Freedom Writer tips, lesson plans, and webcasts: Microsoft Education

Microsoft and HP support the Freedom Writer Teachers

Continuing their quest to empower students and to inspire those who teach them, Erin Gruwell and 150 Freedom Writers Teachers started writing their latest book, Teaching Hope: Stories from the Freedom Writers Teachers (Broadway Books, August 2009), in July 2008. Because they support the Freedom Writers’ message of tolerance and acceptance, Microsoft and HP donated the tools (150 copies of Microsoft Office OneNote 2007 and 150 HP Mini-Note PCs) to support the team collaboration necessary to complete the book.

Download these lesson plans to learn how to better engage students in your class.

Line Game: Become more familiar with your class, and help your students to learn about each other in an interactive, non-threatening way.
Toast for Change: Help your students to talk about past experiences and give them a fresh start in your class.

Freedom to Collaborate (eSchool News.com, July 10, 2009)
Teacher talks of teens’ coping (Tulsa World, October 22, 2008)
Writing program boosts success (MassLive.com, September 21, 2008)
Pop Quiz: Erin Gruwell (Edutopia, March 2007)

Try the products yourself

Learn more about the products the Freedom Writers are using to write their book.

Freedom Writers Foundation

Read Teaching Hope introduction by Erin Gruwell (.doc, 63KB)

About Erin Gruwell