Freedom Writers

Freedom Writers reminds me of Great Teacher Onizuka, a manga about a thug who suddenly makes the decision to become a teacher as a result of a misguided impression that teachers get the ladies.

Great Teacher Onizuka is about a punk who becomes a teacher.

Onizuka soon learns to error of his ways however, when he sees that the students he is assigned to teach are as troubled and misguided as he is. Though he lacks knowledge, what Onizuka does have is life experience. He sets out to help each misfit in his class solve their problems through his own, strange methods.

Freedom Writers follows Erin Gruwell and her attempts to reform a class of misfits, much like Onizuka. She goes to extreme lengthes to educate the children and change their attitudes, empowering them to find the courage to overcome their own problems. Onizuka takes a similar attitude. Like Erin, he dislikes the condescending approach the school systems takes towards children and resolves himself to become the greatest teacher who ever lived, starting by breaking through to each of his students one by one. However, unlike Erin, his approaches are occasionally illegal and dangerous or otherwise completely illogical. He enlists his students in beauty contests and accepts challenges he cannot hope to succeed in, and yet is able to inspire his students regardless, teaching them life lessons they learn themselves instead of being taught directly.

Onizuka focuses on life lessons. He teaches children to be confident in themselves and to enjoy life. Erin teaches compassion and morals to the children. The both look out for the kids, though their methods are radically different Onizuka shows his kids how to have fun in life instead of being destructive while Erin gives her children history lessons and teaches them to forgive others.