Freedom Writers Diary - Our Perfect School

 Freedom Writers Diary 

The students in Ms. Gruwell’s freshman class are almost all African American, Latino, or Asian, and at first, they are suspicious of their white, suit-wearing teacher. They bet she will quit within the first week or month, but she quickly wins them over with unique teaching methods and reading material the students find relatable. The fall of their freshman year, they read Durango Street, a book about an African American teenager living in the projects after being released from a juvenile work camp for stealing cars, and then they make a movie about it. In the spring, when they read Romeo and Juliet and, Ms. Gruwell compares the Capulets to a local Latino gang and the Montagues to a rival Asian gang and gains the respect of more students. Still, the students deal with many difficulties that distract them from school, including race-based gang violence, domestic violence, illness, drug and alcohol addiction, and homelessness. (Supersummary.com)

Now when you have read a few chapters of the book and have realized what kind of school Wilson High School is and what kind of teacher Erin Gruwell is.

Today you will create your perfect (fantasy) school!

Our Perfect School 

Create your idea of the perfect school.  You will share your ideas with the rest of the class, so do your best, most thoughtful work. You don't have to present in front of the class! Don't worry!

You will need to write down your ideas and create Google Slides to present your school. Owning a school generates money - the more students that choose your school the more money you make!

Make students choose YOUR school! 

When you are done with your presentation you hand it in to me, and your group presents your idea to me. At the end of the lesson, I will present your schools and you will vote for the best school! 

The questions below are just to help you - no need to answer them all! 

Create at least 4 slides and use both pictures and text. 

Here you can find templates for slides: Slidesmania 

1.)  What would the name of your school be?

2.) What courses would you keep?  What courses would you eliminate?

3.) What new courses would you offer?  Describe them thoroughly.

4.) What kinds of teachers would you hire? Would you give teachers tenure at the

end of three years, as is the policy today?
5.) How long would the school year be and what hours would it start and end?

6.) Would the school have bells to indicate the end of a period or would there be

something else?
7.) What sports would your school have?  Are there any sports you would add that

the school does not already have?  Would you eliminate any sports?

8.) Would you eliminate or make any changes to the physical ed program?

9.) Describe the physical layout of your new school. 
    a.) What would the building be like? What would its layout be like?
    b.) What would each classroom be like?  Would the desks, for instance, be in rows

as in most classes in the school today?  Would there even be desks?  What might be

introduced into your new school that would make it more comfortable and inviting?

    c.) What might you do to improve the climate in the school?
10.)  Add anything else you can think of that would make your school a perfect place for learning