I was a little confused with why we were reading graphic novels in my multi-modal literacies class. But after reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, I am leaning towards teaching a graphic novel in my future English classes. I liked this graphic novel because it delved into themes that are appropriate for adolescents, such as coming of age, oppression, censorship and love. These themes are often found in traditional novels, so reading Persepolis would give students the chance to experience a different media form in the classroom.
A movie based on the graphic novel has also been released. Although I haven't seen it yet, I think that it would be useful to show clips of the film when reading the graphic novel. Students can compare and contrast the different media forms and talk about the different artistic components of each. I also think that this novel would go well in a feminist literature unit. Many of the themes in Persepolis are also discussed in traditional novels like The Awakening.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
My First Exposure to Of Mice and Men
I had some extra time over the past weekend to unwind and read something for fun. I went to my bookshelf, and I wanted to read something that would be quick, so I picked up Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I had never read anything by Steinbeck before, much less the novel, so I was really excited to delve into this new author and explore his writing style.
As it turns out, I couldn't put the book down because I was so engaged with his writing. His clear, concise, and straightforward style was perfect for a quick read. I was also amazed that he fit so much into a little over 100 pages. After reading Of Mice and Men, I can't wait until the summer when I can delve into some of his longer novels, such as The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden.
Another reason why I decided to read Of Mice and Men is because many high school students usually read the novel in the ninth or tenth grade. I wanted to make sure that I have read the novel before I have to plan a unit for it. After reading the book, I spent some time looking at Amanda's Of Mice and Men Wikipage. I really liked the activity with the Robert Burns' poem, "To a Mouse," and the PowerPoint presentation that centers on the "American Dream" theme in the novel. With these resources, I think Of Mice and Men would be a great novel to teach to students using new literacies.
As it turns out, I couldn't put the book down because I was so engaged with his writing. His clear, concise, and straightforward style was perfect for a quick read. I was also amazed that he fit so much into a little over 100 pages. After reading Of Mice and Men, I can't wait until the summer when I can delve into some of his longer novels, such as The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden.
Another reason why I decided to read Of Mice and Men is because many high school students usually read the novel in the ninth or tenth grade. I wanted to make sure that I have read the novel before I have to plan a unit for it. After reading the book, I spent some time looking at Amanda's Of Mice and Men Wikipage. I really liked the activity with the Robert Burns' poem, "To a Mouse," and the PowerPoint presentation that centers on the "American Dream" theme in the novel. With these resources, I think Of Mice and Men would be a great novel to teach to students using new literacies.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
New Literacies in Action: Chapter 8
I recently read Chapter 8 “Final Thoughts: ‘My Grandchildren’s Time Zone’” from Dr. William Kist’s book New Literacies in Action. I found it interesting to read the different examples of high school teachers that have been using these new literacies in their classrooms. From the reading, it is easy to see that many teachers have been using these new literacies in various ways with different results.
One part of the chapter that I found interesting was that students often thought the new literacies projects were “an easy A” (Kist 135). In fact, many of the students did not know whether the class was “easy” or “hard” because they had never been exposed to a multimedia class and had no previous standard. I think the student statements help prove that modern classrooms are too homogenous and do not provide students with stimulating alternatives to the commonplace lecture. By giving students different ways to express themselves, besides written assessments, teachers may be able to engage them in content material.
The thing that made me question new literacies was when Dr. Kist talked about how much time students spent on their projects. While it’s great that students are engaged in and spend their time on a project or assignment, I wonder how much of that time is spent on figuring a piece of technology out? I think a student’s time is best spent interacting with the content material, not learning the nit-picky stuff that goes with a piece of technology. In the chapter, it sounded as if students spent more time figuring out how a piece of technology worked than thinking about the ideas they have to express through that technology.
Another part of the chapter that I enjoyed was the idea that new literacies did not have to deal with technology. Dr. Kist has been stressing this idea in class, but I did not realize that students working together and communicating count as a new literacy. When I think of myself as a learner, I find that I enjoy working by myself. But, I learn material better if I can bounce my ideas off of other people. So, apart from working in groups, I could have my students discuss material and course content in conversation pairs or groups, so they can talk through their ideas instead having them figure it out on their own.
One part of the chapter that I found interesting was that students often thought the new literacies projects were “an easy A” (Kist 135). In fact, many of the students did not know whether the class was “easy” or “hard” because they had never been exposed to a multimedia class and had no previous standard. I think the student statements help prove that modern classrooms are too homogenous and do not provide students with stimulating alternatives to the commonplace lecture. By giving students different ways to express themselves, besides written assessments, teachers may be able to engage them in content material.
The thing that made me question new literacies was when Dr. Kist talked about how much time students spent on their projects. While it’s great that students are engaged in and spend their time on a project or assignment, I wonder how much of that time is spent on figuring a piece of technology out? I think a student’s time is best spent interacting with the content material, not learning the nit-picky stuff that goes with a piece of technology. In the chapter, it sounded as if students spent more time figuring out how a piece of technology worked than thinking about the ideas they have to express through that technology.
Another part of the chapter that I enjoyed was the idea that new literacies did not have to deal with technology. Dr. Kist has been stressing this idea in class, but I did not realize that students working together and communicating count as a new literacy. When I think of myself as a learner, I find that I enjoy working by myself. But, I learn material better if I can bounce my ideas off of other people. So, apart from working in groups, I could have my students discuss material and course content in conversation pairs or groups, so they can talk through their ideas instead having them figure it out on their own.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Cleveland Film Festival
Over spring break, I went to go see a film that was showing at the Cleveland Film Festival. I ended up going to see Black Sea, directed by Federico Bondi, which is a foreign film set in both Italy and Romania. I chose this film based off of a synopsis in the Cleveland Film Festival catalogue. I thought it would be interesting because (1) it wasn't a documentary, and (2) it was in a different language and wasn't set in the United States. Apart from the high price to see the show, I was pleased with the film and liked how it portrayed Italian and Romanian women.
In the film, Gemma, a grouchy Italian woman who recently lost her husband, hires Angela, a Romanian woman who left her husband behind in order to make more money in Italy. These foiled characters develop a close bond and end up travelling to Romania where Angela intends to save her failing marriage. Overall, I think the film did a great job portraying the family values of both Italian and Romanian women, and the close bond that can form between two women sharing the same experience. It also effectively showed the general tension between the Romanian and Italian people before Romania entered the European Union.
I think parts of this film would be effective to teach in an English class. I could show certain clips while teaching The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Both the movie and the novel address women's rights issues, and the idea that familial obligations prevent women from living free and successful lives. After watching the clip, students could compare and contrast Edna Pontellier and Angela, and discuss the similarities and differences of the 19th century character and the 21st character.
In the film, Gemma, a grouchy Italian woman who recently lost her husband, hires Angela, a Romanian woman who left her husband behind in order to make more money in Italy. These foiled characters develop a close bond and end up travelling to Romania where Angela intends to save her failing marriage. Overall, I think the film did a great job portraying the family values of both Italian and Romanian women, and the close bond that can form between two women sharing the same experience. It also effectively showed the general tension between the Romanian and Italian people before Romania entered the European Union.
I think parts of this film would be effective to teach in an English class. I could show certain clips while teaching The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Both the movie and the novel address women's rights issues, and the idea that familial obligations prevent women from living free and successful lives. After watching the clip, students could compare and contrast Edna Pontellier and Angela, and discuss the similarities and differences of the 19th century character and the 21st character.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
You're Leaving a Digital Trail
I have just read the New York Times articles "You're Leaving a Digital Trail. What About Privacy" by John Markoff. This reading is for my multi-modal class, and I am shocked at this tracking system that they have set up at M.I.T.
While college students love to get free stuff, I think that sacrificing one's privacy for a smart phone is a little extreme. According to the article, the students agree that "if misused, collective intelligence tools could create an Orwellian future on a level Big Brother could only dream of" (Markoff). I just keep imagining a Little Brother or 1984 world. How extreme is all this tracking going to get? Is this another Patriot Act in the works?
I think that technology gives us a lot of opportunities to interact with each other and share ideas. But if put in the wrong hands, it can be used to limit our rights and invade our privacy. As a soon-to-be teacher, I know that my privacy will be limited because I will work with children and I will be a government employee. Hopefully, my privacy will not be restricted to the point where people know where I am and what I am doing at all times.
While college students love to get free stuff, I think that sacrificing one's privacy for a smart phone is a little extreme. According to the article, the students agree that "if misused, collective intelligence tools could create an Orwellian future on a level Big Brother could only dream of" (Markoff). I just keep imagining a Little Brother or 1984 world. How extreme is all this tracking going to get? Is this another Patriot Act in the works?
I think that technology gives us a lot of opportunities to interact with each other and share ideas. But if put in the wrong hands, it can be used to limit our rights and invade our privacy. As a soon-to-be teacher, I know that my privacy will be limited because I will work with children and I will be a government employee. Hopefully, my privacy will not be restricted to the point where people know where I am and what I am doing at all times.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Fight Club
This past weekend I saw Fight Club (the movie), starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. I have to say that it rocked my world, and it is now my all-time favorite movie. I particularly liked Edward Norton's acting and the constant plot twists. After watching the movie, I had to read the book, which, thankfully, was at the library. I ended up finishing the book in one day, and, even though the book was excellent, I have to say I liked the movie much better. I hardly ever like a movie better, but this is definitely an exception.
Comparing the book and movie was one thing that I really enjoyed doing while I was reading the book. I think in a YA Literature class, I could potentially have students compare the book and movie in a similar way. Since the movie is directed and produced so well, I believe students could also do a shot by shot analysis to see how a scene delivers a message to its audience. I never thought I might teach a movie in a class, but I think that Fight Club would be an awesome opportunity to get students to look at how movies are made and how they can be compared to books.
In case I might teach Fight Club (the book), by Chuck Palahniuk, I went searching for a potential lesson plan that I might be able to use. I was shocked to find that there were many online lesson plans related to the book. One of the most interesting was a lesson plan titled "Existentialism: Fight Club and The Stranger," which explores how the main character develops his own meaning to life that goes against mainstream societal values. I can see myself teaching this lesson and developing interesting lessons that apply to the standards, but also get students involved with literature.
Comparing the book and movie was one thing that I really enjoyed doing while I was reading the book. I think in a YA Literature class, I could potentially have students compare the book and movie in a similar way. Since the movie is directed and produced so well, I believe students could also do a shot by shot analysis to see how a scene delivers a message to its audience. I never thought I might teach a movie in a class, but I think that Fight Club would be an awesome opportunity to get students to look at how movies are made and how they can be compared to books.
In case I might teach Fight Club (the book), by Chuck Palahniuk, I went searching for a potential lesson plan that I might be able to use. I was shocked to find that there were many online lesson plans related to the book. One of the most interesting was a lesson plan titled "Existentialism: Fight Club and The Stranger," which explores how the main character develops his own meaning to life that goes against mainstream societal values. I can see myself teaching this lesson and developing interesting lessons that apply to the standards, but also get students involved with literature.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Twilight Effect
In my Multi-Modal Literacies class, I read Susan Carpenter's "'Twilight' has a strong Internet connection." The article describes how Twilight's author, Stephenie Meyer, created a strong fan base by keeping a blog. By being responsive and amiable with her online fans through her blog, Meyer established a loyal following that helped spread the word of her now popular book series.
A couple friends have recommended the books to me, so I decided to pick up the first one. I have just started, and I have to say the characters seem interesting and the plot is going somewhere. I can see why people have been going crazy over the whole series. I'm not sure if I will end up falling in love with the books too, but I am going to give it a try!
In addition, my multi-modal class has made me think seriously about possibly teaching a Young Adult Fiction class. So far, I have concentrated solely on classical literature, but I think that most students would enjoy taking a class that focused on "reading for fun." Since most students are not going to have careers in literature anyways, they may as well learn to enjoy reading instead of hating it. I think that the first Twilight book would be great for an Young Adult Fiction class because it is so big right now in pop culture. With both a book and movie, I could make it a strong part of my curriculum. Plus, if I fall in love with the book, I will be able to share my enthusiasm with my students.
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