MovieChat Forums > Freedom Writers (2007) Discussion > What annoyed me about this movie...

What annoyed me about this movie...

posted 17 years ago by lromo21
44 replies | jump to latest

As a 29-year old high school English teacher, I was looking forward to seeing this movie and for the most part I was pleased and entertained. It had a good message and a few touching scenes. However, I was annoyed at how unprepared Erin was on her first day. I know "it's only a movie" and I shouldn't over analyze it, but there were so many little things she did wrong! It was almost as if she had never been to the school or had any idea what the environment was like. She arrives minutes before the kids do, so she's navigating the halls along with them, she stands at her desk as they enter instead of by the door, she turned her back to the class as she was writing on the board, and she wore a skirt!! Unless you are a teacher, you won't get it, but a new, first year, female teacher should not wear a skirt on the first day. Plus she smiled like an idiot and greeted them like she was greeting church members over potluck. It was almost too much to bear. But after that, I liked the rest of the movie. Do any other teachers/future educators agree?

[–] alwaysflaca 15 years ago

Agree with you 100% about the importance of being in your room waaaaaaay before the students arrive, especially on the first day.

However, I've been a teacher for several years in "rough" public schools and I frequently wear skirts (of an appropriate length) and have never felt like they garnered me unwanted sexual attention or made me too soft.

And if I analyze this further, I think certain pants can accentuate one's booty (lol) much more than a skirt. I don't know, I just have no problem with a skirt whatsoever and I think it looks much more business-mineded to wear a professional looking skirt than to dress like some of my coworkers who shop in the "juniors" department and wear things that just look bizarre to me . . . for example, there's a lot of girls that try to "professionalize" *extremely* lowcut blouses and even BACKLESS blouses by just putting a camisole underneath . . . even if it makes you more covered up, the whole getup just looks bizarre and unfit for work!! I try to cut these coworkers some slack because they are usually first-year teachers who haven't yet built up a work clothes wardrobe and I think that they try to save money by using their camisoles to convert club gear into workwear lol.

As far as turning her back when writing on the blackboard, maybe I need to rewatch the movie to see what you're talking about, but, how do YOU write on the blackboard? Do you face the students at all times and put your hands behind your back to write? LOL Just curious what you meant with that.

[–] cmeyer38 14 years ago

The whole time I was taking education classes, I always dressed professionally "like a teacher" when I attended my education classes. I never thought "I'm going to be a teacher", I always thought "I AM a teacher." That being said, I was also 56 years old when I went back to school to get a teaching license, so I had the maturity to know how important it is to make a good impression on the people around you. :-) Yay new career!!

[–] jl224 14 years ago

I'm a relatively new, female high school English teacher and for the most part I think the film is accurate. The things you are talking about are not told to teachers when they are in college, they come with experience or talking to other teachers once they start working.

I was never told in my college program (which is well-respected) not to wear a skirt on the first day. However, I didn't do that and I can see why it would be a bad idea after a little experience.

Also, I was never told not to smile, actually I learned that piece of wisdom is very old-fashioned and cynical. However, in the teacher's lounge at my first job another teacher said not to smile at all for the first few months.

I agree her outfit was too fancy for the environment and she shouldn't have arrived just before the students. Other than that, it seemed pretty accurate to me...

[–] scruppyandthecoolcats 14 years ago

A few teachers have told me not to smile but you know what? I've had lots of teachers who smiled and were very friendly on their first day and they were very respected. Thankfully, some other teachers have informed me that all these unofficial rules for new teachers and half bull and you should just be who you are.

[–] Ninja-Robot 14 years ago

I may not be a teacher, but I do have teachers, and my sister's studying to be a teacher. And seriously, why shouldn't you turn your back to write on the board? How ELSE would you write on the board? All my teachers do it and nothing happens. Some of my teachers wear skirts too, and nothing ever happens then. The most that has ever happened is people just talking about how a teacher has big tits. And that's nothing.

And also, most of my teachers arrive at class after the students. Although it isn't their first day though...

[–] coutterhill 12 years ago

I never understood the having your back to the students while writing on the board either. I'm an after school teacher and they stress "line of site" at ALL times. It is unrealistic. How else am I going to write on the board??? I don't get the skirt thing, it was long and not even tight.

~~~
You know maybe if you eat more comfort food you wouldn't have to go around shooting people.

[–] imwithshorty 12 years ago

I student-taught last year, and you definitely don't want to have your back to the students for long. You can't talk to them well while facing the board, you seem disconnected from them, and you can't see what they're doing; if they're in their seat, if they're doing their work, if they're setting up a prank or bugging the student next to them, or crying and need help at that moment. Also the problem with writing on the board is that the students often aren't doing anything at that moment, and when they aren't doing anything they get bored, then antsy, then are more likely to start chatting or acting up. My mentors would remind me that you should never take your eyes off the students; even when you're meeting with one you should scan the class and know what all of the rest of them are doing.

I would write what I needed to on the board before the students came in, and then put up the rest of the directions on the projector. You can write directions on the projector so the students can see them on the board, but you can write while facing them. Often times if I wanted notes taken on a brainstorming discussion I would let students write the notes, which many of them loved to do and would argue over chances to do.

As for smiling, I've heard it both ways. I'm very young for a teacher, look even younger, and last year was shorter than almost all of my students, and can see why it would be better to look tough off the bat. However, some of the teachers I know with the best classroom management skills smiled constantly from the first day, laughed with them, and called the students "friends" (they taught middle school and 9th grade). The students would be less defensive, and more open and friendly in their classes, as they followed the teacher's lead, and the positive environment this teacher set. However, these teachers also did have strong personalities and knew how deal with misbehavior. The students knew they couldn't walk over these teachers and tended to feel more genuinely bad when they misbehaved in these two teachers classes than in any other class because both of the teachers were so positive and the students knew without question that these teachers cared about and respected them.

[–] carmencapel69 14 years ago

Why on earth are you not supposed to wear a skirt?

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cajayson8301 14 years ago

she stands at her desk as they enter instead of by the door

As did about 98% of the high school instructors who taught me...

She arrives minutes before the kids do, so she's navigating the halls along with them

Likely attribute this to being lost on your first day. It's not unusual for some teachers to arrive later than expected, including established educators. One Spanish teacher I had (freshman year) entered her classroom about 15 minutes prior to first period. How was she as a teacher? One of the best, my opinion being echoed by several others.

she turned her back to the class as she was writing on the board

Exactly what is your point? That in order for her to be placed in your "Responsible Teachers Guide", she must by no means ever place her back towards students even when writing on a board facing them?

she wore a skirt!! Unless you are a teacher, you won't get it, but a new, first year, female teacher should not wear a skirt on the first day.

Most dress codes, if not all, for first year teachers come nowhere near being this cynical. My senior year English teacher began her career when I had her, donned a dress the first day, and earned our respect from that day forward. Your concern might be for potential sexual harassment or otherwise even as high up as assault and is duly noted but, rest assured, my high school classmates cared more about women THEIR age than to focus on "nailing" an instructor. Per another poster's remark, commenting on her breasts is the worst they get. We are not talking about young men who would treat her much like the males treated the females in North Country

Plus she smiled like an idiot and greeted them like she was greeting church members over potluck.

So what you are saying is all teachers ingratiate themselves to their pupils by virtue of behaving with a sour outlook at their occupation? While I admit she came off too bubbly for the first class meeting, there's nothing wrong with being cheerful, including a little smiling.

It was almost too much to bear

A MOVIE is almost a lot for you to bear and you are a teacher? The above already indicates you are a rather, should I say, "interesting" example to lead a classroom but even elementary school instructors understand what it means to toughen up in your job.

If mothers ruled the world, there would be no god damn wars in the first place-Sally Field

[–] brooklolly 14 years ago

I have known teachers just like this. I started out much the same way inspiring my students. I wish there were more teachers like this. Sad to say many are not. Many exhibit the same attitude as her department head. They are negative, and they discuss the students with fellow teachers without even giving the students a chance. They do NOT inspire these students, they treat them and view them with disdain.

[–] mel_anie_98 14 years ago

I'm a second-year teacher and I can honestly say that her first-day issues were very realistic. I had wardrobe issues too. And I don't think wearing a skirt is inappropriate. Remember, it's only within the last 40 years that women were even allowed to wear pants at all without HEAVY criticism. I love it when I see teachers dress like her.

In terms of her lesson plan, she had one, and even had her department head review it. The department head said that it was too difficult for them, and when she later tried to teach it she was unsuccessful.

I HAVE been told about not having your back to the students; you're supposed to write on the board at an angle (easier for a righty than a lefty). And that whole standing at the door thing is something schools want, but very few teachers practice. I find a happy medium by going back and forth.

School doesn't teach you everything. In fact, they say that the first year isn't even about teaching, it's about survival and getting a contract for a 2nd year so you can get better. lol But I've been told that the first 3 years of teaching are horrible and when you make the most mistakes you'll EVER make in your career.

Cut her some slack.