Teaching Hope

Incredible stories of struggle redemption and the power of education from the teachers taught by Erin Gruwell and the #1New York Timesbestselling authors ofThe Freedom Writers DiaryDont miss the public television documentaryFreedom Writers: Stories from the HeartThese are the most influential professionals most of us will ever meet. The effects of their work will last forever.From the foreword by Anna QuindlenNow documented in a bestselling book feature film and public television documentary the Freedom Writers phenomenon came about in 1994 when Erin Gruwell stepped into Room 203 and began her first teaching job out of college. Long Beach California was still reeling from the deadly violence that erupted during the Rodney King riots and the kids in Erins classroom reflected the anger resentment and hopelessness of their community. Undaunted Erin fostered an educational philosophy that valued and promoted diversity tolerance and communication and in the process she transformed her students lives as well as her own.Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers went on to establish the Freedom Writers Foundation to replicate the success of Room 203 and provide all students with hope and opportunities to realize their academic potential. Since then the foundation has trained more than 800 teachers around the world.Teaching Hopeunites the voices of these Freedom Writer Teachers who share uplifting devastating and poignant stories from their classrooms stories that provide insight into the struggles and triumphs of education in all of its forms.Mirroring an academic year these dispatches from the front lines of education take us from the anticipation of the first day to the disillusionment challenges and triumphs of the school year. These are the voices of teachers who persevere in the face of intolerance rigid administration and countless other challenges and continue to reach out and teach those who are deemed unteachable. Their stories inspire everyone to make a difference in the world around them.