Brian Okoye
03/31/2013
English 1103
Cast (The
Students):
Jessica
McCrory Calarco (Calarco)
Annette Lareau
(Lareau)
Jean
Anyon (Anyon)
Lee Mun Wah (Mun Wah)
Brian Okoye (Okoye)
On a Thursday night in the
metropolitan Charlotte, NC, a small crowd of UNC-Charlotte students gather to watch a new film, “Freedom
Writers” which is being featured in the UNC-Charlotte movie theater. After the
film and you upon their departure, conversation about the film begins to spark.
Lareau: I can’t believe
how well Hilary Swank completely transformed the values her class. They really
value and appreciate their education now!
Mun Wah: You know
Lareau. Positive occurrences like these can happen every day if only people
were knowledgeable of what we just witnessed.
Anyon: I totally agree!
Asking people how social class in schools came into existence is like asking my
four year old little sister to find the circumference of my car tire.
Okoye: (chuckling) Very
comical Anyon, but also very true. What are
your thoughts on “Freedom Writers” Calarco?
Calarco: Well, if you
must know. I think the director of this film did an outstanding job displaying
how Swank’s student’s backgrounds and surroundings
has affected how they ask her for help.
(There is sudden pause
by the group)
(Instantly followed a
roar of laughter)
Anyon: Are you serious?
Swank’s students were scared out of their mind to ask her for help.
Calarco: (raged) Hey,
you have to consider some things. These students would not be as scared to ask
for help if they were provided with the proper resources recommended by their
teacher. Is it fair for them to compete with students in AP classes for these
resources when they need them just as bad?
Okoye: Not bad Calarco, not bad.
Calarco: (boasting)
What can I say? I’ve done some research in my spare time.
Lareau: You think you
know everything, huh Calarco? To what extent are these student’s parents
helping them gather these resources, if they’re even helping at all? (sadly
speaking) I must have you all know that because of where I came from and because
of my parent’s situation, I did not have their support when I was sitting in
that classroom. Four years ago, I was afraid to ask my teacher’s for help just
as I was afraid to ask my mother for a spiral notebook and a pencil box. I was living the life of a freedom writer.
Anyon: Now Lareau, I don’t
think Calarco intended to affect anyone. Their school system is very unequal and
we need more people like you who will challenge the school system and contribute
to struggles in the classroom.
Mun Wah: Right Lareau. Everyone
doesn’t receive the same opportunity, but we have to get to know and understand
the people that are different from us. Just as Calarco mentioned the students
in AP classes, we have to accept them just as they have to accept us.
Calarco: Hey, I’m down
with accepting any and every one. I was
one of those students who had all the necessary resources needed to succeed in
class. I think it gave me an advantage over kids like Lareau.
Okoye: (very inquisitively)
Hmm, I find that very interesting. You and Lareau seem pretty equal to me, what
makes you think you had the advantage.
Calarco: Well, since my
parents could afford resources and provide me with them, I felt confident
enough to ask my teachers for help. Instead of waiting, I approached my teachers
directly, and in some circumstances I was interruptive but I completed my
assignments on time.
Lareau: (regretful) Yeah
my parents could’ve been more proactive.
Anyon: How so?
Lareau: They could have
been verbally developing me, attending
my school events and keeping engaged in books.
Calarco: My parents were always at my school events. I
think these experiences have fostered strategies that enabled me to ask my
teachers for help.
Mun Wah: So overall we can agree that the film exhibits how to create a
sense of community in the classroom and how students can get to know each other
more personally?
Anyon: Definitely.
Okoye: Agreed.
Lareau: Si.
Calarco: Indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment