Product Description
In this memoir and call to arms, Erin Gruwell, the dynamic young teacher who nurtured a remarkable group of high school students from Long Beach, California, who called themselves the Freedom Writers, picks up where The Freedom Writers Diary (and the movie The Freedom Writers) end and catches the reader up to where they are today. Teach with Your Heart will include the Freedom Writers’ unforgettable trip to Auschwitz, where they met with Holocaust survivors; toure… More >>
Teach with Your Heart: Lessons I Learned from the Freedom Writers
Tags: auschwitz, Freedom, freedom writers, freedom writers diary, From, heart, high school students, holocaust, holocaust survivors, Learned, Lessons, long beach california, Memoir, remarkable group, teach, Writers
#1 by mark twain on January 27, 2010 - 3:41 am
the movie is a total bomb in every way, starring high school dropout hilary swank as a teacher trying to convince kids not to…drop out. the real story is a rehash of stand by me, the substitute, etc. i’m sure you could find 2 dozen previous examples of ‘teacher who believes in at-risk youths’ or ‘teacher who cares when no one else did’. and they’d all be better than this nonsense. in addition, the kids (from all backgrounds) are all so cliched it’s ridiculous. pass on this book.
Rating: 1 / 5
#2 by James A. Ellis on January 27, 2010 - 5:28 am
I’m a journalist who often covers education issues, and I wanted to read this much-touted memoir.
My first impression was how how poorly the book is written. Erin Gruwell is heralded as an English teacher among English teachers. Yet, her writing seemed to be somewhere around a ninth-grade level. And this is after an editor at her publisher has poured over it and prettied it up. Who knows what the original draft looked like.
Then her tale seemed so self serving. She connected with her students, but I didn’t see any connection that was so terribly unique.
Gruwell’s story kept reminding me of a teacher I know who sends out press releases and attempts to get the media involved in her class at every turn. The teacher I know has had plenty of press, but it’s because she has the editors’ e-mail addresses at the ready. Not all teachers are media hounds. I couldn’t help but think of her as I read Gruwell’s book.
This overall story is just so cliche that I need to see something extraordinary to seperate it from the slew of others out there.
I hate to seem so negative, but anything less just wouldn’t be truthful.
The poor writing, self-serving tone and cliche’d plot leave everything to be desired. Pass on this one, folks.
Rating: 1 / 5
#3 by Elizabeth Thole on January 27, 2010 - 7:26 am
I am a teacher, and was encouraged to read this by a non-teacher friend. Granted, I am already prejudiced against “teacher memoirs” – but this one is another in the already full genre of cliched, stereotypical, “young pretty white girl saves poor minority kids” books.
Like Erin, I too came from a fairly privledged background and have spent the past 21 years with urban high school students. I can certainly sympathize with her struggles. My problem with the book, however, is not the subject matter, but the self serving quality of the writing. The author says she wants to write about “lessons learned from the Freedom Writers,” but what I saw more of was a focus on the teacher herself. For example – Gruwell often refers to how other teachers felt threatened by her (and her tailored clothes and string of pearls, no less!). Give me a break! Also, she makes it very clear how often she dug deep into her own pocketbook for the students. Does this make her heroic? If so, then I know hundreds of other teachers who should earn that title. Unlike Erin Gruwell, though, these other teachers I know did not leave the classroom after only a few years. The real heroes are the ones still in there, doing the job day by day – with absolutely no time to write memoirs!
If you’re not a teacher, you might find the book entertaining, but realize as you read it that Ms. Gruwell’s situation is not unique (despite her attempts to make it seem so). If you want to see some real heroes, visit your neighborhood public school.
Rating: 2 / 5
#4 by Rex on January 27, 2010 - 10:02 am
Thank you Erin! You are an absolute inspiration to all future teachers!! I didn’t care what kind of writing this book was in. I was just taken back at what this lady went through. Amazing journey! Must, must, read!!
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by D. Thompson on January 27, 2010 - 11:05 am
A must read for educators. Soft-hearts you will cry. A book you will not be able to put down!
Rating: 5 / 5