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mollyalderson's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS
This book is such an important read, especially I think as a white person. It has given me an insight into the experiences other people face, namely just because of the colour of their skin or the way they look.
It's not five stars as it plays on the white saviour trope, but that wasn't my main take away of this book.
A lot of lower star reviews complained that the entries all sounded the same, however, my edition explained that the students shared their work and collectively edited the book together, which I think explains this.
This book is such an important read, especially I think as a white person. It has given me an insight into the experiences other people face, namely just because of the colour of their skin or the way they look.
It's not five stars as it plays on the white saviour trope, but that wasn't my main take away of this book.
A lot of lower star reviews complained that the entries all sounded the same, however, my edition explained that the students shared their work and collectively edited the book together, which I think explains this.
luann's review
3.0
Towards the end of the book, one of the Freedom Writers looks back on their experiences in high school and says that they experienced a "wide range of triumphs and tragedies." That is a very true statement - especially the tragedy part! It seems like the Freedom Writers have had every problem you could think of and they aren't afraid to honestly share their experiences and feelings with the world. This isn't a book you want to read all at once. The amount of tragedy, heartbreak, and absolutely horrific things that happen to these kids can be a bit overwhelming. I started to wonder if any of them ever had anything happy or positive happen to them - besides having Erin Gruwell as a teacher, of course. Towards the end, the book did start to get a bit more positive, as the changes they made affected their lives and started to get noticed by family, friends, and even the public. The part I really loved was that they become voracious readers and read a wide variety of literature such as Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Zlata's Diary, Romeo and Juliet, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Color Purple.
Note: There is some strong language and shocking situations described in some of the student's stories.
Note: There is some strong language and shocking situations described in some of the student's stories.
ceruleanjen's review
5.0
I loved the movie but the book was even better. Actual entries written by the teens themselves. It will bring tears to your eyes and smiles to your lips as you read about how these "rejected" students strive past their violent and poor backgrounds into a group of individuals who want to change their world. Mrs. Gruwell inspired her students through the use of the Holocaust, particularly Anne Frank and then Zlata, who is known as the modern Anne Frank. Read how this teacher armed these lost students with paper and pens instead of guns and violence and made a difference for the whole world to see.
lauraramsborg's review
4.0
This was a truly inspirational story. Each student's journal entry allowed you to see a glimpse of their inner struggles and the hardships they endure. It reminds us not to judge people by stereotypes or our perception of them, and that all it takes is one caring, determined, and tenacious spirit to make a difference.
debz57a52's review
3.0
My high school students really like book, so I finally got to reading it. It definitely draws you in and, as a teacher, I was amazed by so much: the crap going on in the kids' lives, the dedication Gruwell showed, and the way the community pulled behind her when her school wouldn't. I found some letters I'd like to pull out and read with students, using them as a model for writing.
readlikefire's review
5.0
The stories in here are simply heartbreaking. It's truly amazing to see the differences made throughout this book.
jodiesackettbrown's review
2.0
I picked this up to finish it after I had originally started reading it a few years ago. (I never like to leave a book unfinished!)
Overall, this book really left me feeling frustrated, in part because of the numerous grammatical errors and typos that were left on purpose, to lend a sense of "authenticity" to the voices of the teens who wrote the diaries. Additionally, this book frustrated me because of the disjointedness of the stories. I respect the desire to maintain some anonymity for these teens due to the highly sensitive nature of some of their experiences, however, the point of the diaries is to bring "real life" stories to the surface and anonymity obscures the "real life" nature of this.
I think another aspect of this book that frustrated me is that I, too, teach and work with at-risk high school students who share similar stories with these kids. Nearly 15 years after the Freedom Writers, nothing much has changed in school systems to account for the diversity of life experiences, learning styles, and student interests that speak to kids who aren't cookie cutter students. Sure, there has been a lot of talk about "connecting with kids" in meaningful ways to enable them to have access to a strong, rigorous curriculum with someone to help facilitate their learning and finding connections to their lives. However, the reality I learn from my students each quarter when they arrive in my classroom is that they have found disinterested teachers who hold themselves too aloof to make meaningful connections with them. In reading this book, my own students' faces kept popping into my field of vision and my memories of their life stories and my connections with kids came to the forefront.
Further, through both this book and my own personal experiences, what really smacked me in the face is not how much impact a good, committed teacher can have on a student, but how much impact really bad parents can have on their kids. There is an awful lot of talk about what teachers can do to help students, but let's start at home...
This book certainly has value as a cautionary commentary; however, much work still needs to be done to alleviate the situations the Freedom Writers experienced as there are thousands of kids still struggling in the same way more than 15 years later...
Overall, this book really left me feeling frustrated, in part because of the numerous grammatical errors and typos that were left on purpose, to lend a sense of "authenticity" to the voices of the teens who wrote the diaries. Additionally, this book frustrated me because of the disjointedness of the stories. I respect the desire to maintain some anonymity for these teens due to the highly sensitive nature of some of their experiences, however, the point of the diaries is to bring "real life" stories to the surface and anonymity obscures the "real life" nature of this.
I think another aspect of this book that frustrated me is that I, too, teach and work with at-risk high school students who share similar stories with these kids. Nearly 15 years after the Freedom Writers, nothing much has changed in school systems to account for the diversity of life experiences, learning styles, and student interests that speak to kids who aren't cookie cutter students. Sure, there has been a lot of talk about "connecting with kids" in meaningful ways to enable them to have access to a strong, rigorous curriculum with someone to help facilitate their learning and finding connections to their lives. However, the reality I learn from my students each quarter when they arrive in my classroom is that they have found disinterested teachers who hold themselves too aloof to make meaningful connections with them. In reading this book, my own students' faces kept popping into my field of vision and my memories of their life stories and my connections with kids came to the forefront.
Further, through both this book and my own personal experiences, what really smacked me in the face is not how much impact a good, committed teacher can have on a student, but how much impact really bad parents can have on their kids. There is an awful lot of talk about what teachers can do to help students, but let's start at home...
This book certainly has value as a cautionary commentary; however, much work still needs to be done to alleviate the situations the Freedom Writers experienced as there are thousands of kids still struggling in the same way more than 15 years later...
kaylareadsbooks's review
5.0
When I was in camp one summer they showed us The Freedom Writers movie, and It was one of my favorite movies I had seen. When I started teaching I wanted to read more books about different people’s experiences as a teacher and this was the first book I picked up.
This book was AMAZING. It made me cry. I wanted to hug everyone in this story.
These young men and women are fierce and strong, they have seen the worst of the worst and their teacher is one of the first people who believes in them. I was so nervous that this was going to be a “white teacher saves children book” but the author acknowledged right away her privilege and made it very clear that the only person who could save these teens were themselves. She believed in them in a way they hadn’t experienced before and she pushed them to be the best that they could be.
As an educator, I found this book to be so important. Your students will most likely not disclose to you what is going on at home for them. But we as educators need to be able to create a space where they can let out their emotions and understand that they are not alone.
The book takes place during the Rodney King riots in L.A., when the racial tensions were high and high schoolers had more important things on their minds than what was going on in the classroom.
The students in this book talk about heavy topics and I would like to put a trigger warning for abuse, rape, drugs, alcohol, abortion (this all I can remember right now but I know there is more and I will add it.) This isn’t an easy book to digest, I had to put it down because sometimes it was too much for me to read in one sitting. I’m lucky I could step away from these situations, the students in these books couldn’t walk away from their situations so easily.
This book taught me that pushing and never giving up on a student is one of the most important things I can do as an educator.
I recently watched the documentary with the actual freedom writers and getting to hear them talk about where they are now, and being able to see how they are paving the way for others like them was amazing.
Students in school will act out, and sometimes for students school is the only safe place. As educators, we need to understand that sometimes all our students need from us is love and not to judge them. The material we teach matters, but so does giving them a safe haven away from the craziness that might be going on at home.
This book is one of my favorite books on education and I highly recommend this to everyone!
This book was AMAZING. It made me cry. I wanted to hug everyone in this story.
These young men and women are fierce and strong, they have seen the worst of the worst and their teacher is one of the first people who believes in them. I was so nervous that this was going to be a “white teacher saves children book” but the author acknowledged right away her privilege and made it very clear that the only person who could save these teens were themselves. She believed in them in a way they hadn’t experienced before and she pushed them to be the best that they could be.
As an educator, I found this book to be so important. Your students will most likely not disclose to you what is going on at home for them. But we as educators need to be able to create a space where they can let out their emotions and understand that they are not alone.
The book takes place during the Rodney King riots in L.A., when the racial tensions were high and high schoolers had more important things on their minds than what was going on in the classroom.
The students in this book talk about heavy topics and I would like to put a trigger warning for abuse, rape, drugs, alcohol, abortion (this all I can remember right now but I know there is more and I will add it.) This isn’t an easy book to digest, I had to put it down because sometimes it was too much for me to read in one sitting. I’m lucky I could step away from these situations, the students in these books couldn’t walk away from their situations so easily.
This book taught me that pushing and never giving up on a student is one of the most important things I can do as an educator.
I recently watched the documentary with the actual freedom writers and getting to hear them talk about where they are now, and being able to see how they are paving the way for others like them was amazing.
Students in school will act out, and sometimes for students school is the only safe place. As educators, we need to understand that sometimes all our students need from us is love and not to judge them. The material we teach matters, but so does giving them a safe haven away from the craziness that might be going on at home.
This book is one of my favorite books on education and I highly recommend this to everyone!
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