As a whole, I think this class exhibited some really great ideas and strategies when it came to teaching. The fact that we participated in a writing workshop, not only allowed us to express ourselves and grow as writers, but it also allowed us to become better commentators of writing.
I think that the strategy demonstration activity was useful in that it allowed for us to exhibit a little bit of our own teaching style/methods to the rest of the class, and it provided ideas for the rest of us to use in our future classrooms.
I appreciate the Unit Plan and most of what it entails, however I felt like some elements, mainly the endless reflections, became rather redundant. There is only so much (and so many times) a person can reflect on the same occurrence of events before they begin to doubt their own sanity!
While I can see how the out of class readings with the blog posts is a way to motivate students outside of the classroom to read required texts, I did feel sort of jilted over spending times on things that did not hold any significance in our class meetings. I appreciate the fact that this blog is a tool to get our ideas out there and to communicate with one another. I see the value in this sort of open conversation, but I would have appreciated a stronger tie-in what is actually going on in our classroom.
I did enjoy the use of the wiki, especially as a collaborative online text. I think it is a great way to assemble a multitude of ideas by various people. I also liked using it for my writing portfolio. The fact that I could designate everything to its own specific page made fulfilling the assignment less hectic.
I really enjoyed this class, especially our group therapy sessions! Thank you everyone for helping me survive this semester!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Teaching Writing
I have really strong beliefs when it comes to teaching writing in the classroom. I think going into the English classroom I am going to be teaching two of the most fundamental skills that a person needs in order to succeed in life: to read and to write. Writing is a form of communication that is necessary to get a job (resume or application). It is necessary to function through everyday life. My dad is a mechanic...one would think that his job does not rely heavily on writing, however, one would be wrong. He has to fill out parts orders, work orders and bills, etc. I use this as an example because even on the most basic level writing is a necessity. Therefore, I think it is necessary to teach the fundamental mechanics of writing, so people can communicate effectively.
Perhaps more importantly, I think writing contains meaning, especially literature. I think students need to be able to express themselves through writing and to be able to write about other's writing. This is the dialogue of the intellectual. This is the dialogue of the human spirit. We are represented by what is written. Shakespeare is still relevant today because he wrote about human nature. Writing connects the present to the past and gives life meaning. Writing connects us as human beings.
Perhaps more importantly, I think writing contains meaning, especially literature. I think students need to be able to express themselves through writing and to be able to write about other's writing. This is the dialogue of the intellectual. This is the dialogue of the human spirit. We are represented by what is written. Shakespeare is still relevant today because he wrote about human nature. Writing connects the present to the past and gives life meaning. Writing connects us as human beings.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
How to Comic
I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of comics. Every once in a while, I enjoy the Sunday comics, but that is about the extent of my admiration. I do appreciate certain story lines that are derived from comics, most especially those that are brought on to the big screen. Despite the fact that I may not personally hold the appreciation for comics that I should, I do feel like they have a lot to offer the English classroom. I think that it is a type of text that many students are familiar with, which could help in aiding them deal with more difficult texts. I think it exhibits a relationship between words and pictures that often go unrepresented in more traditional texts. So when I started reading Making Comics, I tried to keep an open mind.
I think the book has a lot of great teaching tools in it. It gives great explanations to different concepts, types and terms regarding comics. I really like how the book explains things through the comic layout, so there is a visual representation through both text and pictures. I really like the face diagram on page 92 and 93. I never realized that by simply shading a face in different ways you could achieve so many facial expressions through drawing. I also like how later in the book McCloud explains how to gain distances through a grid. It really is a very educational book in terms of creating comics.
I do have to mention that like comics themselves, this book does have a few pictures that might not be entirely considered school appropriate. I think that as a teacher I would probably would not assign this entire book, but perhaps use it as a supplementary tool, only pulling certain aspects of the text that would allow students to learn some tricks of the comic trade.
I think the book has a lot of great teaching tools in it. It gives great explanations to different concepts, types and terms regarding comics. I really like how the book explains things through the comic layout, so there is a visual representation through both text and pictures. I really like the face diagram on page 92 and 93. I never realized that by simply shading a face in different ways you could achieve so many facial expressions through drawing. I also like how later in the book McCloud explains how to gain distances through a grid. It really is a very educational book in terms of creating comics.
I do have to mention that like comics themselves, this book does have a few pictures that might not be entirely considered school appropriate. I think that as a teacher I would probably would not assign this entire book, but perhaps use it as a supplementary tool, only pulling certain aspects of the text that would allow students to learn some tricks of the comic trade.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Captivating...
I've noticed that many of my fellow bloggers have discussed their "pleasure reading" or what they've been reading besides the required school texts. I have been hesitant to do so myself, simply because lately I have been reading some theologically driven/based texts. Since this is an educational blog, and there is the separation of church and state, I have just avoided this topic. But this summer I came across a book called Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. For all of those who are letting out a disgruntled groan and getting ready to click to the next blog, let me just say that any "Christian book" willing to quote Van Morrison and the Last of the Mohicans, really cannot be that bad. (Plus, it is possible to read this book and "skip all the God parts"... I have a friend that did that very thing.)
I bring this book up, not to 'spread the word' some much as to just discuss a concept. You see the book discusses "unveiling a woman's soul" and by doing so many topics, such as eating disorders, unsafe sexual practices, self-mutilation, family relationships, and struggle with self-identity are discussed. Hopefully, by now you can see the importance of bringing this up. As future educators, we will most likely know a female student who is going through some of these issues. While I am in no way suggesting that this book is a cure-all or that it even holds all the answers, it does have some major insight as to what could possibly be motivating factors of the above mentioned behaviors. I think one of the most important questions that a teacher can ask is why? Why is the student doing this or behaving this way? This book could possibly be a tool to help people understand or even perhaps begin to question student's motives and actions.
As an additional note, these authors also came out with a book entitled Wild at Heart, which focuses on men.
I bring this book up, not to 'spread the word' some much as to just discuss a concept. You see the book discusses "unveiling a woman's soul" and by doing so many topics, such as eating disorders, unsafe sexual practices, self-mutilation, family relationships, and struggle with self-identity are discussed. Hopefully, by now you can see the importance of bringing this up. As future educators, we will most likely know a female student who is going through some of these issues. While I am in no way suggesting that this book is a cure-all or that it even holds all the answers, it does have some major insight as to what could possibly be motivating factors of the above mentioned behaviors. I think one of the most important questions that a teacher can ask is why? Why is the student doing this or behaving this way? This book could possibly be a tool to help people understand or even perhaps begin to question student's motives and actions.
As an additional note, these authors also came out with a book entitled Wild at Heart, which focuses on men.
The Professor and The Madman
While reading The Professor and The Madman, I got a sense of deja vu. There was something about this story that I was familiar with. It took me a while to figure it out, but then I finally understood. This is yet another example of how utter brilliancy and utter craziness go hand in hand. The character of Minor is obviously complex in that he single-handedly contributed more than 1,000 words to the Oxford English Dictionary, but his brilliancy, much like a double-edged sword, equated his craziness as a murderer in an insane asylum.
I think people are genuinely fascinated by characters such as Minor. There are countless books and films with astounded popularity that will back up my claim. Think of characters such as Hannibal Lector, John Nash from A Beautiful Mind, or even the real life Howard Hughes. They are all brilliant men, and they end up being twelve kinds of crazy.
I just can't help but wonder what do characters like these suggest? That there is such a thing as being too smart or too brilliant? That being brilliant must come with a price? Its just an interesting concept that seems to have been proven true numerous times... and makes me somewhat glad that I am not a genius.
I think people are genuinely fascinated by characters such as Minor. There are countless books and films with astounded popularity that will back up my claim. Think of characters such as Hannibal Lector, John Nash from A Beautiful Mind, or even the real life Howard Hughes. They are all brilliant men, and they end up being twelve kinds of crazy.
I just can't help but wonder what do characters like these suggest? That there is such a thing as being too smart or too brilliant? That being brilliant must come with a price? Its just an interesting concept that seems to have been proven true numerous times... and makes me somewhat glad that I am not a genius.
Imagine my Surprise... with Image Grammar
Okay, so I don't know about the rest of you, but one of the first things that I did when I reached my cooperating classroom was check out my teacher's bookshelf. I wanted to know what literature Mrs. Postiy used to teach in her classroom, and I want you to imagine my surprise when on her shelf is a copy of Image Grammar. I don't know about the rest of you, but I had never heard of Image Grammar before last year.
As a person who has always been able to fumble my way through grammar during school simply because "it sounded right," I initially took this book as yet another attempt to explain the unexplainable. I feel like grammar, especially in the English language, is so fluid and so changing that it is difficult to always no the rights and wrongs of it all. As Dr. Kist said the other day, people are still debating whether or not to put a comma before the word "and" when you are listing something in a sentence.
In addition, when thinking about the type of grammar instruction that I got in school, my mind goes back to those horrifying grammar worksheets where you have to identify all the parts of the sentence: The dog in the window is barking at the cat by the tree. As a person who has always had my own style of writing these sentences really did not apply to my writing, and therefore, did not apply to my understanding of English grammar.
I think that Professor Noden's book gets around that boundary. By using actual writing pieces (especially those of the student), Professor Noden has found a way to make identifying grammatical elements and using them correctly in one's own writing a much easier task.
As a person who has always been able to fumble my way through grammar during school simply because "it sounded right," I initially took this book as yet another attempt to explain the unexplainable. I feel like grammar, especially in the English language, is so fluid and so changing that it is difficult to always no the rights and wrongs of it all. As Dr. Kist said the other day, people are still debating whether or not to put a comma before the word "and" when you are listing something in a sentence.
In addition, when thinking about the type of grammar instruction that I got in school, my mind goes back to those horrifying grammar worksheets where you have to identify all the parts of the sentence: The dog in the window is barking at the cat by the tree. As a person who has always had my own style of writing these sentences really did not apply to my writing, and therefore, did not apply to my understanding of English grammar.
I think that Professor Noden's book gets around that boundary. By using actual writing pieces (especially those of the student), Professor Noden has found a way to make identifying grammatical elements and using them correctly in one's own writing a much easier task.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Alter or Adapt?
Faced with starting to teach my unit plan in ONE week, I am starting to contemplate how I might have to adapt my lesson plans. I purposely made sure that I really jam-packed all my days, because when I interviewed the principal at the school he really emphasized that he wanted the students to be learning from bell to bell every single day of the week. Knowing that, and also realizing that our professors, supervisors and students would want there to be interesting stuff to do during the class period, I really tried to integrate student-centered activities into every lesson plan. However, I realize, as Dr. Kist pointed out in my evaluation, that activities and projects can be time consuming, or even overwhelming for students.
I think I am going to see how the first couple days go, as far as, students' pace, and then hopefully I will have a better understanding of if or how I could alter or adapt my lessons plans to fit my students needs. Even if it might mean cutting out some of my well thought plans.
This sort of reiterates one my major thought processes when it comes to education. I believe one of the best things a teacher can bring to a classroom is flexibility. It allows you to adapt to different learners, navigate classroom environments and hopefully, pull off unit plans.
I think I am going to see how the first couple days go, as far as, students' pace, and then hopefully I will have a better understanding of if or how I could alter or adapt my lessons plans to fit my students needs. Even if it might mean cutting out some of my well thought plans.
This sort of reiterates one my major thought processes when it comes to education. I believe one of the best things a teacher can bring to a classroom is flexibility. It allows you to adapt to different learners, navigate classroom environments and hopefully, pull off unit plans.
Hungry Minds
The article Hungry Minds: Tales from a Chelsea Soup Kitchen by Ian Frazier, is fascinating in its description of a writing workshop within a soup kitchen in New York. The stories within the article are amazing, moving and disturbing. I really liked how bizarre some of these people's stories were...who ever heard of a traveling homeless men soccer team? It shows that there are all kinds of people even when they are put together in a common group, such as homeless. They are still individuals; they still have their own stories and voices.
I will admit that when I think of writing workshops, my mind goes directly to the classroom atmosphere. Whether it be college or high school, I picture the teacher and students sitting in a circle discussing the use of concrete language. While I know that workshops are more in depth, and they often contain more feeling than that, I think that this article opened my eyes even more to the possibilities of workshops. It even made me think of what a great service project idea. Students could become more involved in the community by participating, or perhaps in some instances, leading writing workshops with other community members. I am not necessarily suggesting homeless shelters or soup kitchens, because as was described in the article, several of the workshop members had criminal backgrounds, very often involving drugs and alcohol. While it might perhaps be an eye-opener for students as to the negative affects of some of those habits, it also poses a safety risk, and I think one of the most important roles of a teaching is protecting the well-being of your students. Perhaps the students could participate in writing workshops in other venues, such as elementary schools or nursing homes. This would allow them to interact with people in different age groups, and maybe to allow them to better understand different aspects of writing and creativity.
However, this article also proves that a workshop outside the classroom is not a necessity. As I said, it seems to reiterate how unique every individual was. How every person had their own voice; their own writing style. The same would be true for a classroom, as I am sure our own class will see as we do our writing workshop.
I will admit that when I think of writing workshops, my mind goes directly to the classroom atmosphere. Whether it be college or high school, I picture the teacher and students sitting in a circle discussing the use of concrete language. While I know that workshops are more in depth, and they often contain more feeling than that, I think that this article opened my eyes even more to the possibilities of workshops. It even made me think of what a great service project idea. Students could become more involved in the community by participating, or perhaps in some instances, leading writing workshops with other community members. I am not necessarily suggesting homeless shelters or soup kitchens, because as was described in the article, several of the workshop members had criminal backgrounds, very often involving drugs and alcohol. While it might perhaps be an eye-opener for students as to the negative affects of some of those habits, it also poses a safety risk, and I think one of the most important roles of a teaching is protecting the well-being of your students. Perhaps the students could participate in writing workshops in other venues, such as elementary schools or nursing homes. This would allow them to interact with people in different age groups, and maybe to allow them to better understand different aspects of writing and creativity.
However, this article also proves that a workshop outside the classroom is not a necessity. As I said, it seems to reiterate how unique every individual was. How every person had their own voice; their own writing style. The same would be true for a classroom, as I am sure our own class will see as we do our writing workshop.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Ending Pending
I am not going to lie, when I opened the Modern Library Writer's Workshop by Stephen Koch, I jumped right to the end. Not because I thought the rest of the book held no value, but simply because I wanted to see what Koch had to say about endings. I love to write, from the time that I knew how to I was keeping journals, making up (really horrible) song lyrics and jotting down any little thing that crossed my mind that I considered somewhat profound. As I got older my writing progressed, I started writing short one or two page stories, which eventually led me to writing 10 to 12 page "glimpses" (as I like to call them) of what I would hope would someday be a future novel. There was and still is only one significant problem: I have a terrible time writing endings. Sometimes its because I have no idea what I am trying to accomplish when I start writing. Sometimes because I have such a clear cut idea of what I want that I find it really hard to transition from the beginning of the story to what I want the end to entail. I guess it could be said in Koch's terms that I am "lazy." I get frustrated and then I want to move on to something more fresh, more exciting, so the unfinished story gets shoved in another notebook on my bookshelf or another folder on my laptop with the note of 'Ending Pending' in hopes that one day I will miraculously figure out how to accomplish what has become the impossible.
While I just sort of chalked this ending disorder to be my own problem, Koch's views on endings, more specifically, his views on writer's who have difficult times with endings, hit a little close to home. Case and point: "If there is no ending, there is no story." This sentence stirred up some of the anxiety I have about teaching creative writing in the classroom. When it comes to endings I don't want to be one of those 'do as I say, not as I do' educators. I realize that at some point this is going to happen in the classroom. Teachers are not going to be great at everything, nor are they going to know everything. I mean we are humans, but my worry with this, as I am sure, with everyone else who teaches, is that my short comings may negatively influence my students experience with creative writing, or even worse, their learned ability/skills with creative writing. I don't want to be the reason that someone did not understand this, or never really liked that. Is that inevitable when you become a teacher?
While I just sort of chalked this ending disorder to be my own problem, Koch's views on endings, more specifically, his views on writer's who have difficult times with endings, hit a little close to home. Case and point: "If there is no ending, there is no story." This sentence stirred up some of the anxiety I have about teaching creative writing in the classroom. When it comes to endings I don't want to be one of those 'do as I say, not as I do' educators. I realize that at some point this is going to happen in the classroom. Teachers are not going to be great at everything, nor are they going to know everything. I mean we are humans, but my worry with this, as I am sure, with everyone else who teaches, is that my short comings may negatively influence my students experience with creative writing, or even worse, their learned ability/skills with creative writing. I don't want to be the reason that someone did not understand this, or never really liked that. Is that inevitable when you become a teacher?
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Freedom Writers
Lori Pyles who spoke on The Freedom Writers Foundation had such an amazing story to tell. First of all, there was the inside scoop of The Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell, especially concerning the storyline of the Freedom Writers movie. I think any future English (or current English teacher) has this hope/wish/dream that they will make as big of an impact as Gruwell did. I watched that movie just thinking, 'Wow, if only I could do something like that.' While, the pessimist in me thinks that it is never going to happen, Lori Pyles personal story exemplifies the idea that everyone is capable of evoking change and being important in their students' lives. The emotion and dedication she displayed throughout her presentation just really highlighted to me that teaching really is a two-way street. Her students depended on her in so many ways, but in a way she depended on them, they became her story.
As a future teacher, her stories of the detention center just really brought to light the issues that students are facing today. It made me think about all those students in the regular classroom suffering through the same things as her student. How as teachers can we help keep students "out of the system?" When I think of students who are abused, who parents are AWOL and who are just struggling to make it day to day, it makes me worried. Worried that I won't be able to do enough or be enough. How do you know that you are? It just seems to me that the lines of being a teacher are often so blurred. We are supposed to keep students at this professional distance, yet we are given many of the same responsibilities as parents. I just hope I live up to the expectations and standards that all those great teachers have placed before us.
As a future teacher, her stories of the detention center just really brought to light the issues that students are facing today. It made me think about all those students in the regular classroom suffering through the same things as her student. How as teachers can we help keep students "out of the system?" When I think of students who are abused, who parents are AWOL and who are just struggling to make it day to day, it makes me worried. Worried that I won't be able to do enough or be enough. How do you know that you are? It just seems to me that the lines of being a teacher are often so blurred. We are supposed to keep students at this professional distance, yet we are given many of the same responsibilities as parents. I just hope I live up to the expectations and standards that all those great teachers have placed before us.
Changing Roles
Myer's article, "Changing our Minds: Negotiating English and Literacy," offers a multitude of historical information explaining the ever-changing and never-changing roles of a teacher. One of the things that I found really interesting about this article was when it discussed the role of a teacher as a moral role model. I think nowadays it is very much assumed that teachers will have some moral influence of their students, and therefore, they must conduct themselves in a professional and meaningful way in and out of their classrooms. Teachers are expected to teach students to respect, manage time, be held accountable, etc. And while in many respects this just falls into the expectations of a successful student, the difference seems to be the expectations of a teacher. According to Myers, before men, specifically, (but, also women) got jobs outside of the home, many moral lessons were taught to students while they were at home with their parents. But, because men left the home to join the workforce, they were not constantly around anymore to teach their children these moral lessons so the responsibility fell onto teachers.
I feel like this is even more prevalent today. Many parents are working more than one job to sustain a family in this economy. Many students are from single-parent households. And there are so many instances where students are just not getting any moral upbringing from their home life. While in some perspectives, it is fantastic that a teacher can help shape a student in that way, it is also a tremendous responsibility for a teacher to have. And this tremendous responsibility often comes with higher expectations for a teacher's lifestyle in and out of the classroom.
I feel like this is even more prevalent today. Many parents are working more than one job to sustain a family in this economy. Many students are from single-parent households. And there are so many instances where students are just not getting any moral upbringing from their home life. While in some perspectives, it is fantastic that a teacher can help shape a student in that way, it is also a tremendous responsibility for a teacher to have. And this tremendous responsibility often comes with higher expectations for a teacher's lifestyle in and out of the classroom.
En Medias Res...
In Nancie Atwell's book In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading, and Learning, I found the emphasis on teacher-individual student conferences very interesting. Atwell writes: "Conferences with individuals are more important...[t]eachers should invest their energies in conferring." As a student, especially in high school, but even now in college, I find that I really value when the teacher offers the time for individual consultation. The idea that someone who has other students and responsibilities has taken out the time for me is a great symbol of the dedication they have for my education.
However, my initial interpretation of what a teacher-student conference would entail does not quite match up with what Atwell suggests. I thought that both the teacher and the student would go over the writing together, but Atwell suggests that the conferences should be "short," that teachers should not "write on students' writing" and that teachers should not "look at or read students' writing during the conferences." What Atwell's idea for a conference seems to suggest is that the focus should not be on the teacher's evaluation of the work, but of the student's own evaluation of his or her work. This responsibility shift is not only somewhat relieving as a future teacher, but even more so as a current student. To be heard in the classroom when one is a student is an important thing, and Atwell's idea for conferences seems to allow that.
I also like the "Rules for a Workshop" section in Atwell's book. My favorite thing about it is the advice to throw nothing away. As a person who enjoys writing, I am one of those people who is constantly writing little blips of story lines and ideas that run through my head. While most of the time they are just random files saved on my computer or scattered pages in my notebook, every once in a while they come in handy for a plot twist to something I am in the process of writing or as a springboard to get me started. So I completely agree with Atwell when she says" Save everything...you never know when or where you might want to use it."
However, my initial interpretation of what a teacher-student conference would entail does not quite match up with what Atwell suggests. I thought that both the teacher and the student would go over the writing together, but Atwell suggests that the conferences should be "short," that teachers should not "write on students' writing" and that teachers should not "look at or read students' writing during the conferences." What Atwell's idea for a conference seems to suggest is that the focus should not be on the teacher's evaluation of the work, but of the student's own evaluation of his or her work. This responsibility shift is not only somewhat relieving as a future teacher, but even more so as a current student. To be heard in the classroom when one is a student is an important thing, and Atwell's idea for conferences seems to allow that.
I also like the "Rules for a Workshop" section in Atwell's book. My favorite thing about it is the advice to throw nothing away. As a person who enjoys writing, I am one of those people who is constantly writing little blips of story lines and ideas that run through my head. While most of the time they are just random files saved on my computer or scattered pages in my notebook, every once in a while they come in handy for a plot twist to something I am in the process of writing or as a springboard to get me started. So I completely agree with Atwell when she says" Save everything...you never know when or where you might want to use it."
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Yearbook Themes
For my Teaching High School Journalism class, I gave a presentation on developing yearbook themes with the immense help of a California journalism adviser, Casey Nichols. Casey told me that there are three reasons to have a yearbook theme: 1) to unify the yearbook; 2) to help create a better book more easily and 3) to make the book more comfortable for your readers.
Casey provided a set of test questions to work towards developing a yearbook theme:
Casey provided a set of test questions to work towards developing a yearbook theme:
- Does our theme fit our school, this year?
- Can we develop the theme without overdoing it?
- Does our theme invite new story ideas, or new angles on annual stories?
- Is the theme student friendly?
- Look at last three yearbooks and eliminate big ideas, colors, etc.
- Determine anything special about the next year or develop a concept ... the big idea of the story you are going to tell, as well as the general tone (i.e. pride, humorous, thoughtful, double edged).
- Look for specific word or phrase that will invite verbal connections.
- Look for graphics and photos (and colors) that match the tone or mood you are trying to set.
- Develop enough of a plan to “sell” to the class, then brainstorm ways to develop this theme/story (magazine search).
Another important thing to remember is to utilize the information given to you by your yearbook rep, and do not be afraid to communicate ideas with them... they usually have years of experience!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
New Literacies: Class Reflection
My Multi-Modal class is coming to an end, but the experiences I have gained through this course is definitely something that I will use when I become an educator. I have done things that I always thought would be fun (like create and write on a blog), and I have done things that I have never heard of (ning). This class really showed the multitude of possibilities in using technology in the English classroom. It allowed me to reevaluate my perceptions and expectations of an English classroom...and to become more excited about teaching!
This is also one of the first classes where I have really wanted to keep my books (except for my literature classes, of course!). Dr. Kist's book was really helpful in laying out classroom and school dynamics in regards to integrating technology in classrooms. How to Teach Great Films is an excellent resource, and the articles that we have read have been really interesting.
Multi-Modal is one of those courses where you work very hard to accomplish a lot of stuff in a relatively short amount of time, and it ultimately ends up very rewarding!
This is also one of the first classes where I have really wanted to keep my books (except for my literature classes, of course!). Dr. Kist's book was really helpful in laying out classroom and school dynamics in regards to integrating technology in classrooms. How to Teach Great Films is an excellent resource, and the articles that we have read have been really interesting.
Multi-Modal is one of those courses where you work very hard to accomplish a lot of stuff in a relatively short amount of time, and it ultimately ends up very rewarding!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Wham! Pow!
I've mentioned before on this blog that I am not a huge fan of graphic novels. Its not that I possess a hatred for them or anything; I just never got into reading them. To tell the truth, I always had this stereotype in my mind of what a graphic novel entailed... a lot of pictures with words like "kaboom!" and "pow!" plastered all over the pages. However, after reading The Complete Persepolis my initial thoughts (and perhaps prejudices) have been altered... there are really good graphic novels out there that tell real powerful stories and that display true emotion, which readers (even those that are not graphic novel enthusiasts) can relate to.
As a future educator, my initial thought of how to use a graphic novel in a classroom was always targeted toward non-motivated students or exceptional students. I saw them as a tool to get students more interested in reading, and as a support to help exceptional students tackle more difficult aspects like the comprehension of plot, character types, setting, etc. After reading Persepolis, and enjoying it so thoroughly I realized that perhaps another look at graphic novels was in order. I began to think of my beloved childhood heroes like Batman, Spiderman, and Wolverine and the fact that all of those characters originated from graphic novels. Obviously there is something worth valuing... look at how many TV shows and films have been based on graphic novels. There is a strong sense of character development throughout many graphic novels, and the more I thought about it the more I felt that graphic novels deserve a place in the English classroom targeted for all types of students, especially as an alternative writing form.
As a future educator, my initial thought of how to use a graphic novel in a classroom was always targeted toward non-motivated students or exceptional students. I saw them as a tool to get students more interested in reading, and as a support to help exceptional students tackle more difficult aspects like the comprehension of plot, character types, setting, etc. After reading Persepolis, and enjoying it so thoroughly I realized that perhaps another look at graphic novels was in order. I began to think of my beloved childhood heroes like Batman, Spiderman, and Wolverine and the fact that all of those characters originated from graphic novels. Obviously there is something worth valuing... look at how many TV shows and films have been based on graphic novels. There is a strong sense of character development throughout many graphic novels, and the more I thought about it the more I felt that graphic novels deserve a place in the English classroom targeted for all types of students, especially as an alternative writing form.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Shakespearean Films
This semester I am taking a Film as Communication class, and these past two weeks we have been discussing theatrical films. In other words, plays and musicals that have been adapted to the big screen. We tried to compare Polanski's 1971 The Tragedy of Macbeth to Morrisette's 2001 Scotland, PA, however, this comparison seemed to be extremely difficult. Polanski's version is quite traditional and very closely related to Shakespeare's original work. It is seemingly set in the correct time period, has all the characters of the play, uses the play's exact storyline, and sticks to Shakespeare's iambic pentameter. When looking for a close adaptation of the original work, this film is probably your best best.... However, its 140 minutes seem to drag on when you are watching it, (especially since Polanski decided to add some scenes that were not originally supposed to take place on stage, meaning there is no dialogue).
Scotland, PA, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. Set in the 1970's, instead of fighting over a kingdom, Joe "Mac" Mcbeth and his scheming wife fight for a burger-chain restaurant. The plot gets more ridiculous as the movie goes on, but its absurd hilarity keeps you entertained. While the film is entertaining and seemingly everything a fun movie should be, it has little relation to the original play.
This kind of leaves you in a catch 22. Which version is more appropriate (from a learning standpoint) to show my students?
Obviously, Polanski's version is truer to the original work, and could perhaps enhance student understanding, but would student's be moved to replace the play with the film...and would they completely despise Shakespeare because they were bored out of their skulls? Then there is Scotland, PA, which I found myself wanting to classify as a "stupid comedy." Could that really hold any purpose in the classroom? I think the answer to that question is yes. Despite the fact that Scotland, PA, was not as closely related to the original work I found many of Macbeth's major themes visible throughout the film. I could also see the possibility of using the film to exemplify satire, as well as, showing how change genre and other narrative aspects.
While many teachers might frown on using the pop culture movies based on Shakespeare such as Scotland, PA; 10 Things I Hate About You (based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew) and She's the Man (based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night), I find real merit to these films in terms of motivating students to actually get interested in Shakespeare's plays. I still remember my best friend groaning about how much she despised Shakespeare, but her interest in Taming of the Shrew was perked at the mention of 10 Things I Hate About You, a movie she had watched at least a dozen times. This just seemed like yet another glaring example of how teachers need to keep an open mind and explore alternative options to teaching classics. (Hint: This link will take you to the Shakespeare In Modern Dress page at IMDB.com, which exhibits a collection of more modern-timed films based on Shakespeare's plays).
Scotland, PA, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. Set in the 1970's, instead of fighting over a kingdom, Joe "Mac" Mcbeth and his scheming wife fight for a burger-chain restaurant. The plot gets more ridiculous as the movie goes on, but its absurd hilarity keeps you entertained. While the film is entertaining and seemingly everything a fun movie should be, it has little relation to the original play.
This kind of leaves you in a catch 22. Which version is more appropriate (from a learning standpoint) to show my students?
Obviously, Polanski's version is truer to the original work, and could perhaps enhance student understanding, but would student's be moved to replace the play with the film...and would they completely despise Shakespeare because they were bored out of their skulls? Then there is Scotland, PA, which I found myself wanting to classify as a "stupid comedy." Could that really hold any purpose in the classroom? I think the answer to that question is yes. Despite the fact that Scotland, PA, was not as closely related to the original work I found many of Macbeth's major themes visible throughout the film. I could also see the possibility of using the film to exemplify satire, as well as, showing how change genre and other narrative aspects.
While many teachers might frown on using the pop culture movies based on Shakespeare such as Scotland, PA; 10 Things I Hate About You (based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew) and She's the Man (based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night), I find real merit to these films in terms of motivating students to actually get interested in Shakespeare's plays. I still remember my best friend groaning about how much she despised Shakespeare, but her interest in Taming of the Shrew was perked at the mention of 10 Things I Hate About You, a movie she had watched at least a dozen times. This just seemed like yet another glaring example of how teachers need to keep an open mind and explore alternative options to teaching classics. (Hint: This link will take you to the Shakespeare In Modern Dress page at IMDB.com, which exhibits a collection of more modern-timed films based on Shakespeare's plays).
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Cleveland Film Festival... "Ask Not"
The Friday before Spring break, I went to the Cleveland Film Festival. I went to see "Ask Not" a documentary about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy in the military. While I knew that the U.S. Military had this policy, it was really interesting to get a personal look at how this policy effects actual people. The documentary followed three main groups of people. The first group was made up of former members of the military that traveled across the country visiting colleges to tell about their experience. Most of the members of that group were dishonorably discharged for being homosexual even though they were highly qualified. One of the members of this group was a linguist who spoke five languages including Arabic! The second group was also primarily made up of members who had been dishonorably discharged. This group went to military recruiting offices across the country and attempted to sign up to serve, and when they were denied the right to enlist because of their sexuality they would hold sit ins in the recruitment offices. Most often this would lead to their arrest by local law enforcements. The third group focused on a man who was gay who went back into the closet in order to serve in the military. It showed him throughout his tour in Iraq. What I found most interesting about this man was when he had been in Iraq for a while, he said something along the lines that he wasn't a gay man anymore, just like he wasn't a son or a brother; he was a soldier, that was the only identity he really had while over in Iraq. Throughout the documentary there were some staggering statistics of qualified soldiers being discharged from the military because of the sexuality. With the low enlistment rate and the need for troops over seas, this documentary seems to ask all the right questions as to why this policy is still intact.
As a future educator, I can see the value of having students go to a film festival. Obviously, this is something that not every student would experience without the initiative of a teacher. It offers the opportunity to experience different cultures and different mindsets. Not to mention, the atmosphere of a film festival in its self. Also, it is a really great way to incorporate film into a classroom. As an educator if I could find a film festival that offers programs such as the Cleveland Film Festival's "Film Slam" I think I would definitely consider taking my students!
As a future educator, I can see the value of having students go to a film festival. Obviously, this is something that not every student would experience without the initiative of a teacher. It offers the opportunity to experience different cultures and different mindsets. Not to mention, the atmosphere of a film festival in its self. Also, it is a really great way to incorporate film into a classroom. As an educator if I could find a film festival that offers programs such as the Cleveland Film Festival's "Film Slam" I think I would definitely consider taking my students!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Blog to Book
While creating this blog for my Multi-Modal class is my first experience of actually writing on a blog, I was introduced to the "blog-sphere" a while ago. My high school English teacher (my mentor, my inspiration for becoming a high school English teacher, and since I have graduated high school, my friend) introduced me to the blogging world. Her sister-in-law, Leslie, was diagnosed with cancer, and so (to my understanding) Leslie and Tyson (her husband) decided to update family and friends via Myspace blogging. That Myspace blog was then "mirrored" to a blogger site entitled "Leslie's Journey." With an intimate look into Leslie and Tyson's marriage, their love for God, their love for their son, and the battle of disease, I found myself inspired, moved, and devoted in prayer for this family. While reading it, I was constantly taken back by the beauty of the emotion put into Leslie's blog. The quality of writing was amazing. I found myself emailing and calling my English teacher asking the question: "So seriously, is there a book deal, yet?"
While Leslie's life on earth has ended, her testimony and legacy lives on through her blog. Her husband, Tyson, continues to write on his own blog entitled "Another Chapter," where he again (or maybe more properly said, still) shares his emotions openly with his witty and heart-wrenching writing.
Much to my, and the hundred-thousand plus (and no I am not exaggerating) of other dedicated readers delight, Leslie's Journey the blog has started its own journey towards becoming Leslie's Journey the book. As a future educator, this stands as yet another example of the blending of technology and literature, and the significance that technology will hold in our and our students' personal and professional lives. And what an amazingly motivational tool to get students writing: a guy sharing his life on a blog is on his way to becoming a published author.
While Leslie's life on earth has ended, her testimony and legacy lives on through her blog. Her husband, Tyson, continues to write on his own blog entitled "Another Chapter," where he again (or maybe more properly said, still) shares his emotions openly with his witty and heart-wrenching writing.
Much to my, and the hundred-thousand plus (and no I am not exaggerating) of other dedicated readers delight, Leslie's Journey the blog has started its own journey towards becoming Leslie's Journey the book. As a future educator, this stands as yet another example of the blending of technology and literature, and the significance that technology will hold in our and our students' personal and professional lives. And what an amazingly motivational tool to get students writing: a guy sharing his life on a blog is on his way to becoming a published author.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Watching Movies...
Every Wednesday afternoon this semester, my roommate and I head to the movie theatre. It is a great way to break up the school week, to spend some time together, and apparently, it is also a great way for me to prepare for my Multi-Modal centered career. I, as I have stated to my Multi-Modal class through my Multi genre Autobiography, am very eclectic when it comes to watching movies. I love to watch just about everything. So my roommate and I went to see movies that range from Underworld: Rise of the Lycans to He's Just Not That Into You to Slumdog Millionaire. And this week, we decided to go see The Watchmen.
Now, I am not really a person who reads comic books/graphic novels. I don't have anything against them, it is just something that I never really got into, but I think that they can be a valuable tool in a classroom for getting students interested in reading. I also think that by getting students interested in how literature such as graphic novels can be transformed into cartoons and movies they can better understand the importance of written literature as a medium. So when I heard that yet another movie was being made from a comic book/graphic novel, in my mind I was imagining a film along the lines of the X-Men/United/Last Stand, Spiderman/2/3, Fantastic Four/Rise of the Silver Surfer, etc. Needless to say, this movie was nothing like I expected. I am not suggesting that The Watchmen is a horrible movie or that no one should see it (because quite frankly I am still trying to decide if I like it or not), but I do think that it might be important to say that if you are a parent, big brother/sister, babysitter, etc. who has let a child go see any of the X-Men or Spiderman movies, The Watchmen is one I think you should seriously consider letting the kids skip. I do not believe in censorship or telling people what is right and wrong, but as a future educator if I tried to show this film to a high school class I would most likely loose my job. Okay, I am now getting off my soapbox...
Since movies seems to be the topic of the day, in Multi-Modal, we are reading from William V. Costanzo's Great Films and How to Teach Them. For one of my class assignments I have to watch and review one of the thirteen movies featured in Costanzo's text. These titles include: Casablanca, North by Northwest, To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, The Godfather, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Glory, Mississippi Masala, Schindler's List, The Shawshank Redemption, Run Lola Run, The Matrix, Bend it Like Beckham, and Whale Rider. After reading this list myself, I was confronted with just how much time I spend watching movies: I personally own 9 of the 13 titles! (Meaning this text will be a great asset to my future classroom!) What interested me most was how Costanzo included the classics such as Casablanca and One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest with more popular and modern titles such as The Matrix and Bend it Like Beckham. I think this text really explores a lot of ways for teachers to get students to understand fundamental parts of film and film making, as well as giving them a well-rounded introduction to types of films.
Now, I am not really a person who reads comic books/graphic novels. I don't have anything against them, it is just something that I never really got into, but I think that they can be a valuable tool in a classroom for getting students interested in reading. I also think that by getting students interested in how literature such as graphic novels can be transformed into cartoons and movies they can better understand the importance of written literature as a medium. So when I heard that yet another movie was being made from a comic book/graphic novel, in my mind I was imagining a film along the lines of the X-Men/United/Last Stand, Spiderman/2/3, Fantastic Four/Rise of the Silver Surfer, etc. Needless to say, this movie was nothing like I expected. I am not suggesting that The Watchmen is a horrible movie or that no one should see it (because quite frankly I am still trying to decide if I like it or not), but I do think that it might be important to say that if you are a parent, big brother/sister, babysitter, etc. who has let a child go see any of the X-Men or Spiderman movies, The Watchmen is one I think you should seriously consider letting the kids skip. I do not believe in censorship or telling people what is right and wrong, but as a future educator if I tried to show this film to a high school class I would most likely loose my job. Okay, I am now getting off my soapbox...
Since movies seems to be the topic of the day, in Multi-Modal, we are reading from William V. Costanzo's Great Films and How to Teach Them. For one of my class assignments I have to watch and review one of the thirteen movies featured in Costanzo's text. These titles include: Casablanca, North by Northwest, To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, The Godfather, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Glory, Mississippi Masala, Schindler's List, The Shawshank Redemption, Run Lola Run, The Matrix, Bend it Like Beckham, and Whale Rider. After reading this list myself, I was confronted with just how much time I spend watching movies: I personally own 9 of the 13 titles! (Meaning this text will be a great asset to my future classroom!) What interested me most was how Costanzo included the classics such as Casablanca and One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest with more popular and modern titles such as The Matrix and Bend it Like Beckham. I think this text really explores a lot of ways for teachers to get students to understand fundamental parts of film and film making, as well as giving them a well-rounded introduction to types of films.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Team Edward
Christmas Break '07, I did what I do every Christmas break. I went to the bookstore the night I got back to my hometown and picked up three books I had never read, so I could enjoy some pleasure reading over the month long break. One of the books I happened to pick up was Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. It was under the best seller section, it was considered young adult lit, and it mentioned something about vampires... I was instantly fascinated. I have always liked the supernatural genre of television, movies, and books, such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Roswell," so this novel seemed right up my alley. Also, I think its important to see what my future students are exposed to within the YAL circuit.
I remember getting home around ten that night, and I decided to just jump into this novel. I ended up staying up the entire night to finish it and then driving to the book store the next day to purchase both New Moon and Eclipse. I spent the entire weekend locked in my room immersed in this tangled love story of Bella and Edward. My dad actually thought I was mad and avoiding him because he did not see me for almost two days straight.
Needless to say, I was hooked, and I still am. I own all four books, I watched the movie in the theatre three times, I have the soundtrack in my car stereo right now, and I also have a "Team Edward" shirt hanging in my closet. Judge me all you want, but I think this book has the capability of opening doors to get students interested in reading beyond their required texts. It offers romance, action, supernatural elements, and characters that you relate to and care about. The fact that the "Twilight Movement" is a phenomenon sweeping the globe shows that my thinking can not be that far off.
In my Multi-Modal class we were assigned to read an article about how the Internet influenced the phenomenon that is now Twilight. I thought it was really interesting that it actually mentioned a website: www.fanfiction.net, which I visit quite often. I really got interested in writing creative fiction by wanting to alter or elaborate characters and plot lines of movies, television, and books that I had read. That is pretty much what this website does. It allows for anyone to post stories, poems, etc. in relation to films, books, television, etc. So sometimes when I'm bored, or I don't have the time to read an entire novel I will read a story on this website. I think it is really cool that I was not the only one led to writing through movies and television.
I do want to warn those who have never used fanfiction.net. Because anyone can publish the quality of stories (both in writing and topics) is not always so great. A good tool to get around this is to click on the rating bar when looking up stories, usually the K-T (kids through teens) sections offer stories that could be appropriate for young adults (emphasis on usually and could) . There is also a genre bar where you can pick action, romance, etc. Most of the stories also offer a summary before you click on them, so if there are any subject/material that you do not feel comfortable with reading you can most often avoid stories that contain it. While this is perhaps not a website I would suggest to use in a classroom, because anyone can pretty much go anywhere within the site to access any material without restriction, it does offer some really good examples of writing techniques, such as changing genres, developing character, etc. It is also a cool way to judge the popularity of certain works, for example the Twilight section offers almost 70,000 entries (this link will take you to only the K-T rated material).
The Twilight series is an amazing group of novels that I think anyone interested in literature, and especially those interested in Young Adult Literature, whether for teaching purposes, personal enjoyment, or just raising your kids, should read.
"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...."
I remember getting home around ten that night, and I decided to just jump into this novel. I ended up staying up the entire night to finish it and then driving to the book store the next day to purchase both New Moon and Eclipse. I spent the entire weekend locked in my room immersed in this tangled love story of Bella and Edward. My dad actually thought I was mad and avoiding him because he did not see me for almost two days straight.
Needless to say, I was hooked, and I still am. I own all four books, I watched the movie in the theatre three times, I have the soundtrack in my car stereo right now, and I also have a "Team Edward" shirt hanging in my closet. Judge me all you want, but I think this book has the capability of opening doors to get students interested in reading beyond their required texts. It offers romance, action, supernatural elements, and characters that you relate to and care about. The fact that the "Twilight Movement" is a phenomenon sweeping the globe shows that my thinking can not be that far off.
In my Multi-Modal class we were assigned to read an article about how the Internet influenced the phenomenon that is now Twilight. I thought it was really interesting that it actually mentioned a website: www.fanfiction.net, which I visit quite often. I really got interested in writing creative fiction by wanting to alter or elaborate characters and plot lines of movies, television, and books that I had read. That is pretty much what this website does. It allows for anyone to post stories, poems, etc. in relation to films, books, television, etc. So sometimes when I'm bored, or I don't have the time to read an entire novel I will read a story on this website. I think it is really cool that I was not the only one led to writing through movies and television.
I do want to warn those who have never used fanfiction.net. Because anyone can publish the quality of stories (both in writing and topics) is not always so great. A good tool to get around this is to click on the rating bar when looking up stories, usually the K-T (kids through teens) sections offer stories that could be appropriate for young adults (emphasis on usually and could) . There is also a genre bar where you can pick action, romance, etc. Most of the stories also offer a summary before you click on them, so if there are any subject/material that you do not feel comfortable with reading you can most often avoid stories that contain it. While this is perhaps not a website I would suggest to use in a classroom, because anyone can pretty much go anywhere within the site to access any material without restriction, it does offer some really good examples of writing techniques, such as changing genres, developing character, etc. It is also a cool way to judge the popularity of certain works, for example the Twilight section offers almost 70,000 entries (this link will take you to only the K-T rated material).
The Twilight series is an amazing group of novels that I think anyone interested in literature, and especially those interested in Young Adult Literature, whether for teaching purposes, personal enjoyment, or just raising your kids, should read.
"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...."
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Multigenre Literacy Autobiography
For my Multi-Modal class, I had to complete a multigenre literacy autobiography. Which is pretty much an animated (PowerPoint, video, image montage, etc.) timeline of all the aspects of literacy (music, books, movies, etc) that you experienced over the years. This has to be one of my most favorite assignments I have ever done throughout my college career. First of all, I love reminiscing about the "good old days" and it is always refreshing to see how far you have come, especially on this kind of professional level. (To think my entire English career started out on Disney movies and Christopher Churchmouse books.) I think it is so interesting to see the dynamic way that people were brought up around different literacy aspects. I mean there were so many people in my class led to this career choice for so many different reasons.
And then there were the similarities, which seemed to be even more plentiful and striking. Is it just me or did everyone learn the alphabet with the "Letter People"? It was not only extremely interesting, but also downright hysterical to remember all the things we read, watched, and listened to over the years (i.e. The Spice Girls...yeah I was a fan, too.)
I think this project really highlights how anyone can relate to "English." Because nowadays there are some many different aspects to an "English" class. People can take almost any passion they hold and mold it into some form of literacy for an English class. Music, art, comic books, movies, they all can be considered valuable tools for reaching our students. This open field for common ground makes me feel so motivated to get into the classroom! It is the proverbial foot in the door for getting students interested in more of the standards and classics.
And then there were the similarities, which seemed to be even more plentiful and striking. Is it just me or did everyone learn the alphabet with the "Letter People"? It was not only extremely interesting, but also downright hysterical to remember all the things we read, watched, and listened to over the years (i.e. The Spice Girls...yeah I was a fan, too.)
I think this project really highlights how anyone can relate to "English." Because nowadays there are some many different aspects to an "English" class. People can take almost any passion they hold and mold it into some form of literacy for an English class. Music, art, comic books, movies, they all can be considered valuable tools for reaching our students. This open field for common ground makes me feel so motivated to get into the classroom! It is the proverbial foot in the door for getting students interested in more of the standards and classics.
Monday, February 9, 2009
New Question
There are countless arguments as to the pros and cons of a student's knowledge of technology, and how a school should facilitate and teach technology to it's students. With these arguments there comes several main conflicts, including the idea of censorship and school/teacher liability. While teachers don't want to give students too limited a mindset of technology because we fear the negative aspects, we also do not want to be held responsible for opening a student's eyes to material consider objectionable, or for putting a student in a negative situation with the outside world. If teachers (schools/districts, etc.) protect, we in essence censor, and if we don't we could possibly cause harm to the student, the school, or our own career. You can see how this debate turns into a round robin... there really seems to be no good answer. And I am not suggesting there is one, rather I would like to suggest that educators, administrators, and schools need a new question.
In my Multi-Modal class, I was assigned to read Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, and while I am completely willing to admit that I am no computer guru and some of the technological jargon did have me a little lost, I think this novel brings up a valid point. We have reached a time where the average high school student is going to know more about working with technology than an adult does. It seems like common sense, adults did not grow up with the technology we have today, and students have, therefore, students are more comfortable (and most likely more knowledgeable) around technology than adults. Given this knowledge, I think perhaps the discussion should not just be what a student should or should not know about regarding technology, but rather how they can constructively use what they do know.
Let's face it, a teacher has a limited window of control on a student's life. A class? A semester? A year? The boundaries of control differ with every teacher, student, and/or school. So isn't it better to strive to influence rather than control a student's accessibility/knowledge of technology?
For example, let me throw out a little story to all of you (this will thrill all of you multi-modal people). A high school senior from my hometown made his national television debut this morning because of an online video contest. Reoccurring his role as a nerd from one of his high school musicals, Scott Bauman decided to create a lip-synced music video for the "My Grammy Moment" contest. While Scott did not receive first place this morning on CBS The Early Show, he did get a free trip to the Grammy's and his video was seen along with the other three finalists' videos behind Katy Perry as she performed during the awards show.
While this story is just all-around cool, what I consider to be the most beneficial to take from this is number one: look at what high school students are technologically capable of; number two: this Nerd character was developed in a high school musical (shout out to the dramatic arts!); number three: the limitless possibilities of how this YouTube like technology could be used in a classroom.
By teaching and allowing students to use technology in constructive (and most often downright comical) ways, teachers are influencing instead of controlling... and their classrooms just got a lot more interesting.
In my Multi-Modal class, I was assigned to read Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, and while I am completely willing to admit that I am no computer guru and some of the technological jargon did have me a little lost, I think this novel brings up a valid point. We have reached a time where the average high school student is going to know more about working with technology than an adult does. It seems like common sense, adults did not grow up with the technology we have today, and students have, therefore, students are more comfortable (and most likely more knowledgeable) around technology than adults. Given this knowledge, I think perhaps the discussion should not just be what a student should or should not know about regarding technology, but rather how they can constructively use what they do know.
Let's face it, a teacher has a limited window of control on a student's life. A class? A semester? A year? The boundaries of control differ with every teacher, student, and/or school. So isn't it better to strive to influence rather than control a student's accessibility/knowledge of technology?
For example, let me throw out a little story to all of you (this will thrill all of you multi-modal people). A high school senior from my hometown made his national television debut this morning because of an online video contest. Reoccurring his role as a nerd from one of his high school musicals, Scott Bauman decided to create a lip-synced music video for the "My Grammy Moment" contest. While Scott did not receive first place this morning on CBS The Early Show, he did get a free trip to the Grammy's and his video was seen along with the other three finalists' videos behind Katy Perry as she performed during the awards show.
While this story is just all-around cool, what I consider to be the most beneficial to take from this is number one: look at what high school students are technologically capable of; number two: this Nerd character was developed in a high school musical (shout out to the dramatic arts!); number three: the limitless possibilities of how this YouTube like technology could be used in a classroom.
By teaching and allowing students to use technology in constructive (and most often downright comical) ways, teachers are influencing instead of controlling... and their classrooms just got a lot more interesting.
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