

I could not believe what these students went through in their lives. I can only hope that I will be as successful as she is one day in my career. Gruwell is the kind of teacher we should all strive to be.

She worked her tail off to make sure Zlata would come visit, all because she didn't want to let her students down. She constantly gives her students hope, like when they wrote letters to Zlata. Gruwell got to know her students first, and although she struggled at times, she found a way to get through to them. You don't know what students you are going to get, and once you meet them you may find that the lessons you planned will never work with certain kids. This is why I think you can't create your entire curriculum before you step into the classroom. She has them read books that directly relate to their lives, which makes them more interested in the subjects they are learning. Gruwell has never had to experience and yet she does a great job of making her students feel like she cares.

It is sad how many problems the kids face, like with drugs and alcohol and the deaths of their friends due to gang violence. Gruwell is given the "bad" kids and slowly but surely she turns them around and makes believers out of them.
