Past Teens Influence Contemporary Youths’ Future
What do Zlata Filipovic, Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel have in common?
Apart from having their diaries published for the world to read, these three people were teens when they penned those diaries.
One first-year teacher found these diaries a compelling motive and tool to get through to her classroom full of “at risk” teens. In this news story Erin Gruwell used the published diaries to reach her students.
Sharing their own stories the teens were able to see they stood on common ground to these from another generation. The class of once apathetic and disinterested students formed the “Freedom Writers” and wrote a book filled with their personal tales.
Sales from “The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them” funded their ability to dream of college after graduation.
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POSTED IN: Journal Styles and Techniques
4 opinions for Past Teens Influence Contemporary Youths’ Future
A Creative Journal » Freedom Writers Now a Movie
Jan 5, 2007 at 7:17 am
[…] I mentioned a news story sometime last year about students who used journal writing in the classroom in a powerful way. I had no idea their tale was being made into a film. […]
A Creative Journal » More on Freedom Writers
Jan 12, 2007 at 6:19 am
[…] The Freedom Writers have made interesting fodder for this blog here and here, but apparently their book has been ‘banned” from one school for its controversial adult content. […]
Freedom Writers Foundation
Sep 4, 2007 at 8:52 am
[…] lost count of how many times I’ve mentioned the Freedom Writers in this blog. Since November 2005 I’ve been following their story, about the book, Freedom Writers; the movie; and their […]
Freedom Writers the Movie
Dec 15, 2007 at 8:20 am
[…] night I finally got a chance to watch Freedom Writers. I’ve been blogging about these students and Erin Gruwell since November 2005. I’ve also wanted to see the film since October last […]
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