1. Positive scene from childhood-
One event from my childhood that really stands out as being exceptionally memorable is the first time I visited Washington, D. C. My family didn't have a lot of money, and we didn't take many trips or vacations. So when I was tested for the gifted program when I was in 3rd grade, and then found out that the gifted class would be taking a trip to our nation's capitol toward the end of the school year, I was ecstatic. I loved history from an early age. One of my favorite pastimes was reading through my collection of flash cards and books all about American presidents and other notable figures, wars and battles, famous historical sights and landmarks. There wasn't any place in the country I would have rather visited as a 9-year-old than Washington, D. C. (except maybe Disney World). It was an amazing trip. I saw the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the U. S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery (I even got to witness the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), and the list goes on. I have been back to the District of Columbia 3 more times since my first trip, but none was as memorable as seeing those sights for the first time.
2. Negative scene from childhood-
When I was 6 years old, my mom was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. It happened while she was on her way to work on a Tuesday morning. Luckily there were no other people involved in the accident, other than my mother and the drunk driver who hit her head-on. As far as I know, he was not injured. I don't remember the court proceedings, but I've been told that he received the lightest sentence, which was a $25,000 fine. My sister, brother, and I received money in stipends on our 18th-21st birthdays. This event had a significant impact on my life for the obvious reasons; Because of this tragic accident, my siblings and I had to grow up without our mother. But I believe it also affected my life in other ways. When I was in high school and my friends started experimenting with alcohol, I wanted no part of it. I had seen the way it could destroy lives. This experience helped me to be stronger than the peer pressure I faced.
3. Event from teenage years-
When I was 14 years old, my dad was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. I watched him suffer through aggressive chemotherapy treatments, plasma transfusions, and surgery to remove his right hip bone. It was a life-changing experience for me to see my father, who had always been the picture of strength and toughness in my eyes, have moments of weakness and vulnerability. Through it all, though, I never lost faith that my dad would win his battle with cancer. After the surgery to remove his hip, the cancer was gone, and his scans have all been clear for the last 10 years.
4. Important memory from adult years-
I feel that there's nothing that has occurred in my life, and especially my adult years, that has had a more significant impact than the birth of my son, Connor. My 9 lb., 1 oz. baby boy was born on January 9, 2014. Having a child changed my life in many ways. My sole focus has turned from myself to my son, and bettering my life so that he can have as many opportunities as possible.
5. Turning point-
As a high school graduate I thought I had everything figured out. School always came easily to me and I never really had to try very hard or study. I expected college to be the same way, but I was sadly mistaken. I was unprepared for what I would face as a college freshman, and for the first time in my life I found myself doing poorly in school. There came a time when I was considering dropping out, but what kept me from doing so was the reminder that the only thing I had ever wanted to do with my life and my future was become a teacher. I wanted that more than anything else. I knew that to achieve that goal, I had to figure out how to succeed in college; there was no other option. From that point on, I became a completely different student. I had to repeat my entire freshman year, but I persevered and graduated with my B.A. in secondary education in December 2013.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Chapter 8: What In The World: Teaching With Current Events
Sarah Stuteville's TED Ed video was very motivating. There's something inspirational about throwing caution to the wind and chasing your dreams, even if (or maybe especially if) that takes you to the most remote corners of the world, facing imminent and very real danger. But my favorite thing about the Common Language Project is that they are telling the stories of those who otherwise wouldn't have a voice or a platform from which to share their testimonies.
What is newsworthy? News is not cut and dry. News can be anything that informs people of an event in a way that grabs and holds the attention of the reader or viewer. According to Chapter 8 in the course text, news has many purposes--to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Stories that make a difference are newsworthy.
As teachers, it is our job to instill in our students a love of stories, regardless of the content area we may find ourselves teaching. Literature and storytelling encompasses all subjects and disciplines. It is also important for us to teach our students that the most important story they will ever tell is their own. I believe this is especially pertinent where we live and teach. In an area like Appalachia, where students may feel underappreciated and at times forgotten by the rest of the world, it can be empowering for them to understand that they have important stories to share. Student motivation is always highest when the student is personally invested in the assignment, and nothing is more personal than a student telling the story of his or her origins or first-hand experiences. There is also nothing more powerful.
Sharing stories is an excellent way for students to be immersed in authentic learning as well as place-based learning. Projects like the digital storytelling project we completed this semester not only connect the world of education with real-world issues, but also with the area where the storyteller grew up, which often serves as the setting for the story.
What is newsworthy? News is not cut and dry. News can be anything that informs people of an event in a way that grabs and holds the attention of the reader or viewer. According to Chapter 8 in the course text, news has many purposes--to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Stories that make a difference are newsworthy.
As teachers, it is our job to instill in our students a love of stories, regardless of the content area we may find ourselves teaching. Literature and storytelling encompasses all subjects and disciplines. It is also important for us to teach our students that the most important story they will ever tell is their own. I believe this is especially pertinent where we live and teach. In an area like Appalachia, where students may feel underappreciated and at times forgotten by the rest of the world, it can be empowering for them to understand that they have important stories to share. Student motivation is always highest when the student is personally invested in the assignment, and nothing is more personal than a student telling the story of his or her origins or first-hand experiences. There is also nothing more powerful.
Sharing stories is an excellent way for students to be immersed in authentic learning as well as place-based learning. Projects like the digital storytelling project we completed this semester not only connect the world of education with real-world issues, but also with the area where the storyteller grew up, which often serves as the setting for the story.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
The Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling
The five digital stories I viewed were-
"Resaved"
"The Good Fight"
"Roots"
"My Champion"
"Distance"
"Resaved" by Marie Lovejoy is my favorite of the digital stories I watched. It is a story of newfound independence by a young woman, who in turn misses being able to be dependent on her father after he is no longer there. It is told in first person, from the narrator, Marie's, perspective.
"Shortly after college, I drained my meager bank account to purchase a 1974 three-quarter ton, long-bed Chevy pick-up." This is the dramatic question. It draws you in and makes you want to know more. Why did she need a pick-up truck? Where was she going, what was she taking with her?
This digital story hit me hard with "all the feels". I did not expect to cry while watching any of these videos, but nevertheless I found myself with eyes full of tears by the end. It is an emotional tale of naivety combined with the fierce desire for independence; doubt from her parents, but unwavering support when she needed it most; and the kind of overwhelming, heart-wrenching sadness that can only come from the regret of not being able to say goodbye one last time.
Marie tells her story exceptionally well. She has great voice control, and her pacing is spot on. She enunciates her words in a way that adds drama and intrigue to her story, and accentuates the emotion her story carries. Her voice flows nicely with the tempo of the music and with the images presented to create a cohesive finished product.
I believe the music Marie selected, which is a folksy tune incorporating guitar and harmonica, definitely adds to the story. It is dramatic at times, which adds effect, but subdued when necessary to complement her voice as opposed to serving as a distraction.
The most powerful part of the story for me is when the screen fades to black, and there is approximately 6 seconds of silence before Marie's voicemail message from her father begins to play. It adds suspense, and the line that Marie utters just before the pause, "And I had only two things to say", leaves you on a cliffhanger that is never resolved. We never do find out exactly what those two things were that Marie longed to say to her father. We can only use context clues from the story to draw our own conclusions.
"Resaved"
"The Good Fight"
"Roots"
"My Champion"
"Distance"
"Resaved" by Marie Lovejoy is my favorite of the digital stories I watched. It is a story of newfound independence by a young woman, who in turn misses being able to be dependent on her father after he is no longer there. It is told in first person, from the narrator, Marie's, perspective.
"Shortly after college, I drained my meager bank account to purchase a 1974 three-quarter ton, long-bed Chevy pick-up." This is the dramatic question. It draws you in and makes you want to know more. Why did she need a pick-up truck? Where was she going, what was she taking with her?
This digital story hit me hard with "all the feels". I did not expect to cry while watching any of these videos, but nevertheless I found myself with eyes full of tears by the end. It is an emotional tale of naivety combined with the fierce desire for independence; doubt from her parents, but unwavering support when she needed it most; and the kind of overwhelming, heart-wrenching sadness that can only come from the regret of not being able to say goodbye one last time.
Marie tells her story exceptionally well. She has great voice control, and her pacing is spot on. She enunciates her words in a way that adds drama and intrigue to her story, and accentuates the emotion her story carries. Her voice flows nicely with the tempo of the music and with the images presented to create a cohesive finished product.
I believe the music Marie selected, which is a folksy tune incorporating guitar and harmonica, definitely adds to the story. It is dramatic at times, which adds effect, but subdued when necessary to complement her voice as opposed to serving as a distraction.
The most powerful part of the story for me is when the screen fades to black, and there is approximately 6 seconds of silence before Marie's voicemail message from her father begins to play. It adds suspense, and the line that Marie utters just before the pause, "And I had only two things to say", leaves you on a cliffhanger that is never resolved. We never do find out exactly what those two things were that Marie longed to say to her father. We can only use context clues from the story to draw our own conclusions.
Monday, October 19, 2015
The Danger of a Single Story / Chapter 6: Reflect: Protection and Empowerment
Reading #1
Three things I learned about storytelling are-
1. It's important to be honest. People will be able to tell if you are fabricating pieces of your story.
2. Stories transcend cultures.
3. The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue; it's that they are incomplete.
But the most important thing I learned is that a single story can shape our entire view of a place or culture. Instead we should try to immerse ourselves in a culture before forming opinions.
Reading #2
"Next year, there will be a new outrageous fashion fad, sure to attract peer attention, creating new must-have items and generating shock and anxiety among parents, teachers, and members of the community."
- When I read this statement initially, it came across as a campaign slogan for supporters of school uniforms. After all, requiring students to wear identical uniforms would solve all the issues presented in this passage.
"Familiarity breeds liking. There's a kind of pleasure that we experience when familiar brands and products show up in popular media. Teens have pleasurable associations about the many different brands in their lives. The average 10-year-old has memorized the names of 300-400 brands."
- The statistics prove that advertising reaches and affects even the youngest of viewers. Buying and owning the most popular brands, even when it comes to seemingly small items such as snacks and drinks, appeals to the desire people have to fit in and be accepted.
"There's nothing persuasive or coercive about digital and media literacy education--except in one regard: We valorize the importance of questioning assumptions, asking questions, and reflecting on one's own process of interpretation."
- When it comes to critical media literacy, the desired outcome is not that everyone come to the same conclusion. On the contrary, viewers of media may view the same image, ad, or video very differently. The most important thing is that every individual learns to be more inquisitive and more aware of what they are digesting as media consumers.
Friday, October 16, 2015
The Power of Storytelling
I watched the following 5 Reel Works videos-
"A Girl Like Me" by Kiri Davis
• I chose this video because the description drew me in, and I felt the topic would be of interest to me. The line "...and realizes little has changed since the Civil War era" was striking, and I couldn't wait to watch the video after that.
"Invisible Poverty" by Cleeford Cedant
• The title intrigued me and made me curious. Upon reading the description, I discovered that I have similar feelings regarding helping the impoverished people living in our country.
"Double Standard" by Tibian Ahmed
• As someone who loves history, I have always been hyperaware of the fact that we were living and present during one of the most horrific tragedies America has ever faced, the September 11 terrorist attacks, a series of events that would (and will) become a very important part of our history. Because of this, I have always felt a connection to the victims of these attacks. I must admit, though, I've never considered that there were other victims of these events than those who lost their lives and their family members. The title and description of this video caused me to rethink that.
"Run" by Joey
• When I think of eating disorders, I typically associate them with women. I was interested to hear about one from a male's perspective.
"Swinging for the Fences" by Joey Schweitzer
• I love stories about sports and personal discovery, so I felt this would be right up my alley.
The story I connected with the most was "A Girl Like Me". Once I began watching the video, I realized that I have seen it before (in one of Dr. Lindstrom's classes, I believe). It was still just as powerful the second time, however. I like that the girls being interviewed aren't afraid to be candid in approaching topics that are surely a little uncomfortable for them to talk about. It shows courage and strength for girls so young to be so outspoken about racial issues such as hair style and color, skin color, and overall beauty, but also about deeper issues such as heritage and how they were so desperate to know more about theirs, while others only seemed to want them to hide it away. From this story, I learned that there are children who feel that the way they look is "wrong"--and it's not something as trivial as not having the coolest new shoes or brand name clothes. It goes so much deeper. I was shocked and saddened almost to the point of tears as I watched the young girl select the white doll when asked which one was good, and the black doll when asked which was bad. Then, when the interviewer asked her which one looked more like her, my heart wrenched as I watched her uncomfortably shift, ponder, and hesitate before finally, slowly, reluctantly selecting the black doll she had labelled "bad" only seconds before. This story showed me that digital storytelling can be a powerful way for young people, young women in this case, to build self esteem and to raise awareness of social issues and stereotypes. These young ladies set out to prove that some stereotypes are so strong, even the people being stereotyped start to believe these things about themselves; but with strength and courage you can rise up, and prove that the stereotypes portrayed in mainstream media have no substance or truth to them at all. This story definitely showed that these young women are interested and actively engaged in learning more about their own heritage. It was painful to hear them describe what it's like to not know anything more about where they came from than the broadest description of a continent half a world away. It's inspiring though that they are so passionate and invested in learning more about their culture. I believe this certainly supports a healthy respect for diversity in our country.
"A Girl Like Me" by Kiri Davis
• I chose this video because the description drew me in, and I felt the topic would be of interest to me. The line "...and realizes little has changed since the Civil War era" was striking, and I couldn't wait to watch the video after that.
"Invisible Poverty" by Cleeford Cedant
• The title intrigued me and made me curious. Upon reading the description, I discovered that I have similar feelings regarding helping the impoverished people living in our country.
"Double Standard" by Tibian Ahmed
• As someone who loves history, I have always been hyperaware of the fact that we were living and present during one of the most horrific tragedies America has ever faced, the September 11 terrorist attacks, a series of events that would (and will) become a very important part of our history. Because of this, I have always felt a connection to the victims of these attacks. I must admit, though, I've never considered that there were other victims of these events than those who lost their lives and their family members. The title and description of this video caused me to rethink that.
"Run" by Joey
• When I think of eating disorders, I typically associate them with women. I was interested to hear about one from a male's perspective.
"Swinging for the Fences" by Joey Schweitzer
• I love stories about sports and personal discovery, so I felt this would be right up my alley.
The story I connected with the most was "A Girl Like Me". Once I began watching the video, I realized that I have seen it before (in one of Dr. Lindstrom's classes, I believe). It was still just as powerful the second time, however. I like that the girls being interviewed aren't afraid to be candid in approaching topics that are surely a little uncomfortable for them to talk about. It shows courage and strength for girls so young to be so outspoken about racial issues such as hair style and color, skin color, and overall beauty, but also about deeper issues such as heritage and how they were so desperate to know more about theirs, while others only seemed to want them to hide it away. From this story, I learned that there are children who feel that the way they look is "wrong"--and it's not something as trivial as not having the coolest new shoes or brand name clothes. It goes so much deeper. I was shocked and saddened almost to the point of tears as I watched the young girl select the white doll when asked which one was good, and the black doll when asked which was bad. Then, when the interviewer asked her which one looked more like her, my heart wrenched as I watched her uncomfortably shift, ponder, and hesitate before finally, slowly, reluctantly selecting the black doll she had labelled "bad" only seconds before. This story showed me that digital storytelling can be a powerful way for young people, young women in this case, to build self esteem and to raise awareness of social issues and stereotypes. These young ladies set out to prove that some stereotypes are so strong, even the people being stereotyped start to believe these things about themselves; but with strength and courage you can rise up, and prove that the stereotypes portrayed in mainstream media have no substance or truth to them at all. This story definitely showed that these young women are interested and actively engaged in learning more about their own heritage. It was painful to hear them describe what it's like to not know anything more about where they came from than the broadest description of a continent half a world away. It's inspiring though that they are so passionate and invested in learning more about their culture. I believe this certainly supports a healthy respect for diversity in our country.
Monday, October 12, 2015
What Makes a Good Story? / Chapter 5: Composing Across Media
Reading #1
Three things I learned about storytelling are-
1. You have to know your punch line.
2. You have to know your ending.
3. A good story can "cross the barriers of time--past, present, and future".
But the most important thing I learned is that stories bring people together, and allow them to see similarities between them where they may have not thought there could be any.
"What Makes A Good Story?" NPR. 7 June 2013. Web. 9 Oct. 2015.
Reading #2
"Whitehead warned educators about the danger of inert ideas, ideas that are merely received into the mind without being utilized, or tested, or thrown into fresh combinations. He noticed that when romance has been fully activated, ideas come alive for the learner because they are relevant and because the learner can engage with them."
This quote from the passage struck a chord with me because it's something I'm encountering on a daily basis in my current teaching position. As an art teacher, I have many students who are interested in art, and therefore are eager to begin working and diligently complete their projects. You would never know based on their efforts in my class that they are failing, or at the very least doing poorly, in nearly every other class. On the other hand, I have at least one student every day who tells me that he or she will never use art in their everyday lives, and asks instead to go to work on welding or computer programming or something of the like. If only these students could have that same activation of romance in all their classes as they do in their favorite subjects. As teachers, it is our job to try to activate that romance in all of our students, to the best of our ability.
Three things I learned about storytelling are-
1. You have to know your punch line.
2. You have to know your ending.
3. A good story can "cross the barriers of time--past, present, and future".
But the most important thing I learned is that stories bring people together, and allow them to see similarities between them where they may have not thought there could be any.
"What Makes A Good Story?" NPR. 7 June 2013. Web. 9 Oct. 2015.
Reading #2
"Whitehead warned educators about the danger of inert ideas, ideas that are merely received into the mind without being utilized, or tested, or thrown into fresh combinations. He noticed that when romance has been fully activated, ideas come alive for the learner because they are relevant and because the learner can engage with them."
This quote from the passage struck a chord with me because it's something I'm encountering on a daily basis in my current teaching position. As an art teacher, I have many students who are interested in art, and therefore are eager to begin working and diligently complete their projects. You would never know based on their efforts in my class that they are failing, or at the very least doing poorly, in nearly every other class. On the other hand, I have at least one student every day who tells me that he or she will never use art in their everyday lives, and asks instead to go to work on welding or computer programming or something of the like. If only these students could have that same activation of romance in all their classes as they do in their favorite subjects. As teachers, it is our job to try to activate that romance in all of our students, to the best of our ability.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Media Literacy PSA
I chose this topic because I feel that it is extremely important in the "cyber society" we live in today. I currently teach in a high school, and I see daily how important social media and their online lives are to teenagers. It's imperative that they're being taught to behave safely and appropriately when using social networking platforms. I believe I have created a meaningful finished product that uses persuasive techniques such as emotional appeals to draw in parents and teachers, and make them want to know more about how they can help teens navigate an online world that can be scary at times.
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