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Miep Gies

Instead of doing a book report on the diary of Anne frank for the assignment the students are asked to write a letter to Miep Gies, the woman who helped sheltered the franks. She is alive and lives in Europe. They were instructed to write to her about how they felt about the book, their own experiences anything they liked. When the learners heard she is still alive, they wanted her to come to visit them, and they even raise money to have her come. Miss Gruwell helps the learners by raising money through dance concerts and fundraisers.

When she visited the school the learners were able to interact and learn from her and even thank her for how she helped the Frank family. She had the opportunity to tell them about her history and what happened when Anne was taken. She had told them she read all their letters and that they were the real heroes and not herself.

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Line game

The teacher uses tape and makes a line in the middle of the classroom. When the teacher asks a questions and if the question applies to them they step forward on the line and when the next question is called they step back.

The following are the question that Miss Gruwell asked the students:

1. How many of you have the new snoop dog album?

2. How many of you have seen boys in the hood?

3. How many of you live in the projects?

4.  How many of you know someone a friend or relative who was or is in juvenile hall or jail?

5. How many of you have been in juvenile hall or jail for any length of time?

6.  How many of you know where to get drugs right now?

7.  How many of you know someone in a gang

8.  How many of you are gang members

9.  Stand in the line if you lost a friend to gang violence

10. Stand on the line if you lost more than one friend.

11. Stand on the line if you lost more than three.

12. Stand on the line if you lost more than four or more.

13. She asks them to pay respect and speak their name.

She does this activity with the learners to help them see that although they might seem different because of their race, families and situations that there are others who are also going through the same or even worse situations than them. By doing this she creates a curiosity within the learners to understand and accept those around them, that being the biggest problem in the classroom. By giving them this opportunity they can now see and even more relate to those around them.She want them to see for themselves what the learners they share a room with go trough.

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Freedom Writing

This activity was to help them understand that each person has their own story and has to tell their own story. She gives them each a notebook to write their own stories about themselves, what they are feeling or anything they feel like writing. She tells the students they will not be marked and that she will not read them if they are not comfortable with her reading them. But she mentions she has a place for them that is sealed if they would like her to read it. By gaining trust from the learners and reading the notebooks that include them telling their stories, she is able to design her lesson specifically for her kids and to help them learn in the best way.

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New port beach field trip

Miss Gruwell knew the best way for the learners to learn was by being able to relate to what they are going through at home.
That is why when reading the book about Anne Frank she took the learners to the Museum of tolerance to be able to experience and see what they had to go through.

At the beginning of the tour, each of the students got a picture of a child, who they were and the camp they were sent to. At the end of the tour, you can find out if they survived. The learners were able to relate to these children by seeing the pictures of the JEWS with big noses like the picture Miss talked about during their first real class. When someone drew a picture of a black student with large lips.

They also had a dinner at the hotel where she work and invited real holocaust survivors from the museum to meet the learners so they could be able to interact with these survivors and gain more knowledge

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Toast for change

At the beginning of the new semester, she told the learners they should each take a border bag. The bags contain the 4 books they will read the semester and she mentions that the books remind her of each of her students in some way. But before they need to take a sparkling cider and make a toast. A toast for change. From that moment every voice that told them that they can’t is silenced, and every reason that tells them things will never change disappears. And the person they were before that moment that person's turn is over now it is their turn. The students one by one came up and made a toast for change and told the class what they were going to change and their excitement to be in her class again and with the other students, showing the impact and progress she has made with the learners already.

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Class in another room (First meeting)

O Captain! My Captain ! – Walt Whitman

Mr Keating involves all the learners in the classroom by asking them to read the poem. He motivates his learners to participates and rather than having them be demolished or punished for having a wrong answer, he helps them and guides them to the correct answer. He wants the learners to not only learn the work but focuses on their growth as people in their society. For example when looking at the poem he wants them to see the faces of the generation of students that went before them to realise life happens and that they should seize the day just like they learned in poem about carpe diem. They should seize the day and make their lives extraordinary.

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Textbook introductions (Understanding Poetry)

Mr Keating does not agree with the writer (J.Evans Pritchard) of the textbook about the idea of poetry and how poems should be rated. After drawing the graph described in the introduction he tells the boys he does not feel the same about the author's way of thinking about poetry. He tells them to rip the page out, he then tells them to take out the whole introduction and the history of the book. He tells them it is not the Bible, they will not go to hell for this.

Mr Keatin tells the boys that in his classroom they will think for themselves, he does not want any academic scholar telling them what poetry should be or mean. They will learn to savour words and language. He also encourages them by saying "no matter what anyone tells you words and ideas can change the world".

Mr Keating once again tells them that life is about how they as a person see it and not how others interpret it. He does this by telling them they don’t read poetry because it is cute but because we are members of the human race and we have passion. And that although other jobs are necessary and noble poetry and romance are what we live for. We contribute to the world through our lives by adding verses to a poem.

He wants them to be free thinkers, not artists. He has this conversation with another teacher at dinner, this is also the teacher who walked in on him giving class.

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William Shakespeare

Mr Keating makes class funny and interesting, using different accents to make the class interesting and relatable to the kids. Rather than boring old Shakespeare, he makes the lesson relatable to what the learners like and enjoy to make it more interesting to learn.

He stands upon the desk to remind himself that people must constantly look at things in a different way from how everyone else talks and imagines Shakespeare. "The world looks different from up there," he says to the boys and he invites the boys to join him and says "when you think you know something, you have to look at it in another way. Even though it might seem silly or wrong, you must try". He says when reading you must consider what you think and not what the author thinks. He says they must strive to find their own voice. He wants them to break out and not waste time.

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Poem in the classroom

When Knox comments that the poem about Chris being stupid, Mr. Keating replies that it was a good effort and doesn’t discourage him. When another learner gives a simple poem, he also doesn’t make fun of it but tells the students poems can be simple like about cats or anything it just should not be ordinary.

When Todd does not want to say his poem in front of the class. Mr. Keating uses methods like yelping to boost his confidence and wants him to find inspiration by looking at pictures and saying the first things that come to mind. Then he wants him to close his eyes and describe what he sees. He starts speaking and describing his true feelings from the image of the man he must talk about.

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The most prominent element of Mr Keating's classes was the fact that every lesson is centred around the learners and their contribution to the content that is being learned. In the classroom, Mr Keating used his surroundings like the sports field or the courtyard as the classroom for learners to learn.

Class in the Courtyard
Having class outside in the courtyard he tells the boys to take a stroll on the concrete blocks. While they walk they sing," I don’t know what I have been told".They walk the same and Mr Keating impersonates a marshal saying "left, left, right, and left" and has them come to a holt.

Mr Keatinge talks about them all having a different pace in the beginning when walking, talking about conformity and having faith in others. He wants them to remember their beliefs are their own and unique even though others might think they are odd or unpopular. He wants them to find their own walk and has them illustrate in the class in the courtyard. He wants them to swim against the stream.

Mr Keating’s idea of education is to learn for yourself. He wants each learner to contribute to their education by learning for themselves not just following orders.

Soccer outside
He feels that sport pushes kids to reach their potential and make them better. He lets them stand in a row on the field and each of them has a piece of paper with poetry verses on it. They must read it out loud and then kick the ball. He plays music while doing this to help them speak up and really feel the verses. He does this to help the students find their own voice amongst the loud noise and conformity they face every day.

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This approach believes that a learner is an important resource in the classroom because the learners also know information and they are capable of sharing information or something with others in the classroom.

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This method focuses on guiding students learning through research, curiosity and questions. Through inquiry in the lesson, learners are actively discovering information to support their investigations (Heick, 2021).

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When describing Miss Gruwell's teaching one can only use the word determination.In everything she did in the classroom,she was determined to help her learners no matter what it would cost,even her marriage.When the school did not provide funding for field trips Miss Gruwell decided that she would provide the funding for these trips.

Their first trip was to New Port beach where they visited the Museum of tolerance and learned about the Holocaust.After that she took the learners to a special dinner at the hotel  where she worked for extra money where they got to meet and talk with survivors of the holocaust that was set up by Miss Gruwell.

After hearing that Miep Gies the woman who helped sheltered Anne frank and her family is alive when Miss Gruwell assigns them their assignment of writing a letter to her,telling her how they felt about the book rather than the normal book rapport.They really want Miep to come visit,which costs a lot of money but they were determined and she helped them raise the money trough fairs,the supports of restaurants and helping them with the dance concert.

Miss Gruwell worked three jobs to help her learners achieve their best and believe in themselves.She worked as a teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, a department store clerk and a Marriott Concierge.

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When she chose the books for the learners from the store room to read, she suggest to Mrs. Campbell that they do Anne Frank and Romeo and Juliet in the classroom as novels. Both this novel and play are gang-related stories and the learners would be able to relate to the novels by living in circumstances that is relatable to those of the novel and play. The learners will be more willing to read it and most likely learn more from these novels.

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In her classroom, Miss Gruwell's main philosophy is that of Progressivism. Rather than forcing the curriculum down the learner's throats which they feel are not needed in their lives, she flips the classroom by centring the curricula on the learner's needs, skills and experiences. She creates a learning environment where learners are excited to learn because they are able to relate to the knowledge that they are learning.

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The progressivism theory emphasizes interdisciplinary, student-centered learning experiences that include active learning, values critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, and emphasizes social responsibility as a component of a democratic society.

(Progressivism Theory & Curriculum | Progressivism Philosophy of Education Video, 2022)

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                              Progressivism

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                              Progressivism

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According to progressivists, individuality, advancement, and change are essential components of education.

This theory centres its curricula on learners' needs, experiences, skills and interests because it believes that students learn best from what they consider relevant to their lives.

Students also work through issues in the classroom that are comparable to those they will face in daily life.

Through their interactions, the students learn social skills like cooperation and tolerance for opposing viewpoints.

Archie (2022)

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This method focuses on guiding students learning through research, curiosity and questions. Through inquiry in the lesson, learners are actively discovering information to support their investigations (Heick, 2021)

Miss Gruwell wants her learners to be curious and learn, but she also knows the best way to do that is to make the content relatable to the learners. By giving them such opportunities the learners are encouraged to ask questions, be curious and do more research about what they are learning.

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I believe the progressivism theory is very relevant in the South African classroom. Throughout the country, learners come from different backgrounds and experience different situations like gang violence, poverty, abuse and much more. Just like in the movie, the learners may feel that the only important thing is survival and that the content learned in the classroom will not be useful to them and it is the truth. The South African curriculum wants to put learners in a box having them learn content and being assessed on their memorisation thereof rather than learning skills needed to be able to effectively contribute to our society today. That is why the progressivism theory is so important, especially in developing countries where socio-economic problems have a heavy burden on both learners and their support system at home. By implementing the progressivism theory in the south African classroom, you will be able to help children who want to learn and want to know more not because they have to but because they want to. The theory makes it able for learners to relate to the content that is being learned in the classroom, making it a lot more meaningful and relevant to the learners. For example, in my grade 11 year, the prescribed novel by the department was dreaming of light a story about mine trafficking of young children in South Africa. For a lot of learners in the South African schools, this is a reality of being trafficked or maybe knowing someone who is trafficked and forced to work in mines or something they fear can happen every day because of where they live and for other learners this is a wake-up call to realise what others around you are going through and creating empathy within learners.

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Romantics believed in the natural goodness of the human race which is hindered by the urban life of civilization.

This teaching theory is student centred and focuses on differentiation. Focusing on meeting the students learning readiness needs.

These types of schools or specifically Mr Keating's classroom has no set curricula, no formal test or classes.

Five essential characteristics of romanticism:

1. Inspiration

2. Idealism

3. Individuality

4. Intuition

5. Imagination

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This approach believes that a learner is an important resource in the classroom because the learners also know information and they are capable of sharing information or something with others in the classroom.

Miss Gruwell's teaching focuses on her students being active during the teaching and learning process. Rather than just reading out of a book or writing on the board the learners are encouraged to join in discussions and are the centre of the knowledge being shared in the classroom.

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Mr. Keating makes use of theatrical, sometimes over-the-top, methods. These methods push students to think originally and independently.

He lets his students stand on desks to break free and see things from a different view.

Walk around the courtyard to find their own pace and walk.

Yell in the  classroom to find their voices

And most importantly break out of their old, familiar habits at school.

These exercises aim to help the boys un-learn their blind obedience to their school Welton and authority in General.
Mr Keating believes that each student has different passions and talents and his job is not to give his learners information but rather help them to develop the skills they already have.

The most prominent example of this method is the dead poet society. Mr Keating helps them find their voice by making them curious about the dead poet society and what it really meant. In this society the boys were able to really find their voices, express their emotions and feelings and also find who they are in an institution where unity was everything.

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This approach takes place when teachers actively involve the students in their learning process. The students are constantly urged to participate actively.

Miss Gruwell constantly gives her learners the opportunity to actively participate in her classroom. She wants to hear their opinions and knowledge about what they are learning and does not focus on the curriculum knowledge or book knowledge. A great example is the misogyny debate between the girls and the boys where both teams got a chance to give their own views and opinions and actively participate.

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Mr Keating makes use of very unordinary methods of teaching and I believe these unorthodox methods are much needed in a south African classroom context.

Traditional teaching is a staple in South African classrooms and is the norm which each child and teacher is used to but that does not mean this method is always successful. Because South Africa is a developing country learners need to be inspired to think beyond their capabilities and really see everything from a different perspective.

We are a very traditional and culturally orientated country following a lot of principles from our ancestors but just like in the movie learners should be able to think for themselves and be free thinkers in every situation in life they face.

There are so many examples of South African citizens going against the rules and being free thinkers, a great example being Nelson Mandela who in 1993 received the noble peace prize for peacefully destroying the apartheid regime and laying down the foundation for democracy.

I also believe in a developing country like South Africa. Especially in rural areas like townships resources are limited and teachers need to be able to teach by using methods that will inspire and also relate to learners in the circumstances they are currently in but also challenge them and motivate them to be the difference they want to see and be in the world.

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Heick, T. 2020. 14 Effective Teaching Strategies For Inquiry-Based Learning. TeachThought. https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/inquiry-based-teaching-strategies/ Date of Access: 30 Jul.2022.

4 Major Educational Philosophies. n.d.https://ctei.jhu.edu/files_ta/4_Major_Educational_Philosophies.pdf. Date of Access: 30 Jul.2022.

Archie, K. 2022. Progressivism Theory & Curriculum | Progressivism Philosophy of Education - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com. Study.com.https://study.com/academy/lesson/progressivism-overview-practical-teaching-examples.html Date of Access: 30 Jul.2022.

Western Governors University, 2020. What Is Constructivism?  Western Governors University. https://www.wgu.edu/blog/what-constructivism2005.html#close Date of Access: 11 Jul.2022.

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Constructivism is based on the notion that people actively create or construct their own knowledge and that your experiences as a learner shape your perception of the world. The basic idea is that students build upon their prior knowledge and uses it as a foundation when learning new things. Each students learning is unique to their own experience (Western Governors University, 2020).