High school students learn how to critically read the news!!!

At Concord High School in New Hampshire, ENglish 11 students got a crash course in news media after Al Gore came to visit their school. Gore was misquoted all over the newspapers and news shows from a speech he gave at the school. It was blown way out of proportion by the news media because they wanted to show that Gore "stretches the truth" and they wanted to catch him in lies. By the media manipulating one word in Gore's speech, it looks like he lied! Students were outraged to witness this incident and they collected the evidence for the classroom. They were furious that the media was not displaying the truth. The focus of Gore's speech was how young people--as individuals--can make a difference in society and kids got a clear message about problems of school violence "theme of personal empowerment was inspiring to them" (the students).15 The news media ignored student phone calls trying to correct this issue. They didn't listen until a teacher called an editor at the NYTimes and Bob SOmersby of Internet media Watchdog site, The Daily Howler, and finally a correction came out in the Washington Post about this incident. WHat the students learned from this was monumental. They learned that they need to "strive to be skeptical, not cynical" and "they need to read alot of sources and stay on top of things when watching the media".

In sum, researchers found that "content of curriculum, high educational expectations, and classroom climate where students are encouraged to actively participate by expressing their opinions are important factors in building a sense of political efficacy." Political efficacy is defined as a citizen's faith and trust in government and their own belief that they can understand and influence political affairs.

After reading this chapter six in Renee Hobbs book, it makes me want to go out to Concord High School even more now and observe their media literacy classrooms. I am in awe of what the English 11 classes are actively engaged with their community and the world at large and it is clearly empowering their students. THey are realizing that they can make a difference in the world and they are learning to look at all media with a critical eye.

This is an awesome music video!!!!

sit down and relax because it is like 7 minutes long =)

Inspiration

It's a new software program that teachers can use in the classroom with students to help them visualize ideas, concepts, and relationships of what they are learning from their reading. It also helps them organize ideas and research when doing projects.

Students can create graphic organizers to analyze and evaluate information and brainstorm through a tool called Rapidfire. They can search symbol collections to find images to represent any concept and insert and play multimedia files.

teachers can download for a free 30-day trial. I didn't do it yet, but I probably should do it to test it out further because the website so far just gives you a superficial summary of it and how it is used.

to be continued in the following edition.....

Holy toledo!!!

I just created a website in like 5 minutes...it was that easy!!! it is comparable to creating a myspace account, seriously. Teens can do this themselves!! I still have alot of work to do in regards to design, management, and pages to insert and tweaking that front page. But this is all I'm doing for today, I think I did pretty good! Take a look http://www.freewebs.com/writersedge/index.htm

Don't forget to sign my guest book too. I love visitors!!! hehehe....and feel free to shoot out any ideas my way for suggestions on how I can make it better, what other extra pages I should add and so on... Thanks for peeking!!

Personal goals

One of my dreams ever since i was a little girl was to go horseback riding, or take lessons--and of course to have a pony...but now I want to at least take some horseback riding lessons. and every year when the weather gets warmer like this, blue skies and lots of sunshine, it makes me think of that dream. I need to really make that dream of mine come true finally, after all i am 34 years old now. so I'm going to make a deadline: By the end of this summer of 2007 before I start my student teaching and thus the beginning of my busy teaching career, i would like to take a few lessons in horseback riding.

If anyone knows of any good farms around here that would be a good place to do it at and you are reading this, will you let me know? and any suggestions would be great or if you want to do it with me...the more the merrier!!

Thanks!

New Literacies in Action

Okay, I just finished reading chapter one "from Polytcychs to IM..." and my only question is Where is the rest of the book? I want to read about the actual classrooms that the author researched--the examples of how they integrate and weave the "new literacies" together as a whole curriculum and not just one unit. I felt like this chapter was just an introduction to the meat of it all. I want to read about the classrooms--these new literacies in action as the author states in the title. Bring on the next 6 chapters, Karen!!

Savanna

She's not just a pretty face
I admire her....
leadership and drive to succeed
dedication to world causes
ready smile just for you
nonjudgmental, easy-going manner
passion for teaching
striving to learn as much as she can

She's not just a pretty face
She experiences new things and pushes headlong for her dreams
She's a goal-setter, trendsetter, thrill seeker
dare I say fearless?
If she has any fears, she doesn't show it
She's confident and self-assured
inquisitive and open-minded

A genuine soul with a pure heart.

Barb's teachings

Barb taught me how to change the colors of the print in my blog. I learned that I can change the font, size, and colors of my blog titles....I was able to change the font of the sidebar titles. I know it seems really simple, and it was too, but it was something I didnt know how to do before and now I can confidently apply it on my own. Thank you, Barb, for helping to give my world some color.

WOW....video streaming....

That sounds really cool about the SAFARI montage program at the Baltimore school district. THis is an excellent way to instill media literacy into the entire school system...analyzing media at younger ages can really help to teach critical thinking skills to the children of our future. THis is exactly what they need because right now they are being bombarded with images and whether we admit it or not, they are having an effect on us. THe more we are aware of these subtle effects, the better off we will be able to handle them.

Virginia Tech tragedy

The gunman used this weapon he purchased for only $570. Watch the video to see how easy it is to use, reload and sadly kill 33 people and injure several more =(

sexualization of girls

I am writing a feature article on this topic because I believe this is happening to our girls at a rapid rate. I see it with my cousin who is 15 now and she is incredibly more sexualized than I was even at the age of 20. It's sad and I really think the media is to blame (visual media and music lyrics) and access to media has become omnipresent in the 21st century. A report in the APA found evidence that "the proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls' self-image and healthy development"
The APA says that "schools should teach media literacy skills to all students and should include information on the negative effects of the sexualization of girls in media literacy and sex education programs". Dr. Zurbriggen says "as a society, we need to replace all of these sexualized images with ones showing girls in positive settings--ones that show the uniqueness and competence of girls" But instead it seems like it is more important for girls to be hot than to be smart.

Teenvoices.com (haunting poem)

Masks
(Anonymous)

I carry a paint set
wherever I go
to make a mask that covers up the scars
of who I really am

My world is full of lies
a play which only I see
please be patient, my dear reader,
as I rip off one mask at a time
to show you the real me

A mask for friends
so I'll be what they want
strong not weak
outgoing not scared

Another is for kids at school
to be what they expect
morbid not preppy
disturbed not sane

A family mask
which I must mutate
day by day
respect not hate
love not argue
hide when the tears fall

A mask for the enemy
I hide from all but thee
for I have shown you
a glimpse of the real me

Now the last painful mask of all
the mask I show to only me
I tell myself
I like who I am now
and what I've become

Behind all the masks
is a terrified teen
who just wants to fit in
to be liked by most
and forgiven by her enemies

Reading Renee Hobbs' book Media Literacy is very interesting and I must admit I am learning alot! the definition of media literacy according to her reflects the "acknoledged task of schools to assist the young in interpreting the symbols of their culture". Media texts are the center of our cultural world because everyone watches TV and movies and plays in the internet.

Replacing the classic literature texts or analyzing them next to concepts that students see in the media every day--this helps students apply the critical thinking skills to their OWN culture and they learn best when engaged and motivated. Students are highly motivated by pop culture. AN article in the latest Alan Review says that "young people absorb each new technology effortlessly....cyberspace is their habitat, and if we in older generations don't join them there, we will be superfluous. Discounted. Quite literally out of it." The author says that "we must accept that exploring a Web page or a blog IS reading, blogging or posting comments IS writing, and chatting and instant messaging ARE reading and writing....IF we teach safe conduct online, cyberspace offers astounding opportunities for creativity, learning, and development."

This leads me to a wonderful field trip my technology in the classroom took last WEdndesday. It was amazing to actually see this media literacy program at work and succeeding too. Chris Sperry, the instructor at this wonderful alternative school in Ithaca, NY, is teaching media literacy to high school students and it works great no matter what level people are at. The program is called Project Look Sharp and it is looking at literacy in a different form than classic texts. Kids are bored by all the teaching of literary elements, but when you teach them in relation to movies or video games, kids can come alive and start to think about these techniques like characterization, theme, and flashback. Their attitude changes and suddenly they are thinking critically and enjoying it because they are engaged in something that they can wrap their minds around: tv, movies, video games, the Web.

Kids need to learn who is feeding us all this information and what is the motive behind media. We, as a nation, are consuming media at a rapid pace and so what we need is to learn how to decipher fact from fiction, who is trying to sell us something, and who is being genuine. WIth the world wide web, the gates or walls as Friedman says have come crashing down, in regard to where info is coming from and who is hosting what.

So let's help our future generation learn to deconstruct what is coming at us from all angles and teach them how to think critically in the world we live in. It is the most essential thing they will need to take with them when they leave school and what they will use the most in their life: their minds.