is such an inspirational story. I loved it. It is directly from the kids journals and very powerful. 8y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @SoniaC That's excellent to know. I always like to hear that my random pick ups at the library book sale were good ones! 8y
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MandaRie
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Pickpick

A great book, but some of it seemed hard to believe. Some of it was just unbelievable (fluffed) while other stories were just too shocking. Worth the read. Ms. G seemed to give herself a savior complex as the book went on. I think I'll check out the movie now.
4/5
🌟🌟🌟🌟

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MandaRie
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Every heard of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Yeah, we do that ... But with books.

Coleen I love this! 8y
7 likes1 comment
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MandaRie
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Here's to a strong introduction.

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DKHandley
Mehso-so

Currently reading this before starting work in the English department at a school next week. Not sure about it. The voices seem to have been too heavily edited and the timeline isn't clear.