Summary of the Freedom Writers

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The main events took place between 1993 to 1996.The main character Erin Gruwell,a new school teacher moved away from her safe town to teach at a school in Long Beach.She was brought to shock when she entered her class as the students were very rebellious and they wouldn't cooperate with her teaching.She not only had trouble handling her class but had to put up with her department head who is no way wanted to help her. One night,two of her students,Eva and Sindy so happened to be in the same store.Another student Grant Rice was there angry and frustrated over losing an arcade game and demanded a refund from the sotre owner. Paco, Eva's boyfriend was there watching and he took out a gun intending to kill Grant Rice but misses and kills Sindy's boyfriend instead. Back in school,Gruwell finds her students being racist through a drawing being used to make fun of another race.She uses this drawing to teach them about the Holocaust. She slowly gets to know them better and earns their trust. She had them write anything they wanted to in a journal everyday and to her surprise everyone in her class did it. Gruwell even went on to take on two jobs to help pay for books and trips she is providing for her class. Over time her students start to respect her and be more obedient. She then took another step by inviting them to a dinner where actual Holocaust survivors spoke to them.Later on she also took them to the Musuem of Tolerance. Her teaching methods are very different as compared to her other colleagues and she was mocked because of that. Erin Gruwell continued teaching them the next year.She had them do a "Toast for Change" so that everyone could open up a little about themselves. She then gave them Anne Frank's book to read which led them to think more. They managed to invite Miep Gies, the woman who sheltered Anne Frank to speak at their school.Through reading the

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