#tdo-014

I never really understood the deeper context for why Freedom Writers is one of my favorite movies, but re-watching it tonight revealed some new insights. 

In the past, I was blind to the ideology that some educators ( and the system ) gauge student abilities on academic success ( grades ) and anything less than passing means students aren't trying hard enough and are subsequently less intelligent. And also that some educators ( and the system ) look down or assumedly give up on a certain demographic of students because of socio-economic, racial, or other stereotypical judgments that such students are incapable of understanding or being able to learn. 

The film highlights these biases with characters like the supervisor who cares about the school's academic success over the betterment of the school's students, or the privileged teacher who talks about the low-income // poverty-stricken students like they're deadweight and are a rite of passage to move up on the teacher ladder to get 'better' students. 

I've unfortunately encountered such educators in my own academic experience that not only made me feel inadequate with their teaching methods, but occasionally expressed that they didn't care about individual success or demonstrated that they clearly didn't prioritize the classroom first ( with their lack of preparedness // ability to look outside the educational system's box ). 

These educators, consciously or unconsciously reinforced that critically challenging the world around me was "wrong", and if I didn't write the essay a certain way ( 5 paragraphs about the one way to analyze the book ), or solve the problem in a very specific manner ( find x, without using equation A or B and only C ), that I was somehow less intelligent, according to the grading scale and the system. 

But luckily there's the rarer character foil of these educators, and that's why I appreciated the main character, Ms. Gruwell so much. She continually reevaluates why she's at the school teaching the low-income students and follows her beliefs despite the resistance from the system. Even with the initially ignorant disapproval of her father and the violent chaos of the school, she understands that getting through to these students is important and does all in her power to help. 

She shifts the context of the content so the academic material is meaningful and relatable to the lives of each student. Then she facilitates creative expression and academic confidence through the journals of their stories. And then she shows her genuine interest for each student's well-being over and over and over again, showing them that they are each individually special, able, and important with the ability to succeed.

I've been fortunate to have my share of Ms. Gruwells as well. 

The educators who inspired my creativity and nurtured my passions. The educators who asked me why and encouraged critical analysis. The educators who understood my nature and adapted to support my learning. And the educators who ultimately believed in my well-being and success as an individual. 

These are the true educators. The ones who made a real difference in my life. 

Without them, who knows who I'd be or where I'd be going. If I'd have followed my dreams to be a game designer. If I'd have gone to UCSC. Or If I'd have the ability to critically analyze the world and have a lens to better create positive social change. 

I honestly don't know. But I feel life would be much different. Different in a way that was lesser. Lesser with less potential to make a positive difference.

So I thank each and every one of you for believing in my abilities. Each of you have created real change in this world by positively influencing the confidence, growth, and success of the life I am living.