MARIST BROTHERS

NOTRE DAME OF DADIANGAS UNIVERSITY

Marist Avenue
General Santos City 9500
Name: Carl Danielle C. Demecillo Section: HUMSS 1220

Erin Gruswell, also known as Mrs. G decided to teach instead of be a lawyer in

the reasons of, she loves helping people as well as she loves kids. There is also a
reason why she proceeded in teaching; she wants to help her husband, Scott, to finish
his study and proceed as well to be a lawyer.

As a matter of fact, I list down 3 obstacles that Ms. G faces in the beginning. First
is her own inexperience of being a teacher, second- the students, and lastly, the staff in
her school. Her own inexperience of being a teacher was her very most first obstacle
she encountered. She is not prepared on teaching after knowing that there were no
books, no guidelines on teaching and no assignments to be given to her for her to pass
to her students. Moreover, she was assigned in a class of students where the education
system of the school where giving up on that even the most experienced teacher in the
school would have a hard time in handling them. Second, her students as well was
counted as her obstacle, that any time, she wants to give up due to the characteristics
that these students showing off yet, since she loves kids, she continue on teaching. The
attitude of these students were adopted from their previous teacher’s education system
and with that, the students were mistrustful to Ms. G, yet, she’s claiming to herself over
and over again that she will be the bridge of change for these students. Lastly, the staff
of her school, it seems like they were claiming that they know better than Ms. G which is
a fact but Ms. G’s approach to students was unique. The staff also seemed to be
unequal to their students which leads to racism.

Students in room 203 relate to one another at first, in the sense that they all
immune to the system of the school, the way they communicate to each other and how
they treat each other as well as their teachers but it all change in a sudden after MS. G
entered the school.
 Actually, there were many ways Ms. G tried just to engage to students or make
the students interested in studying such as; playing games where Ms. G will ask a
question and step on the line if they had to, then next was the book- reading of the book
of Miep Gies, and lastly is writing their own life story on a journal Ms. G gave to them. In
those ways, Ms. G found a way to be in touched to her students and captivate them in
entering the school.

The reason why do students don’t respect Ms. G is that, Ms. G is a new teacher
in the school and they think that she is just like their previous teachers and just going to
leave them when the teacher can’t handle them anymore.

Ms. G promised to her students that she will make a change for them, that
everyone in the room 203 must proceed to junior high school, senior high school and
college. That confrontation of Ms. G change the aspect of the students in terms of
communicating to Ms. G and also on their willingness to finished studying.

Ms.G’s husband attitude towards her teaching career is a bit envious and hostile.
Scott is jealous that Ms. G is more focused to her students than to him where in fact, it
was totally equal, yet, they end to the point of separating due to misunderstanding.

The reason behind other teachers not supporting Ms. G was because she
brought a new method of teaching to all the students she taught. In the film, other
teachers are against the activities she wants to bring in such as taking them on a day
trip and also reading ‘diary of Anne Frank’ because they felt it wasn't part of the school
curriculum and weren't prepared for a change.

Sometimes change is good. Ms. G turned her English class around and when
she gave up teaching, founded the freedom writers’ foundation and she travels around
the world giving talks about her experience.

Ms. G attempt to reach her students again in a way that giving a journal for them
to write their life story or anything they want to share and with that, she leaves a
message that at the end of the day, good will always prevail.
 The students see themselves in the scheme of society was, these particular
students feels like they are constantly at war. They believe that they are at war with
themselves, each other, and the rest of the world. At the beginning they do awful
activities because they feel worthless, disrespected and second class citizens. But it all
change after receiving effective approach from Ms. Gruwell; giving book to be read and
journal for them to write their own experiences- Ms. Gruwell pushed them to do good
and there is still a room for change that’s why, their attitude started changing. After all,
the students began to understand that just because you came from a particular place or
situation, doesn’t mean that you need to stay there. Each of them began to see that
race, ethnicity, and social status is not a qualification in order for them to become
friends.

Lastly, the activity that started to write the students entitled “The Freedom Writers
Diary”; where all of them will type to the computer their hand written experiences from
the journal since Ms. G found a sponsor of computers for them to used and with that,
they want that all of their written experiences will be put in a paper, even though not be
published as long as it will be bound as a book diary consisting of their different life
stories because for them, the important thing is maybe it will not be published but there
will be an evidence of their existence.

I think in many walks of life, we should all adapt to change and anticipate it. Miss
G did this changes to her students and inspires a lot of people and as a result, the most
inspirational movie of all time was written, filmed and used to encourage many others
around the world.
 MARIST BROTHERS
NOTRE DAME OF DADIANGAS UNIVERSITY
Marist Avenue
General Santos City 9500
Name: Joel Abdulracman Section: HUMSS 1220

Ms. G decided to be a teacher because court is too late and the real fight stars in
the classroom. Obstacles Ms. G faces in the beginning are making the students
cooperate, listen to her and specially making the students like each other aslo the
students believes that she will just leave like the other teachers. The students
understand each other when they told something about their life. They told that they are
battling for respect and honor, not just that but also they are battling for their lives and
territory. Ms. G tried to engage to them by playing tupac shakur's (2pac) music.

The students do not respect Ms. G at first because she is just a new teacher and
also she really don't understand their life outside school because she just teach inside
the classroom. Also they said that they hate whites because whites are the superior and
whites don't respect other race. They said that she can't relate about their life and the
lessons that Ms. G cannot help them to fight for their life. Mrs. G experienced so much
opposition because she is living in a good life, also she is just a new teacher but he
really touches her students heart. While the other teachers can't change students
because they don't put love in their job.

Ms. G attempt to reach the students by using a book that they can relate to her
students. The students see themselves being under so that's why they are like that, they
are on the streets to fight for their dignity and respect of the individual also they are
called the people you can't trust. The activity that unites the students is when Ms. G let
her student play the line game.
 MARIST BROTHERS
NOTRE DAME OF DADIANGAS UNIVERSITY
Marist Avenue
General Santos City 9500
Name: Justine John D. Jerao Section: HUMSS 1220

The leading character in the movie which is Ms. Erin Gruswell also known as Ms.
G decided to teach instead of be a lawyer with some reasons, herself really wants to
help other people at all times as what she did by helping those kids, helping them to
grow up and to face circumstances with faith. Also she want to help, Scott, her husband,
to finish his study and to proceed also to be a lawyer.

In the beginning, we can’t deny the fact that there many circumstances Ms. G
need to face, one obstacles was her teaching because in their institution they provide
no books, no guidelines on teaching and no assignments to be given to her for her to
pass to her students. As well as her students, not that typical students that we
encounter in the school every day, these students has a kind of attitude that even the
most experienced teacher in the institution would have a hard time to manage these
kids, there at some point that Ms. G nearly give up with these kids but because she
loves kids, she did not easily turn back down but instead she keep going just to help
these kids.

Students in room 203 relate to one another because a ll the problems they had
shared, they told and how they go through rough times sort of ha ve a similarity to each of
them, also their adviser Ms. G when she entered the school and teach them.

In point of fact, there are many ways on how Ms. G engaged to the students, first,
playing games where students will go to the line if they had experienced of what Ms. G told. At
that juncture, following was the book- reading of the book of Miep Gies, last but not least is
writing their individual life story on a journal Ms. G gave to them. In those ways, Ms. G initiate a
way to be in touched to her students and attract them in entering the school.
 Students in room 203 did not respect Ms. G at first because she is new to the school and
the judge her based on what they saw outside of Ms. G, they assumed that she will just leave
them if she cannot handle them anymore. Correspondingly, they said that they hate whites
because whites are the superior and whites don't respect other race. They said that she can't
relate about their life and the lessons that Ms. G cannot help them to fight for their life. Ms. G
assured to her learners that she will make a change for them, that everyone inside of
that classroom must progress to junior high school, senior high school and college. That
confrontation of Ms. G change the aspect of the students in terms of interactive to Ms. G
and also on their enthusiasm to finished studying.

Scott, the husband of Ms. G, his attitude towards to his wife’s teaching career is
relentless. He is jealous because his wife has more focused to here students than him
and they end up to the point of separating.

Simply, Ms. G has her own ways of teaching that makes her to be known in the
school. The other teachers are against to her activities like the trip and also the “Anne
Frank’’ event.

Ms. G tries to understand the students as part of the process to help them
improve as a person and Ms. G uses books that can relate to the students in that way it
help her to reach the students.

The students of room 203 see themselves in the scheme of the society was they
always on battles, battles in life, they degrade themselves because they are just like
that but they did not think of what really inside of them, what they can do and not just
walking around the street and beat some other guys. I know that can do more than that,
will help them and the society.

The activity that makes the students of room 203 of Ms. G unites is the line game
which Ms. G letting the students to go to the line if they experienced each situation of
what Ms. G questioned to them. Just because of that game, each of them realizes that
even though they have different struggles in life, different stories but they have the
same interests and that makes them united as one.