Differences

I love how Kristin mentioned Judith Ortiz’s story right off the bat. I agree with her- the story explicitly deals with the differences in her life. I also think the story is great because while Judith goes through all of those categories for herself, the audience is able to go through all of them for themselves. I know I was thinking about mine. At first this prompt seemed really confusing to me, with really nothing to do with the importance of teaching media/current events. But then I hit myself over the head and thought, oh! There are a million differences between every single human on this earth. Each of our stories and experiences are different, and I really feel like that’s what media strives to show. It shows the different stories that each of us has. I think that’s the most beautiful part about media. We don’t try to make the same movies about the same story over and over again, and we don’t take the same photograph over and over (unless it’s like the invisible cities website, which takes the same picture at different times, and which shows the evolution of an area). We try to show how things change, and we do different things with our art. I’ve heard of directors directing the same show twice, but hardly ever more than that. I’ve never heard of a film director directing the same piece twice. I wouldn’t have students read the same book twice in my class. Are lives are enriched through the differences; that’s where they gain meaning. Differences bring nuances and shades of experience.

I believe to better explore difference we do different projects, utilizing different medias, and discussing different stories. We study people different from ourselves. I liked how in the Hobbs reading she mentioned students studying a foreign newspaper, and comparing that to Newsweek. The students studied how they were similar and different. What did each say about its culture and the people that read it? What did it say about morality and ethics, or believe on population intelligence. Students discussed all these questions and more. I think the media sometimes exploits difference to get a good story. I’m reminded of the Omayra story where the photographer mentioned he got flack for taking the picture while there were news reporters that actually did seem to be exploiting her. The students who made the flash mob video games seemed to be a little exploited by the media since they inaccurately portrayed the situation. It just depends. When it’s political (and Hobbs mentions that politics now sort of feels like a dirty word) I feel like media often exploits things. But when we see things on networks that are neutral or notoriously academic I really feel like the purpose is to explore.

I definitely feel like we have a responsibility to actually educate our students and talk about current events, or things that affect them. Like the book says, and like we have mentioned in class there are some times when you’re talking about specific issues that you might need parent approval. But also like the book says, we can’t just assume that these kids can’t/don’t want to talk about these issues. We can’t assume that they have nothing to say and then rob them of valuable experiences. My favorite quote from this reading was on p 168 where Hobbs says, “When teachers use mass media, digital media, and popular culture to address social, political, and cultural issues, students develop the capacity to make sense of and critically analyze the world around them.” I think this is so true. If we don’t talk about current issues, or connect plays we direct with their current lives/current issues then we are doing our students a disservice. 

Blog Response 8

The media exploits and explores difference constantly and most of the time, it isn't intentional. The example Hobbs gave of the educator in Seattle who used Egypt Today and Newsweek to look at the two articles on the Israeli-Lebanese is a perfect illustration of the media portraying difference without meaning to. These two different news sources covered the exact same event and portrayed them very differently. The students were able to see how the media shapes public opinion by observing which information was chosen to be highlighted. 

Difference can also be seen in the quality or tone (as opposed to content) of the information that the media presents. What is the news like in France or Germany as compared to The United States? What is the difference in films? YouTube videos? Newspapers? Popular songs? Books? etc. etc. Difference is a theme that can be taught and talked about with any form of media, merely because the nature of media emphasizes difference. If you are creating media, you certainly don't want to copy exactly what someone else has done, therefore, difference is already being created from the get-go.

Our personal responsibility as teacher advocates when it comes to media and media messages is to be "a passionate teacher, armed with a good idea" because we can be "tremendously inspiring to other colleagues." , in short. I believe what Hobbs has been saying throughout the whole book, and more specifically in chapter 9, is that we need to infuse as much media literacy into our schools, units, and lessons as possible. Hobbs talks about the two ways of integrating media literacy: one, to integrate it into existing curriculum, and two, to create a separate course for media literacy.She argues the strengths and weaknesses of both, but regardless of which way it is done, it needs to be done. I've said it before in my blog posts, and I'll say it again, we truly do need to educate our students in how to interact with the media around them. The world is becoming too digitized to allow our students to leave our classrooms without these skills and this knowledge.

Blog Response 8 - Responsibility to Media

            Skin, Color, Size, Looks – each of these subjects is addressed by Judith Ortiz Cofer in her article “The Story of my Body”(found in Seeing & Writing pgs. 332-341).  Difference is all around us, every day.  Regardless of skin, color, size or looks each human being is entirely different from those around them.  Unfortunately, skin, color, size and looks are a factor for social stereotypes and discrimination.  No one is safe from discrimination, because it follows difference.  It is our role as the teacher to teach our students to accept and value difference, not discriminate against it.
Media is a powerful tool that teach students to “connect . . . emotionally to others and to express complex and multifaceted points of view” (157).  Although media provides a valuable tool and outlet for students to be able to value about difference, it is also a powerful supporter of the discrimination for difference.  Media is the “equalizer”, a vast storage of images that display cookie cutter human beings who define beauty after they have been nipped and tucked and photo edited.  Social Media often promotes that if you don’t meet their standards you aren't beautiful or worthwhile.  Just as Judith Ortiz Cofer experienced growing up, often students are treated with disrespect by students and teachers if they are different from the “status quo”.
It is our responsibility to use Media as a force for good and not evil.  Media provides students with tools to be able to express their differences and stand up for what they believe in.  As the educator it is our obligation to not discriminate against students and give them equal chances for success.  This notion requires that we are fair, not equal.  Students should be treated fairly and as individuals not as the exact same cookie cutter students.  They are each unique and have various learning styles and abilities, but they all have potential.  Through Media we can provide students with the opportunity “to use the power of media and technology to make a real difference in their communities” (156).  Learning is not a punishment it is a privilege.  We should utilize media to reach out to students interests and incorporate those interests into assignments.  Providing students with the power of choice will help to increase their desire to do an assignment.  Hobbs states “that when young people recognize their power and their social responsibilities as communicators, they can experience significant personal growth” (158).
Students can be given the opportunity to learn about accepting differences through Media by creating projects that focus on issues in their community.  For instance, you could assign students to interview various members of their community and create an audio documentary where they incorporate music, interviews and narration of their experience in the community.  You can also have students work together to focus on their own differences and what makes them unique and compile their differences together into a devised piece that is recorded and shown to the school.  Students could also interview one another and create a monologue based on each other’s interviews.  Also films can be shown that focus on differences and students could be required to write a reflection on the film.  Or even take the film they watch and create a movement piece based on how that film applies in their own community.
         The possibilities with how media can be incorporated into the classroom are endless. But it is our responsibility as the educator to advocate for the use of media in our classroom.  Hobbs states, “Increasing mistrust in the media means young people may not believe much of what they hear, see, or read on the news” (149).  Not only may our students mistrust media but our administration may be against it.  As a result it becomes our responsibility to advocate for media in the classroom.  Media is a valuable tool.  As Hobbs states, “when high school students get sustained opportunities to make sense of and respond to news and current events in ways that are meaningful to them, learning comes alive” (159).  Also, “When teachers use mass media, digital media, and popular culture to address social, political, and culture issues, students develop the capacity to make sense of and critically analyze the world around them” (168).  Students need to come to understand the world around them, the world that they are a part of and are going to/are influencing every day.  Media connects students with the world and can help them address difficult conversations and situations.  As educators we need to open our classroom to media and use media to reach our students, peak their interest and help them explore learning in a whole new way!

Blog Response 7

Okay...I think I might have the groups mixed up...I thought I was responding this week...? I might have it wrong...just wanted to preface with that! :)

With the reading and with the images, icons, and essays in Seeing & Writing 4, the most compelling aspects to me were Hobbs' ideas on digital citizenship and the journalism essay. In reference to the journalism essay specifically, I really liked what Laura said in her post, "Don't misrepresent yourself. Don't misrepresent the facts. Like the OJ Simpson photo, people will find out. You will lose your credibility. You can never get that back". This principle is so true. In our 377D class, I recently wrote a reading response on how to integrate big ideas into your lesson plans and into your classroom. I came to the conclusion that you need to embed them so deeply into your lesson plans that the students learn them without realizing it. Misrepresentation and digital citizenship (thinking through how your actions online will affect you and others) are big ideas. If we design lesson plans that teach these concepts and continue to enforce these ideals throughout the school year, I believe that we can inadvertently teach our students how to critically think and engage with media.

I also really liked the idea of teaching our students this concept through our integration of media and theatre. Kristen had great ideas on how to integrate media to teach this very concept, and I really loved her expansion upon that 6th grade lesson of comparing and contrasting celebrities. Having students explore this concept in-role uses theatrical disciplinary tools to teach the big idea of contradictory messages in the media. Theatre itself is also extremely reflective in nature anyway, we can easily teach our students the simple skill of reflection. We then can certainly teach them to apply it to other areas of their life.

In teaching our students about digital citizenship, representation, and contradictory messages (just to name a few of the concepts presented in Hobbs) in media, we can easily look at the work found in S&W4 with more scrutiny. We can look at the messages and the representation in photos, essays, and articles. Was this said or done to manipulate the audience/reader/viewer? Was the author trying to be as honest as possible? Was the author trying to prove a point? And so on and so forth. However, this application does not need to stop with the creations e in S&W4, it can be applied to museums, videos on the internet, movies, books, newspapers, etc. If we arm our students with these tools, they will be able to more fully understand the increasingly digital world around them.

Blog Comment 7

                Hobbs stated “Art has the power to shape our sense of reality” (135).  This one simple sentence summarizes thousands of ideas about the importance of art and theatre.  Art provides a lens through which we can better analyze the world in new and creative ways.  It allows for students and teachers to explore difficult ideas and innovative ways of thinking.  But in teaching the arts it is important to remember that “It’s not about getting kids to think like the teacher” (119).  Often times I think about lesson planning in a way that is geared towards teaching students what I think and how I think about situations and subjects.  Students need to learn to think for themselves and to think critically about information they are presented with each and every day of their lives.

                In teaching students media through theatre and vice versa it is important to remember that the best way to access difficult material is through critical autonomy.  According to Hobbs, in reference to Lens Masterman, Critical Autonomy is “develop[ing] pupils enough self-confidence and critical maturity to be able to apply critical judgments to media texts which they will encounter in the future” (119).  Media is a controversial issue in today’ society.  Media provides efficient means and innovative ways to access new material and relate to students interests, but it also provides students with easy access to controversial issues.  Pornography, violence and inappropriate material is readily accessible on the same valuable resources of Facebook, YouTube and Google, etc.  Hobbs counsels for the instructor to never share a video that has not been previously viewed before.  Students’ sensitivity to material will depend entirely on their upbringing and values and as the teacher it is your responsibility to screen material before showing it in class.  YouTube can provide valuable examples of scenes for a show you maybe performing or various forms of theatre.  But it must be censored first to ensure that the video clip upholds and maintains the values you have set for your classroom.

                Although I want a high moral environment for my classroom that doesn't mean that I want to shun media.  Media is a great source for students to be able to learn and grow and experiment in new forms of learning.  I love the examples that Hobbs provides of discussing difficult topics through media, such as in the 6^th grade classroom and the students’ discussion of popular celebrities.  Hobbs suggests “For genuine reflection to occur, every idea and argument must be placed under the microscope for critical scrutiny” (119).  I plan to have students’ complete assignments using media. It would even be interesting to take the ideas from the 6^th grade classroom and have students devise a piece based on how they feel that media is influencing them.  They would be required to use various forms to media to express their opinions and relate that to current examples from pop culture.  As students discuss it is best for them to use critical scrutiny in order to really analyze the issues they face every day and then present those issues to others students their age.  They could be divided into groups and each pick a topic that they feel is of great influence in their lives right now, whether that is advertising, movies, television shows, the internet, etc.  The Students’ would be required to pick a subject that is specific and expound upon their opinion of how that form of media is present in their lives and then perform a devised piece base on their discussions.   

                With this idea in mind I feel that it is important to bring in aspects of the Seeing & Writing book when discussing project ideas with students.  Specifically I feel it is important that they have an understanding of how photographs and media in general can be manipulated to portray a specific meaning and then have the students relate how that meaning translates into their lives.  Media is every present and is a form of manipulation.  It is a powerful force that can be used to teach valuable lessons but it can also destroy.  It is important we teach our students to think for themselves and determine how they will let media influence them.  

Reflecting on the Importance of Relecting

I really enjoyed these chapters about reflecting, but they were also upsetting for me, I'll have to admit. I feel like this is just such a difficult educational point that we basically have no access to. I can teach my students all I want about reflection inside of my class, but that's often where it ends. I appreciated that thoughtful 7th grade health teacher who didn't call her student out after she came to class dressed provocatively  She started a conversation with her students about celebrity figures in which they were the experts. They were able to analyze what they knew about these stars, and what their reputations seemed to be. It was so interesting how she said that some students seemed to be conflicted over their views of the stars. Since they were the experts she was able to ask them a lot of meaningful questions not only to learn more information, but to also get them to think and reflect. Is life really so simple as having just the Anne Hathaway reputation or the Lindsay Lohan reputation? Just because they portray a certain life or image, is it accurate? (I liked her discussion point on that. Or at least it seemed to me that she was trying to make a point of what things seem like and what they are.) I mean take a look at Tiger Woods. They made a chart that shows he's like the richest athlete there is or something, but he's divorced from his life, and alone. Is he happy? Well, we don't know. But would that make you happy? This is especially interesting when you contrast this with President Obama's perceived life. They need to seriously evaluate if they want to use these people as a superpeer, as she calls it.

My favorite thing about theatre is that it is so reflective. With every role we play and play we research we can think about the lives of the characters represented. We can think about the characters we play. We think about their lives, pains, joys, griefs, successes, circumstances, interactions, where they're from, where they're going, and what's going on around them. Of course many plays are based on entirely fictional stories, but isn't it interesting how we can look at a character's life and ask: how is that like my life? Could that ever happen to me? Do I want it to happen to me? How can I keep it from happening to me.

I can't think of any disciplinary tools that I would use with reflection. I don't think that's what reflection is at all, or maybe I'm misunderstanding the question. One of the most important quotes in the Hobbs reading was, "The students do not tend to appreciate teachers who make them feel ashamed about their choices and lifestyles-- all in the name of helping them. Indeed, a number of them find this insulting and hurtful." If we discipline their actions or how it seems they're acting, thinking, or dressing outside of class it could ruin their respect for us. It could completely discredit all we have to say. Where I do see discipline coming in is obviously where she talks about hurtful online activity/personas. Sometimes students get mad and post hurtful things about peers/teachers to Facebook, Twitter, or whatever else. I don't think that teenagers understand the extent of their actions. They don't understand that this can deeply hurt a person, even if they're not serious. Even though I don't think what the girl wrote about on her blog (about the administration) was that serious, it was, of course, very disrespectful. I think that this was a meaningful lesson to that girl that people read what you post to the internet. As Hobbs son said, the internet is just like real life, but faster. It is real life. People lose jobs (or don't get them in the first place) because of things they post to the internet. People have to understand that you can't post pictures of you doing drugs (or other questionable things) and think that it won't affect the way people see you. I've seen this type of thing happen to friends. They've lost important opportunities. The internet is incredible, but also dangerous. As the reading says, the porn industry capitalizes on misspellings of popular websites and cartoons just to trap young children. It's disgusting. I think the best form of discipline is discussion. It's education. There's risks to all these things that I don't think kids understand. The sooner that they're informed of the facts the sooner you can start an open and honest discussion.

As far as Seeing & Writing goes, of course the Omayra picture was the most compelling. Media can do powerful, powerful things and tell important stories. But like the article about journalists needing credibility, I think the same is true for students. Don't misrepresent yourself. Don't misrepresent the facts. Like the OJ Simpson photo, people will find out. You will lose your credibility. You can never get that back.

Blog Response 6: Response to Laura

It wouldn't let me post in a comment, either. So here goes. (:

Laura - there is SO much you've said and so much I want to respond to!! So I'll try my best to respond...we shall see. (:

Basically first things first, I totally agree 100% with how you said that teachers absolutely have to at least TRY to foster that creativity in the classroom. As a teacher, that's our job! We have to pave the way for our students to obtain the best possible education - that's the whole reason why we got an education ourselves anyway, isn't it? (: Certainly they can learn a lot about being creative and even utilizing the media that they are familiar with to do so, but we (as educators) have more knowledge and experience that we can teach our students. We can be the ones to give them even more venues through with to express themselves and learn to understand themselves, as well. Having taken both 352 and now bring in 377D with you, it's really neat to see how teaching students creatively and with the "big idea" concepts and thinking more outside the box can really enhance a lesson. I think back to a lot of the lesson plans I've created myself or that others in our class led us through in 352 last semester and how they made subjects that I previously was not very interested in (history especially) seem like the most exciting and engaging topics ever. All because they were based in this essential teacher-led creative process, that allowed us as students to become engaged in our own learning process.

I loved the example from Hobb's book about Mr. Wagenhoffer and his chemistry class. He stated that, "We're a school that values integrating the arts across the curriculum, and for many students, this intensified their curiosity about that periodic table" (p. 85). I can only imagine the number of students who could be reached and perhaps (hopefully!) even better understand these typically difficult subjects if more schools and the teachers within them had this same mindset! I have always been a hands-on learner, and doing something similar to what was done in Mr. W's classroom is something that could have really helped me as a student - and many of my peers - back when I was in high school. When you give students room to be creative and explore something on their own (within safe and previously outlined boundaries), they can really thrive. You just need to give them that chance to foster their own creativity and make their learning just that – their own!

I could go on and on about Hobbs’ perspective (and a discussion on problems with this creative approach would take probably more room than I can fit on this response alone), but I want to comment a bit on what you said about the Seeing and Writing excerpts. I LOVE the idea of teaching about current events and what is going on in the present. To me, as an educator, student, and just as a human being in general, I am always way more interested in what is going on now – in the present – than for any other time period. Maybe this is the reason why I find it difficult to engage with history, as I mentioned previously…But all in all, I do agree that finding not only a real-world but also that PRESENT-DAY application and connection can really help our students to engage in their own learning.

Our students will be growing up in the same grades, with many of the same peers from grade to grade, and will no doubt have a lot in common with one another for those reasons alone (as well as many others). However, they will also be very different and two students in your classroom could be worlds apart in terms of economic standing, race, family life, and so on. Therefore, using the photography example, I think that would be a beautiful way to not only showcase but explore how the students in your classroom are similar, as well as how they are different. They will be able to connect immediately on some of their similar levels, and then be able to hopefully learn to understand one another far better than they did previously, based off of the exposed differences that they have – whether literally (i.e. in a photo of where they live or of their family dynamic) or perspective-wise (in how they interpret these photos that they took or those of their peers).

There's more to say but I think I’ll stop here. Basically, I agree with a lot of what you said (Laura). And I think creativity is SO, so key in the way we educate our students. There are infinite ways of going about doing this – but there are also many (maybe even “easier”) ways to go about teaching them. I think we just need to find ways that are accessible for both us and our students, and work together as a team to make sure we are all on board to fostering this creativity for us all.

Blog Response 6: Response to Lindsey

(Sorry. For some reason, my formatting wouldn't copy correctly as a comment on your original post.)

I agree with so many of your points, Lindsey. I was also especially drawn to the second challenge Hobbs raises: students challenge adult authority. On this issue, I think you and I have a similar perspective; I see my role as an educator as a sort of mediator in the creation process. Regarding this, I like how Hobbs insists that students have “agency as ‘authors’ of media messages” and teachers can use the “‘teachable moment’ that comes when students face choices that matter, and discussion [can be] used to open up broader questions about the social responsibility of authorship” (100). Ultimately, I believe teaching our students how to be responsible is the greatest way we can resolve the challenges that come when adolescents test these boundaries.

In our approaches, I think you and I have just a few differences. I really like the way you described the conversation you would want to have with a student as “honest.” However, I’m not sure that I would go to the students’ parents as quickly as you might—especially because sometimes a child’s relationship with his or her parents is the root of the problem. From my own adolescence, I remember befriending a boy in middle school who confided in me about the physical and emotional abuse he was facing at home from his mother and father. I can only imagine how totally hazardous and serious it could have been in his situation if a teacher reported to his parents that he was exploring these themes for a project. As a teacher, we might not always know the entire story in situations like these. For that reason, I suggest that we go to a school counselor before speaking to the student's parents, and only then after having a genuine, “honest” discussion with the student first.

The other thought I had when examining this specific challenge raised by Hobbs is that compliments and sincerity can go a long way. I think we all remember our favorite schoolteachers because they were kind and open with us. This leads me to my second recommendation: on the occasions when we need to ask a student to change his or her subject matter, I think we as educators could always remember to begin with praise and acknowledgement of his or her creative efforts first. In this fashion, I hope my students will still feel my support of their expressive endeavors while I am helping them understand when a subject is or is not appropriate for a setting. By explaining boundaries to our students in a candid and caring manner, we might be able to shift their intentions from challenging authority to exploring their unique perspectives on topics.

Though I believe I have a rather firm plan established for how I want my classroom to be a safe zone for creative expression, another challenge Hobbs brought up has left me with questions. As her fourth point, Hobbs details the difficulties surrounding student collaboration. At the end of her paragraph introducing the issue, Hobbs says, “teachers must model and reinforce these skills during class” (97).

Then that’s it.

 After that, Hobbs is back to explaining how group work is problematic for various reasons. While I was reading this, I remember that I felt so unsatisfied with Hobbs' pronouncement, having come with little to no explanation of what this looks like in a classroom. I’m not exactly sure how to model proper group work for my students while I teach during class. After all, students rarely see their teachers interacting with other faculty outside of class. Despite how great I may be as a team player in department meetings, my students are never going to see that. So what scenario would I be presented with in which I could model these valuable skills for them?

On a different note, from the Seeing & Writing readings, I felt most compelled by the four front pages of newspapers taken from November 5, 2008. It was interesting to me that no matter how the layout and color scheme might change, there were striking similarities connecting every page. Using this example, I might give my students a few minutes to independently highlight or circle all of the thematic words they see recurring between the different newspapers. For Obama's reelection, these include “change,” “history,” and “first black.”

This could offer important insight into how authorship, bias, and accountability are central to creating a media message. This lesson ties into our class’ previous discussions about critical thinking, but it ties into my current position about teaching students responsibility as a means to combat their instinct to challenge authority. While looking at newspaper or magazine covers, I could ask my students to evaluate the decisions of the media editors. Were they making responsible or irresponsible choices? Do they truthfully convey a valuable message or are they presenting a stereotype or half-truth? By practicing critical thinking about someone else’s authorial judgments, students might gain a better understanding of the cautionary and analytical steps they need to take when creating their own media messages.

Having a Hand in the Creation Process

I see no reason why I wouldn't be involved in the creative process of my students' work. First of all, I'm going to be coming up with the assignments for things they're working on. And in shows, I will have the final say on what show that we're doing. I think the public school educator absolutely has to try to foster creative assignments/activity or it just won't happen. It won't happen in the classroom, at least. Earlier in the semester we talked about using different media communities that your students can utilize in class. I mentioned that I'd like my class to be a creative outlet and safe space for kids to share because if a kid wants to do it and they don't have an opportunity in school, they will still do it. They will still blog, play online games, participate in forums and chat rooms, etc. How much better for that to start in my class. As we know creativity exists outside of media, but media is also a great tool we can use. Especially at this time in history when students are so deeply tied to all the new technological developments. I'm a true believer in the fact that creative drama in the classroom helps students learn better, and helps them own material better. We teach drama in the elementary school classroom in 352 and 377D because we believe it engages the students more, and helps them remember concepts far longer than if they were learning it through pure lecture. I love the science teacher allowing his students to make documentaries. It can also lead to important discussions, like when they had to decide if it was okay or not to add contrived footage. What a fun, creative activity that students can really own. It makes research so much more interesting, and lets them be proud of a final product that can really make a difference to the world. I believe documentaries are truly some of the most important and influential work created today.

Hobbs talks about a lot of problems that can come in a high school setting when working on creative projects. This happens in college, as well. And I'm sure it sometimes happens professionally, but these are not reasons to decide against creative activities. The cost is too great. She mentions some great ideas to help combat these issues, but I think the best way is just to stay in touch with your students. Monitor their activity and progression. Ask them questions. Ask for updates: i.e. where is your group at so far? What have been the greatest challenges? I like how she mentions clear expectations and a rubric so that students know exactly what to expect. If you explain the project as something that's very simple and then grade very hard you will have a lot of very upset parents and students. If your expectations are clear then you will have significantly fewer problems. I think it's vital that we allow students to screen/present their work and get feedback from their peers.  I also think that giving students a checklist or something really will make it easier for them to divide work. Unequal share of group work is the earliest challenge known to man. I don't know that there's a solution to it, but I think that is a great way to help. I think it's important for them to be able to see the reaction that everyone has to their work. I think students want this opportunity unless they feel they've done a poor job. In which case this is a great motivating factor for them do try to make something they are proud of showing. These were the biggest challenges to me. Everything else wasn't that big of an issue for me. If students try to challenge your authority or ask you provocative questions then I think you should just have a discussion with them! Just like Amy did with her students in Illinois when they had an issue with her race. Don't try to skirt the issue or act like you're afraid of the student. If there's some things you can't discuss, just tell them so. Refer them to people they can talk to about the issue.

Last, I loved the Seeing and Writing excerpts. I think it's important for kids to write about things that are happening to them right now; things that are currently important to them. I also think some great activities involve having the kids take a few pictures and bring the ones to class they really like. Have the class analyze them. What are the photos saying? What are they saying in relation to each other? What types of things happen to us every day that seem ordinary, but really could be extraordinary  I feel like this was the theme/spirit of the Seeing and Writing reading. I think they get us thinking about creation because it shows that there are almost no limits. Anything can be studied as art. They don't have to study 19th century art or paint something to have a provocative discussion about society/art/media/culture today. I think photography is a great access point as one of the writers mentioned that it's something that literally everyone partakes in. Why not utilize something students already do?

Creativity-Blog Response 6

                After going over the Hobbs and Seeing & Writing reading, I decided to search on google for an image that represented creativity and then come up with a witty statement to hook the reader into my comments.  But instead I found the quote above that states “I prefer to entertain people in the hope that they learn, rather than teach people in the hope that they are entertained.”  We don’t teach in classroom in the hopes to be the most entertaining teacher that all the students love.  But rather we should focus on entertaining, and holding our students attention that they can learn through the mediums they enjoy.  After all why does the human race enjoy being entertained and watching creativity?  In my opinion it’s because we enjoy learning when it is entertaining and then we can be inspired to be creative. 

                The Hobbs reading suggests that as teachers we “give students a combination of structure and freedom, where they can develop communication skills and exercise their creativity but have some constraints that limit and shape their work” (86).  It is our responsibility as the educator to allow our students to use their creativity under a set of guidelines and rules.  Creativity's purpose is to make a solution to a problem or to establish an answer.  But Hobbs also warns that if we impose too many restrictions, or take too long to get to the point of the lesson students will lose interest and often give up on the assignment (97).  Education is all about balance between rules and creativity and how they fit together. 

In the learning system Hobbs suggests that “Romance comes first.  Emotional involvement with the subject matter compels our interest.  Then we develop a need for precision, where we acquire a shared vocabulary, systematic knowledge, and an understanding of how new ideas are created within the discipline.  Finally, generalization happens when we connect our romantic involvement with ideas with the precision of deeper exploration to formulate new knowledge ourselves or apply ideas in ways that are serviceable in a particular context or setting” (89). I love this idea about how we must first spark our students’ curiosity and through their interest in a material they will come to desire to know how this new material can and should be used.  This can be accomplished through media.  For instance if you want to teach Shakespeare, a topic often shunned by students because they can’t find how it relates to them, you have to teach it in a way that appeals to their interests and curiosity.  This is where ideas from seeing and writing come in.  Have the students assigned to groups and be required to go out and take pictures what places/events are interesting for them at school.  After they take these pictures have assign each group a scene from a Shakespearean play to read and analyze.  Then they have to create a performance of that scene using the script but incorporating the images that they took.  They can either physically use the images as scripts or make the photos their setting, etc.  As they perform discuss you can discuss with the students how Shakespeare might apply to their lives and how they were able to incorporate this “ancient” dialogue into their modern day world.    

An image is worth a thousand words, and Seeing & Writing suggests photographs are a way to keep a record of our world.  Students take pictures all the time because it is their way of, whether they realize it or not, keeping their own journals.  With this in mind it would be interesting to have students create a photo journal for a character that they want to portray in a show.  Then they could swap photo journals and analyze each other’s images in an essay and explain how the image represents the particular character.

I think the most crucial element to keep in mind with creativity through lessons ideas like the ones I have previously described and the countless others we will have throughout our careers is to not overwhelm our students but provide them with broad but direct guidelines.  If we overwhelm them with tireless instructions and outrageous details the assignments become busy work.  But if we create projects that provide specific details but allow the students reign to use their creativity they are able to apply the material we are teaching to mediums they are interested in.

Blog Post 6

I’m not sure exactly where I stand on our role as educators in the creation process. As an English teacher, I’m responsible to teach my students how to create effective pieces of writing. However, I believe that allowing students to create in ways besides writing can help the writing process, it’s all a matter of the amount of time I have. I admire Mr. Peterson, from the Hobbs reading, for taking the time to teach students how to make videos on meaningful, subject-related topics. However, I don’t know if I’d want to invest the class time that he did in my own classroom for such a project. If students already know how to make a video and want to for a project that’s great! But I don’t think I’d want to take the time to teach them. I think my (for now) final thought on the matter is that yes—I do want to assign my students project that challenge them to be creative. However, as an English teacher it’s not my job to teach my students how to create big-scale media.

As far as the Seeing a Writing pieces go, I believe that looking at photos are a great way to start discussions. I see myself using photographs as part of my daily writing prompts. I could also see myself analyzing them if I can find a way to connect them to the literature we’re studying. For example, if we’re reading a WWII book, I could put the picture of the marines raising the flag and we could have a discussion about the effect of the photograph, how it relates to photos and images the characters in our book might have seen, etc.

I also think that studying photos can be a good way to develop critical thinking skills. Analyzing a photo can be very similar to analyzing a piece of writing. Especially in an AP class, I could see myself assigning students to analyze a photo or painting and write an AP-type essay about it. This would be something that could shake-up the curriculum and give students a break from just reading all day. It could also help some students understand what thinking skills they should be using when analyzing writing.

The last thing I wanted to mention was one of issues Hobbs raises about creating with students: challenging adult authority. This has been a very interesting topic for me of late because I’m writing a research paper about controversial YA literature. I think it’s important for students to explore and learn about difficult topics. However, the choice about that ultimately lies with the parent. I’m wondering what I would do if my students started creating something that could possibly be controversial. I wouldn’t want to get in trouble for letting them create it, but I see the value in them exploring issues that they genuinely care about and are important to them. I think that if I were in a situation like this, I would want to have a discussion with the student, letting them know that they need to do the project on something else, but explaining the reasons for this. I think it needs to be an honest conversation. Then, I might possibly contact the student’s parents and let them know that the student was exploring the issue. These are just my initial thoughts on the matter—I’m not sure if this is exactly what I’d do. Does anyone else have any other thoughts on the matter?   

Super Critic Vanquishes Voice Thief!

“So what is your paper about?” I ask the student writer next to me, gripping two freshly sharpened pencils in my left hand.

He starts to tell me, and I’m listening carefully until his words trail off suddenly. He meets my gaze with a sheepish grin. Instinctively, the student’s fingers reach out for the pages of his paper and he searches its contents in order to remind himself of what he’s forgetting.

This is a bad sign—something that I’ve seen so many times already here at my job in the Writing Center. It’s surprising how frequently students stop in for help with their assignments yet cannot even recall what they’ve written. But I know how to finish out this tutorial because I have experience from when it has happened before.

After he finishes informing me about his topic, I turn the paper over and begin asking him some open-ended questions. My objective now is to get him to start really considering his opinion on his subject so that we can write a thesis together that he will never forget. As he tentatively answers my inquiries, I take notes on our discussion on the back of the paper.

For some reason, the pressure of formality in academic writing often causes students to forget they have a voice. However, Hobbs states, “through blogging, students discover their voices in ways that support academic achievement” (50). She spends an entire chapter of her book illustrating how an innovative approach to academic writing and media helps students develop a position, defend a point of view, gain confidence, and ultimately strengthen communication skills (48).

At my work, tutors engage writers in conversations about their writing. The goal is to have descriptive dialogues with the students rather than prescriptive lecturing. I do this by asking open-ended questions just as Hobbs suggests in her chapter about critical questions. In fact, my boss consistently reminds us never to ask a question we already know the answer to. These would be the type of closed questions Hobbs warns teachers against on page 54.

As a teacher, I don’t want to stifle my students with fears of formal rules and restrictions to the point that they abandon their own voices and struggle to remember their topics. Instead, I think we can excite our students by utilizing applicable media in our instruction and assignments.

Possibly the greatest benefit of incorporating media and technology into our teaching is that we can foster students’ voices by prompting them to analyze and evaluate texts relevant to them—current events, music videos, and visual art like that currently on display in the Heroes and Monsters exhibit at the MOA. Not only will students be enthusiastic about the contemporary subject material, but they will also be intrigued when we tell them that there is no longer one right answer. Analysis opens the door for a multiplicity of impressions and opinions, so long as our students are learning to develop positions and defend their points of view. We can encourage all of this by guiding them to seek answers to critical questions, like the examples Hobbs provides.

When I was drawn to various pieces of art at the MOA exhibit—Self-Portrait as St. Teresa, Snowy, and Untitled (Pink Robot), to name a few—I forced myself to practice critical analysis and go beyond the usual, unsupported thumbs-up “I like this” that Facebook has ingrained in me. With some deliberation, I found myself analyzing specific portions of the artwork or questioning the author’s message.

I developed an idea for a lesson based upon the sample discussion of TIME magazine photos of Dr. Martin Luther King from chapter 4 of Hobbs’ book and the pictures of students’ personal spaces posted on Flickr from Seeing & Writing. After showing these four student images from the Flickr portfolio to my class, I would ask students to come to the next class period with their own photo of their “space.”

When we meet for class again, I would collect the students’ images and shuffle them, dealing them out to new recipients. Giving the students some time to view and analyze their peers’ pictures, I would ask them to answer questions modified from the ones Hobbs poses, in my own version of a media literacy remote control:

• Rewind: Who produced this image and when? How does its prior context affect its message?
• Fast Forward: How might future audiences interpret this message? How does it impact viewers?
• Pause: What details grab your attention, cause you to pause, and look more carefully?
• Stop: What about the image makes you stop and ask questions?
• Record: What’s valuable and should be saved for remembering later?

After some time, we would begin a class discussion about the images and the students’ impressions. I would ask many follow-up, critical questions, encouraging students to elaborate and provide evidence for their answers. As a class, we will respond to the images together and hear from the original authors about the choices they made. If interpretations vary from student to student, we can talk about why that is. Ultimately, the idea is to lean on Hobbs’ counsel that “sharing interpretations leads to the development of new ideas” (65). At the end of class, students can write short reflections about the new ideas they have about media, sparked by the class discussion and their own critical questions.

Though this lesson isn’t directly related to theatre or English, I believe it’s important for students to practice 21^st-century skills. It could even be tailored to depicting the “spaces” of dramatic characters or designing photo images that capture the moods and messages of a play’s setting.

Ultimately, my intention is to get students to “invest something of themselves” (63) into their academic work, instead of feeling bogged down by their previous impressions of what academic writing or assignments have to look like. I’ll accomplish this by composing critical questions that drive my students to feel passionate about their viewpoints and reasoning.

Heroes and Monsters English Analysis

It is very normal to apply principles of analysis to an English classroom. I feel it’s actually a necessity or a requirement. We’re always having our students read literature or write papers as they analyze a structure, genre, book, poem, film, social movement, etc. But utilizing this exhibit makes the job that much easier and interesting. As Lindsey and I walked through the gallery we had ideas coming to us practically every five seconds. We kept thinking of more questions to ask, and more ideas of great assignments. The exhibit is so broad that I feel it appeals to all learners and at it’s very core asks the question, “What is a hero?” It’s compelling. Obviously what we looked at was still art. There was some film, but for the most part it was sculptures, paintings, and photographs. I really thought back to our reading prompt from the Seeing & Writing index where we mentioned the questions or ways to use media that were most compelling to us. I mean the entire index was basically a guide about how to analyze pictures, film, short stories, ads, poems, mixed media, and a dozen more things. The thing I was most struck by when reading that index was the question of what the narrative story is behind the image. Everything has a story, doesn’t it?

What I’d like to do in my English classroom is a) find those narratives, and b) connect the narratives from the images (or pieces of artwork from the exhibit) and connect them to the narratives that we’ve been studying in class. I’m really passionate about both of these ideas so I’ll discuss both. First I would love to have my students go into the exhibit and find a piece from the exhibit that compels them. From that they have to create a back story, or a narrative for the piece. In the reading, Hobbs briefly mentioned analysis that crosses disciplines. She discussed English that began to utilize “visual, digital, and mass media materials, ” but I think the intent is still the same (76).  I would love to use this activity for a creative writing class where they write a monologue to be performed by students in an upper level drama class. You can utilize print/digital media by first reading some famous monologues, and perhaps even watching some from different movies so they can contextualize what one is. Then have them go to the exhibit and pick a piece, like I discussed. Then after they’ve got the background story/narrative they will write a monologue. Everyone in the class will do this so ideally there will be enough for everyone in the drama class to perform a different original monologue. What could be more exciting for these writers than to see their work performed?

My second idea involves something that is very, purely English based. I think it would be great as a final project to take students to this exhibit and to tell t hem to briefly jot down pieces that compel them or interest them. From this they will write an analysis about how a piece from the exhibit mirrors the story or experience of a character from one of the novels read throughout the year in class. Surely this will take a lot of analysis as they notice many important, even if seemingly small, details. They might have to make some creative assumptions, but I think that’s fine as long as it’s based in thoughtful analysis of the piece they’ve chosen. There was a piece in the exhibit that was a photograph of Civil War re-enactors. A student could draw assumptions about the lives on a re-enactor, or even the life of Civil War soldiers themselves and how their trials to win the war against slavery mirror the struggles of Cassie Logan in Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry as her and her family fight for race equality and general respect. See? Not too difficult.

I think we innately strive to analyze. I really loved the five critical questions in the Hobbs book that ask things like what lifestyles are represented? Who is the author and what is the purpose? How might different people understand the messages? Really all five of them are brilliant. I think this is such a great starting point for whenever we’re trying to analyze a piece of art and draw meaning from it. I feel like these are universal questions and are a really great way to get the wheels turning, and the questions flowing. I also liked the picture collages in the Seeing & Writing reading this week because it shows students that you can analyze anything. They can make art and take photographs that are worthy of seeing and writing about. 

Blog Response 5

Hobbs' principles of analysis fit perfectly into a theatre classroom. As theatre practitioners, whether we are directing, acting, designing, or even producing, we always have to think about the art we are creating. What message is it sending? What will audiences take away from this? What am I trying to say with this piece?Hobbs' quotation of Cary Bazalgette's questions on page 57 of the reading were created in reference to media literacy, but are easily transferred to theatre:

1. Who is the author and what is the purpose?
2. What creative techniques are used to attract and hold attention?
3. How might different people understand this message?
4. What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented?
5. What is omitted?

Applying these questions to theatrical productions is all too easy. Did the production use spectacle to hold the attention of the audience? What did the playwright intend? Is it possible the director had a different intention with their concept and execution of the show? What might someone from another country think of this production? etc. These questions are more fully fleshed out in chapter 4 of the reading, but the same principles are there. The critical questions Hobbs expands upon in the reading can help us help our students analyze the world around them more closely. To think about the intention, context, audience, and representation of a piece not only will help our students develop critical thinking skills, but it will also encourage them to engage with the world (not just media, even) around them; to not be mindless consumers.

To place these ideas into a theatre lesson would be natural. If you were teaching a directing unit, a lesson about using all theatrical elements to enhance your intended concept could easily incorporate these critical questions - with a few theatrical modifications. You could either take your students to a production in the area, or have them watch a filmed version of a play (many can be found on YouTube - extra points for media usage!) and talk about the directing decisions that were made in the clip. For example, this clip could be shown:

After previewing the scene (or after seeing a production), ask the students what messages were coming across. Ask what the director might have intended. What the composer intended. Who the intended audience was when this was written as opposed to the audience it was intended for when performed as opposed to when it was filmed (if watching a clip). What might a child have thought of this scene as opposed to an adult, and on and on and on. There is an endless amount of critical questions that could be asked.

Once there has been a class discussion regarding the messages, authors, audiences, themes, and representations of the production, have the class look at the text itself in groups. What messages can they see in text alone, without the costumes, scenery, lights, sound, and actors? Are there other messages that might have been pulled from this piece, other than the one the director highlighted in that specific production? Once they have discussed a few other possibilities of the meaning of a text, have them come up with a different concept/look/feel/design for the show you saw or the clip you watched as a group, and then present it to the class. Obviously, the designs and concepts will vary from group to group, but it will be for the same show. This will further emphasize the idea that not all people will interpret a piece the same way (another critical question explored).

This simple lesson has the big idea of critical thinking. This skill can be used over and over in future lesson plans and in looking at all other forms of media. If you are going to show a movie version of a play you are reading in class, be sure to discuss the audience, authors, and messages in that particular production of the play. If you are having your students design a website for an assignment, make sure you that you take a look at several different websites as a class and discuss the designs, colors, shapes, and organization of the website (i.e. what does this color make you feel as a consumer? Do you trust this website's information? Why?). Training your students to look at all media and performance analytically will help them to create art and media that is well thought-out.

This reading (funnily enough) tied in very nicely to my experiences with the Heroes and Monsters exhibit.When I went to the exhibit at the MOA, I was trailing slightly behind a tour group. The tour guide kept asking the group "What do you see? What do you think that means?" and as I eavesdropped on the different answers people gave about the same piece I was looking at, I was surprised to find they inferred meanings that I hadn't even considered! The critical questions and deeper analysis of the art brought out themes and messages that weren't apparent to me before. It made me wonder what made a hero and what made a monster/villain. What does it mean to be a hero? What values and morals do heroes have?

You could also use the exhibit to enhance or introduce this idea in a lesson. Because theatre is so visual, having students tackle these critical questions in regards to art will help  them make that transfer over to theatre. If it were possible to take your students to this exhibit (or any exhibit, for that matter), you could ask students to pick one piece in the exhibit and discuss those five questions (see above) with a partner, and then write a brief page paper outlining what they discussed with their partner. If I can teach my students to think critically about the art and media around them by using those critical questions, I can teach them to be more open-minded and to see things in a new light. I can help them become artists and creators of media who engage and analyze what they are putting out there.

Heroes and Monsters!!!

               Analysis is a key concept of theatre that requires students to think critically and then apply what they have analyzed to previous knowledge and the knowledge that they are continuing to gain.  Hobbs stated that analysis is “considering the author, purpose, and point of view to understand how they are constructed and the assumptions that underpin them (14).”  Also according to Hobbs the “key to stimulating analysis” is through good questions.  But how do we establish these good questions in our classroom?  In further analyzing Hobbs writing, I interpreted that good questions come from “curiosity” which will encourage students to “ask questions” that you can then lead them to “interpret” their questions through the material taught.  As they ask questions generated from their curiosity and then are encouraged them to interpret they will then be learn to “synthesize” and “express” what they have learned (63). 

                Allow me to clarify this idea with a lesson plan.  After looking through the Heroes and Monsters exhibit, each of the exhibits fascinated me and I desired to question the artist about their own interpretation and purpose in the artwork.  Comparing the exhibit with ideas in Hobbs book, Hobbs suggests that a core instructional technique would be to use “cross-media comparison” (51).  For a theatrical lesson I would have the students visit the museum under the instruction that they are to pick out two pieces of artwork that they are curious about and not only analyze them as individual artwork but in how they compare to one another.  Using the five critical questions it would be the students responsibility to analyze the two works of art by asking, “Who is the author and what is the purpose? What creative techniques are used to attract and hold attention?  How might different people understand this message?  What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented?  What is omitted?” (57).  As they analyze the two works of art and ask these questions they would be required to interpret the artwork and the images that are used.  This idea also comes from the ideas in the Seeing and Writing book where the students are required to look at images and words in order to interpret what they think was the author’s intent and how it is apply to their lives.

                The next part of the assignment would, once finished at the museum, require them to create a blog response where they include images of both works of art, answer the five critical questions and then synthesize how this art work applies to them.  I would also require them to answer the following question, why would these two different works of art be put in the same exhibit?  They would be required to read each other’s responses and come to class the next day with an opinion on at least two other works of art other as well as the two that they choose to analyze.  The next day in class I would show images of 5 of the different works of art that the students put online and students would choose a group based on which was the one that influenced them the most.  Each of the five groups would then be responsible for creating a two minute devised scene based on the artwork and their interpretation of the art.  As they watched one another, each the rest of the class not performing would be required to write down one question for the group about their performance and how/why they analyzed the artwork in the way that they chose.  A few of these questions would be asked to the group after they perform and the rest would be turned in for assessment, along with the blog responses. 

                Art is a critical part of our everyday lives and although we may not realize it we are constantly analyzing the world around us.  It is important that our students learn to be appreciative of their curiosity and be ready to ask critical questions so they can interpret, synthesis and express what they are learning.