Lynn Frazier, Reading/Language Arts Consultant
  lfrazier@windham.k12.ct.us
 

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The Freedom Writers  
   The Freedom Writer Teachers met this past July in California to work on the up-coming sequel to the The Freedom Writers Diary. This book will be released September 15, 2009.
   Over the 2007-2008 school year we were all asked to keep a journal. Each of us will be submitting a journal entry by this September 1st to be included in the Freedom Writers Teachers' Diary. During the July Institute we shared, edited and revised our entries. We also met with the publishers from Doubleday to discuss the publishing process and the publicity strategies.
   We also had the privilege to preview the soon to be released documentary featuring the original Freedom Writers. This movie should be released sometime early 2009. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster...
   Microsoft and Hewlett Packard are now included in the Freedom Writer Family. Imagine the uproar in the conference room when all the FW teachers found out we are receiving the new HP Mini-Note PC and the newest software from Microsoft so that we can continue to work on our writing together! Special thanks goes out to HP and Microsoft!
   The Freedom Writer teachers will be meeting again in early 2009 and again next summer. Erin also has big plans for us in 2010. It gets more exciting as we go along, and I am SO happy that we will continue to stay in touch!

                                     Photos from the July 2008 FW Institute.

Photos from the April 2008 FW Institute.

   My classes have invited 27 other Freedom Writer schools over the United States and Canada to join us in a writing project.  We put together a Freedom Writer Student journal that had an entry from all my students and many of the Young Poets. We put the journal, a survey, postcards and information about our community in a traveling case and sent it to the first teacher on the list.  It has traveled to many schools so far gathering the voices of FW students.  When it has completed its journey, it will come back to us.  We will make copies of the writing and share it with all the Freedom Writer teachers, so they can share it with their students.  
  Click on Traveling Journal to see where it will travel from there and get information about its destinations! You can also begin to read excerpts from the journal by clicking on FWJournal.  Fellow Freedom Writers....get your pens and pencils ready!
 

   On Sunday, November 19, 2007,  I met with Erin, Maria, Steven, Robyn and 11 other Freedom Writer Teachers in New York City at the Arte Cafe.  The Freedom Writer Teachers traveled from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut for a mini-East Coast reunion.  On special request by Steven and Erin, Angel, a WHS Freedom Writer Student also attended the event.  It was another amazing day, as Freedom Writer Teachers offered each other support and put their heads together with Erin, Maria, Steven, Robyn to plan future events.

The Arte Cafe
New York City

November 19, 2007

East Coast Freedom Writer Teachers gathered with Erin, Maria, Steven and Robyn to discuss future events, including a documentary film that will be released sometime next year.

     Erin Gruwell and Steven Barnes, friends and mentors to Angel, celebrates Angel's birthday.