Summary

In the film different moral norms, values, judgments, criteria and ethical content through spoken
communication and poems are transmitted. For example, the latter transmitted in code, criteria to keep
fighting and not give up in the end is coming. In classes, a discussion on "Election" and "Death" occurs.
Students claim that the teacher had no idea about their lives, and that they were running the constant risk
of death in their personal lives. The teacher answers them: "We are all here by choice, choose to take the
bus and go to school by choice. Why?
At dinner the professor warns Raul stealing is wrong, infusing in this case a moral standard that should not
be violated. During the conversation with the schoolteacher Emilio will show the value of life and should not
lose even if he decides, despite this to assert his honor.
Used to educate based challenges to find relationships between different poems with daily life. For
example, death and the struggle to get ahead. Further he decides to give prizes in exchange for
achievement and class participation.
The main issues raised are: freedom of expression, justice, education, truth, crime, social survival,
addictions, and discrimination.
ANALYSIS
Louanne Johnson comes to a job interview, recommended by an old friend also taught at the center. To his
surprise, awarded this job interview in a fixed place in a classroom that referred to as "special", after the
former teacher of that class was gone.
Like most teachers reaching a center, full of hopes, expectations and major improvement projects. The
meeting with students produce a strong impact on the teacher, not a group of young happy and active, able
to comply with the minimum basic rules as to develop a class in a certain order. They are in reality young
people with serious problems are the lowest social stratum where there is no family support and where
drugs, vices, promiscuity have made their havoc. Suffers from the so-called "collision with reality." As you
go through the film you can verify certain situations that I would like to bring here and reflect:
In a situation where the teacher acts under a humanist model, knowing a complicated situation of one of his
students, who tries to lend help and shelter. However, I would like to emphasize especially the scene where
the situation is triggered, and the student does not knock on the door of the director, this does not serve
you and then comes the news that the student has been killed. What do you think about the decision taken
by the director not to attend the student for not knocking on your door?
Teaching, characterized by the teacher, shows her critically, off limits, and all parameter set, as the interest
manifested teacher for each student in particular, as in the case of Emilio, who it is help in a special way, in
his words "save his own life," and almost succeeds. But as the end point of a traditional tight and inflexible
system that gives more importance to formal than the individual himself, the young man who has sought to
speak to the manager to take the necessary measures, is not served by entering the office without to call.
The consequences of this simple act of informality, caused by the urgency of seeking help, have fatal
consequences. Emilio will face his enemy and is killed. The group leader, who showed stronger than
others, culminated be the fatal victim of the cold institutional system.
The former Marine captures the attention of young people who warn something different. Suddenly they
feel that there is something that they can participate, and someone who will allow them to demonstrate
what they have inside.
This new pattern marked by the teacher, leads to a different development of education, with the active
participation of students, little by little, with the incentive of those karate classes, are introduced, almost
imperceptibly to the literary field; through poetry, they may begin to reason, and thus understand that they
too are worth and they can also learn and be able to change into something their lives. Until then, no one
has been interested in their lives, and are governed by the codes of the street, where the law of the
strongest. In fact Emilio is the most cynical and aggressive and leading others, and that basically is
perhaps the most vulnerable.

But this new method is not accepted by the board of the institution, citing the teacher to notify; it is
abstracted reading the book on which the program is based, and abruptly enter the principal's office. And
there again traditionalism, where the rules of protocol and discipline prevail to the extent that the director
makes you see that it is an office, and must be called before entering reflected. They are given strict orders
to follow the program and are prohibited on the part of the board of education, to teach karate in class. Still,
in their efforts to overcome the obstacles trying to get through those youth education could change their
lives, it is that dares to challenge the curriculum.
And these young people, whom the school board never worried, perhaps considered irrecoverable, and the
inability to adapt the old inflexible methods to existing needs, are gradually, through incentives, to open
their minds. Begin gradually interested in learning and soon a good relationship with her teacher, where
they feel valued and appreciated, and where through texts and phrases carefully chosen are playing and
finding parallels with their own lives is established, that they make them think and seek overcome. Thus, it
appears one of the biggest differences, while his relationship with the institution responds to the old
traditional school, with its rigid discipline and uncompromising standards with literature professor another
deal, camaraderie, is established and could even be said affected.
There is also a scene where the teacher has a meeting with the director, because of an excursion without
notice to a park attractions -in principle as a reward for reading poetry that could eventually cause their
dismissal. Another scene is due to contest that has promoted which promises to reward the winners with
dinner. It is a difficult reflection but you always have to think that the teacher does benefit the student to be
formed as a person.
Throughout the film you can see different reflections on the choice. Choose to be in this room, like other
people choose not to come and be on the street.
Another story of the film, is one of the students in the classroom, which is very smart and the teacher
recommends advance level. However, the center has decided to send her to a special program for
pregnant teens as the best option for her -for the next quarter will notice the paunch, without informing him
that is a possibility but is not obliged to direct his training in this way. In this situation, the teacher decides to
talk to a professional center which he says is the best option for the student, he cannot remain in class and
especially by the negative image that represents the center to the company claiming that "pregnancy is
contagious."
Likewise you can also confirm the discouragement of the teacher when approaching the home of two of his
students are missing school, and the mother of them indicates that this is not the life for their children, learn
poetry. This situation with the death of one of his students and leaving one of his best students, are the
inducements by which the teacher chooses not to follow the next year the classroom, as well as low
economic remuneration for their work. However, their pupils and students, with the unexpected return on
their last day of class student who was going to a program for pregnant young women, have achieved (with
the same methods she had used to motivate) to continue in center. They have understood at last that the
effort to study pays off: Emilio is no longer, but they still are to continue fighting. They have decided not to
surrender, face all, as mentioned one paragraph: "I do not dig my grave though death is near."
He urged to fight with weapons of education, keep your head high and strong spirit, and if necessary, die
with pride. And the subject of death is prescient, anticipating the outcome steps.
The importance of the context in which the school is inserted and, especially, the context of student life is
essential, we must know and establish relationships and communication channels, especially in more
difficult groups and more prone to failure at school. It would also be of interest to reflect on the work with
the management team and extensively with teachers about the issues and events that occur in the middle.