I have used SurveyMonkey.com before in other aspects of my life, but it did not occur to me to see it as a potential tool in my classroom until I started thinking about how many times I have heard a teacher say, “Raise your hand if you…,” and it dawned on me that it would be an awesome tool to utilize. If my students have access to a computer either at home or school, which most should these days, then it would be a great way to gain insight into what the students are thinking. I could use it to see what they thought about an assignment or a particular book. I know I like having choices and that is a courtesy I wish to extend to my students, so I could use it to see which assignments they would be more interested in doing for a particular unit. They could use it to gather research for essays or other projects. This website is something that should be used because it is free and fairly simple, so why not let more people know about it? Technology is something that is going to play an even bigger role in the lives of my students than it does in mine today and I need to learn how to take advantage of that. Pre-tests and post tests can be boring, but I think the students would be more responsive to them if it was presented to them in a different format. Another great way to use this site is to simple use it to find out more about the children I will see every day for a year. I could then take that information and incorporate commonalities into lessons or even decorations for the classroom.
I think using something like SurveyMonkey.com will be highly beneficial to me, especially when I first start teaching. It is a quick and simple way to see if the things I am doing in my class are working or if I need to change them in some way. Of course, updates and improvements are necessary in this profession, but I believe this tool would help me gain insight into the problems sooner.
After being presented with the video clip and taking part in the discussion about stereotypes and generalizations, you are now ready to create an informational pamphlet about the creation, repercussion and reasons behind stereotypes. This is meant to not only get you thinking about the implications of stereotypes in various cultures, but also in how it is present in your own world and the effects it has on you personally. This is an individual assignment that is to be completed in Microsoft Publisher or Word.
Task:
Create an informational pamphlet discussing both generalizations and stereotypes. Provide examples of each, as well as examples of counter stereotypes. You MUST choose a specific stereotype to explore and research. Include the group(s) that is specifically targeted, the development of that particular stereotype and the influence it has on people’s view of others.
Some ideas are:
racial
job/career (work status)
gender
age
religion
socioeconomic status
***YOU ARE NOT LIMITED TO THESE IDEAS!!!!***
Timelines:
Monday: Watch video and discuss stereotypes/generalizations both in the clip and those that exist in today’s world. Decide stereotype of focus
Tuesday: Begin research on stereotype and begin creating pamphlet
Wednesday: Classtime to work on pamphlet and ask questions. Finish for homework if needed.
Thursday: Final product is due at the beginning of class.
Resources:
Generalization definition:
“Generalization.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010.Merriam-Webster Online. 13 April
This should be a professional looking piece of literature. Seriously. It should be well researched, creative, neat and have examples. Examine the rubric below to see how you will be graded and plan the assignment accordingly. Please ask if you have questions!!
Evaluation:
Displays clear understanding of the defintions and differences between generalizations and stereotypes _____/25pts.
Provides effective examples backing up reasearch _____/25pts
Provide at least TWO examples of properly documented MLA sources and cite them _____/15pts
Participation in classroom discussion _____/15pts
Overall appearance and layout _____/10 pts
Mechanics, spelling, grammar, etc. (three or fewer mistakes) _____/10pts
Total Points: _______pts./ 100 pts
Behind-the-scenes thinking for teachers
Teaching Context:
10th grade Literature and Composition
Mini research project, introduction to technology and writing informational pieces
Insight into teacher’s thinking:
We selected this video clip because not only is it well known and funny, but it does an excellent job of portraying a wide range of stereotypes that are alive in today’s culture.
The students will be able to differentiate between stereotypes and generalizations, as well as identify examples of each. They will also be getting their feet wet with the research and documentation process, which will serve as a diagnostic tool for us to see where the students stand with these skills. Technology will also be incorporated through their choice of either Publisher or Word, which will allow them to explore not only various computer programs, but also how to create a professional looking product.
We would begin class by asking for what the students think the definitions of both generalizations and stereotypes are. Without confirming or denying their responses, we will show the video to them, after which we will then ask if their ideas about the words have changed.
Some questions used to spark discussion are:
What is a stereotype/generalization?
How are we affected by them?
Do you have personal stereotypes?
What do you believe the basis for stereotypes/generalizations are?
What are some examples present in the video clip?
4. One of the biggest realistic challenges that we could face is access to technology. We may not have a projector or computer lab, or the students may not have access to the computers. The hope is to prevent the students from having to do any of the work at home in case they do not have technology in their household. Another challenge could be not having the time to dedicate to reviewing research methods in class because we would be focusing on the outcome, not the journey. Assuming we are teaching in a diverse classroom, students may become offended by the discussion or the video. The way to deal with/avoid that is to create a safe space and discuss what the video means to the assignment.
GPS Standards
ELA10RL2 The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of theme in literary works and provides evidence from the works to support understanding. The student
Applies knowledge of the concept that the theme or meaning of a selection represents a universal view or comment on life or society and provides support from the text for the identified theme.
ELA10RC3 The student acquires new vocabulary in each content area and uses it correctly. The student
a. Demonstrates an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various subjects.
b. Uses content vocabulary in writing and speaking.
c. Explores understanding of new words found in subject area texts.
ELA10W3 The student uses research and technology to support writing. The student
a. Formulates clear research questions and utilizes appropriate research venues (i.e., library, electronic media, personal interview, survey) to locate and incorporate evidence from primary and secondary sources.
b. Uses supporting evidence from multiple sources to develop the main ideas within the body of a researched essay, a composition, or a technical document.
c. Synthesizes information from multiple sources and identifies complexities and discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found in each medium (i.e., almanacs, microfiche, news sources, in-depth field studies, speeches, journals, technical documents).
d. Integrates quotations and citations into a written text while maintaining the flow of ideas.
e. Uses appropriate conventions for documentation in the text, notes, and bibliographies by adhering to an appropriate style manual such as the Modern Language Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian, American Psychological Association, etc.
f. Designs and publishes documents, using aids such as advanced publishing software and graphic programs.
Memes are interesting to consider becuase they change from person to person becuase everyone has a different sense of humor. The article mentions how various social structures impact which memes are most effective and will be most contagious, which is why one of the more successful memes for people my age would be FML. Not only has the phrase ”eff my life” transcended into everyday language, but it has also been plastered on t-shirts, bags and bumper stickers.
The website, fmylife.com is hilarious and is popular becuase the stories are not only (supposedly) real, but they are so relatable. It is funny when you hear about some awkward moment with your boyfriend’s parents becuase that may be something that has happened to you. People can go on and add whatever story, and then others can comment on them. It not only connects strangers and either makes them feel better or worse about their situation, but it connects friends and family becuase it allows them to share the silly stories with each other. The stories are divided into categories, which helps narrow down focus depending on one’s sense of humor, or you can just randomly search all the stories.
While there are some truly hilarious stories about simple little “whoopsie daisies” that happen to everyone at some point or another, there are also some very hard hitting anecdotes. Some make you thankful for those good people in your life and others make you evaluate your relationships. Even though it is put in the context of humor, finding out your son has an online forum for injecting oxycotin is not a silly ha ha moment. This also translate back to the variance of humor based on cultures becuase some people deal with hard topics by laughing, or at least sharing. While this site can often be inappropraite, it is also a space for people to vent and the idea behind it has caught on, which is evidenced by other sites like My life is Average and Texts from Last Night. There are books being published containing the different stories and texts. If that does not mean it is contagious, I dont know what is.
Clearly these sites are not appropriate for high school students and younger to be writing about and utilizing, but there are other ones out there and using them in an educational setting can be incredibly helpful. Giving students a goal of writing, or just trying to write, the next fad can be extremely appealing. Not only will this get them to write, but it will help them see their work as a part of the pop culture context, which is something many, if not all, teenagers are tuned in to. One of the criteria for a meme according to the article we read in class says that it has to be done with some type of online media. Students, most of them at least, are amazing with online media. It is what they know. Appealing to them with something not only related to pop culture is neat, but doing so through a medium that is not used nearly enough in schools is going to get them excited about the work. Even just getting the students to analyze memes and recognize the power they have on society is an important lesson becuase it allows them to think about the power advertising and other aspects of our world has on their lives.
Neil Postman has a way of writing that is terribly annoying and pretentious. He criticizes our education system, but offers very little in the way of rectifying the problems. That being said, he does make some decent arguments in the way our language is structured and the impact it has on how our children are taught. One point Postman makes is when he talks about going through security at an airport and joking about certain things are prohibited by law. Our legal system prevents jokes. It sounds so funny when phrased that way, but it is true. It makes me think of when I was growing up and my brothers would tease me. If I got mad and told on them, they would say they were “just playing,” but if I didn’t acknowledge it, they would claim they were serious. Even though the words are the same, the power, meaning and actions behind them can vary greatly based on intentions. Postman states that security guards have the “power means to be able to define” what a joke is, just as teachers have the ability to define what misbehavior is or what grade a student’s work is worthy of. The point is that definitions vary person to person and those with higher authority have the power to apply them however they see fit.
Another interesting point that Postman brings up is the idea of technology education. New innovations are being produced every single day, but how quickly are those innovations being introduced to education and incorporated into classrooms? Postman states that “technology may have entered schools, but not technology education,” and I agree with this. Students are more inept with technology than most, but are they ever taught how to properly use it? This goes back to the idea of using Wikipedia as a source and how we evaluate information. Students, according to Postman, know little to nothing about the origins of technology, instead just recognizing that it is here today and was not yesterday. Getting students to understand simple timelines of technology is important because not only will it allow them to appreciate the advancements that have been made during their lifetime, but it will also give them a sense of what the world was like before the new inventions and how technology has completely changed the structure of society around the world.
Finding and appreciating metaphors in literature is not difficult, but it can often be a little trying to just think one up. Postman points out metaphors are not just intended to literature though. All fields use them because they are “an organ of perception” and help people to see and feel ideas. It is near impossible to have not heard at some point that America is a melting pot. This is true because there is a beautiful range of diversity in this country and all the different cultures here create one larger society. The idea of the melting pot however can be used to describe other things as well, one of which being our education system. There are so many ideas, techniques, research methods, teaching and learning styles that it seems almost impossible to find a way to effectively teach a large group of students. Not only is the system a melting pot, but the student body itself, as well that the faculty and staff can be thought of in this way. The issue with the melting pot though is that not all the ideas and cultures have melted together into a greater product. This is what America needs to work on. Not everyone will be pleased, but there has to be a way to improve upon what we have while still maintaining our identities.
Podcasts are something I have heard a lot about but have never explored or done anything with. Richardson makes a convincing case, as with all the technology he talks about, about the great effects it can have in the classroom, but I am quite certain this is something I am not interested in using, at least ones of my own creation. I do feel that a podcast can be powerful if someone like an author of a book that we read in class has one, but I have no desire to create one myself. I like the idea of being able to record a lecture for absent students to listen to later, but I would be concerned that the students would stop coming to class becuase they can just hear it all later. It is a great way to create discussions and use for projects, but this just is not one of my favorite resources.
After exploring several podcasts, I have found myself interested in becoming a regular follower of a few. I did not realize that Anderson Cooper had a podcast. It is often hard to find time to watch the news, but I listen to my IPOD constantly, so it is a great way to access information. I also loved Grammar Girl. I do not like grammar. I dreaded the lessons in school and I dread having to teach them to my students, but this site makes some very confusing rules seem so easy. After spending just a few minutes with Grammar Girl, I am ready to subscribe to this podcast. It has so much info that pertains to my field, so it is not only going to help me, but it is going to help my students as well. When I am a teacher and am trying to teach a grammar lesson, there is a high possibility that my students may not understand what is going on, so bringing someone else into the class to help explain my point can be highly beneficial. The site is also a great resource for everyone just to brush up on their grammar or to actually learn something. I love that you can write in with questions and people respond to them as if it is a blog. This is brilliant because it not only helps people use their personal knowledge to help others, but learning from strangers can be very powerful. English has a ton of rules and exceptions, so the blog posts are also a great way to see some of those things in effect.
The title of Richardson’s sixth chapter, “The Learning Web: Learning Together” pretty much sums up the point of incorporating internet based tools into the classroom. The point of having a discussion in class is to get different viewpoints and ideas from people, which is powerful because what is said challenges students, and the teacher, to think. What is the outcome when that classroom is extended to anyone in the world with internet access? Not only will there be tons more feedback, but they are also from a wider spectrum of people in the world. The diversity in the responses and the people posting them would be insane. As Richardson says, “Learning is a continuous conversation among many participants,” and the internet allows us to not only have those conversations, but also to refer back to them at any point in time. I do not personally use twitter, but I do see how it can be used in a classroom. The power of being able to make a statement in a limited amount of characters is important and it allows students to articulate ideas in a concise fashion. Word choice and the connotations of the words have to be considered for the most effective update, and is that not something teachers are always talking about?
Delicious is one of the great tools available on the web, and the aspect that is super important is that you can access what has been saved or tagged from any computer in the world. The internet is already amazing in that you can find pretty much anything you need on it, but to be able to get back to that information from any location makes knowledge even more readily available. While playing around with this web site, I came across so many interesting sites about everything from how to teaching effectively in an ELL classroom to how to make glass beads. It is great that when you search for one topic, it lists tons of other ones that may interest you, and that can help you find something you did not even realize you were looking for.
My favorite website I looked at by far is the Mabry Middle School page and their amazing video projects. I was only in middle school a few years ago, and it is astounding to see what has been introduced in schools since then. The documentaries about adoption and genetically altered food not only contained a vast amount of information, but it also created a sense of global awareness. The students clearly learned about video editing and the technological aspect of this assignment, but they also clearly demonstrate the effects certain issues have on the world. It makes the classroom bigger, and allows students to see that there is more than their school, or town and even country. I loved that this webpage is so user friendly and clearly designed for both students and parents. What these middle school students were able to create are fantastic and something that I can see a teacher using in the classroom, not just as a project, but also as a teaching/learning tool.
When many of the social networking sites started up, I thought they were silly and a waste of time. Seeing as I have grown up in a digitalized age, I am aware of myspace and facebook, having subscribed or currently still subscribe, to the sites, but neither one was ever incorporated into my classrooms. In fact, my schools went out of their way to ban and block any attempt in getting onto these sites. Back then, I thought it was the administration just trying to take the fun out of life once again, but now I can see the reasoning behind it. Allowing the use of these sites in school does create a vulnerability for students to use it ways which are not conducive to learning. It can also be complicated and confusing, but it does have many benefits. Blogs, wikis and the like can be set up to create discussions and provide feedback on assignments. Group collaboration is taken to an entirely new level, and provided that the students have internet access, assignments can be worked on with or without groups meetings. There is really an endless amount of possibilities in regards to technology and the use of it in a classroom.
The US News and World Reportarticle points out that twitter, facebook, myspace, and all the other sites out there are just another form of literacy, which is why it is important to use them in the classroom, particularly if students are not going to be exposed to these resources at home. Teaching students how to take responsibility for what they post online, regardless if it is in class or for personal use, is important because they need to understand that nothing is really private. Educating students on the available resources is important because it is what their future holds for them. It is better to teach students how to properly use these sites because that creates a greater potential for trouble to arise.
Many teachers use blogs as a way to engage their students in discussions about what is going on in class. There are so many examples of how this technology is being taken advantage of. One I particularly liked though is how students were given the assignment of two blog posts per week about Hamlet, except they were to post as an assigned character. This not only incorporates a tool that many students are familiar with and interested in, but it also gets them to connect the task to the world. The same idea can be used with facebook or myspace, and it is great because it gets the students to really think about that character and the role they play in the text, in relation to both society and the other characters.
There are instances however were this type of technology can be a negative thing in the classroom. If students are allowed to post anything they want, with no monitoring by the teacher, there is potential for the posts to quickly escalate out of control. This is why it is so important to teach students how to use them, or at least make them aware of the tools out there. If privacy settings are not as tight as they should be, that too is another issue that can quickly turn sour. Students need to be provided with a safe space to blog, but they also need to be taught to be responsible for their online selves.
I do think incorporating technology into the classroom is important, but I am not sure I will use an ongoing site like twitter or facebook. I do like the idea of having blogs for different units, as well as using sites like glogster.com, but I do not know if I am ready, or will ever be ready, to have one updated daily. I may find that it is easier to maintain a blog, or I may decide that it is not for me. One way I may use blogs is in regards to the essential questions for the day/week. It would be neat to post that topic and have the students respond with their comments, be it what they liked, did not like or just overall feedback. Either way, I have a responsibility to my students to make things interesting, appealing and worthwhile, which means utilizing some of the things out there on the web.
I feel like there is just so much I could say about The Hunger Games. It was a little slow in the beginning, but once it picked up, I was hooked. Katniss is such a well developed character and I found her very relatable. She seems one way, very cold and tough, but she is still a human who cares deeply for people, such as Prim, Peeta, and Gale. Katniss is a strong, responsible and self-reliant person, but she also has moments where she second guesses herself and is self-conscious, which helped me place her in the world in which I live.
I am not a big fan of books set in the future like this, but I feel that Suzanne Collins did an excellent job making it futuristic, but not overdoing it to the extreme. I think the setting helped created the perfect frame for much of the commentary made about both the media the government. Having it set in the future helped me distance myself from the problems, but also allowed me to relate it back to present day, which makes the novel more meaningful to me.
The way in which the government makes people think that be selected to fight to the death is an honor astounds me. It is interesting to see how different people in various districts feel about the games. Those who are not disillusioned by the glamour see it for what it really is, but those who are conditioned to believe that it is a privilege know of nothing else. This speaks to the how people are raised and the influence that the media can have on their perceptions of events. It is all about control.
One of the questions asked on our agenda asks if Katniss behaves differently in the games because she is aware that she is on live TV. I would say that she absolutely does, just as people do today. The way people act in private, when no one is watching is often very different from how they present themselves in public. Katniss caught on very quick to the fact that kissing Peeta would get her supplies. She knew that their romance would save them. The bigger question is though, is did she actually fall for Peeta, and does he love her in return? Is it just a relationship of convenience or is there something more there? I do think that people may find themselves closer than they would normally because of strange circumstances, which makes me think that maybe their love will end once they get home, but what if that love is strong enough to survive back in District 12? Tragedy and hardships bring people together, which is exemplified by Katniss’ relationships with both Rue and Peeta, but are those bonds broken after the pain fades?
What really kept me reading, and what drives me to read the other books in this series, are the struggles Katniss has to face within herself that are a product of the world she lives in. Katniss is forced to grow up and take responsibilities that someone her age should not be dealing with. She is caught in between the adult world of responsibility and providing for her family, but she is still a teenager. This in between stage, although extreme is this novel, is something that many young people, not just teenagers, feel. They are caught between childhood and adulthood. The Games could be seen as a blessing, because even though it scary and intense, it also allowed Katniss to explore a side of her personality that would have gone unnoticed otherwise. Even though it seems as if the Games just created more problems, there are times when what appear to be problems actually turn out to be something good. I am not supporting the idea of the Games at all, but I am trying to find the silver lining.
After watching this clip, it made me realize how something like this could really happen. War, rebellions and possible loss of power can make the government do crazy things, and after all, those in the government are human too.
After seeing the projects presented by students from last semester, I got really excited about this project. I was very impressed with Heather’s project and the fact that she put that much time into a piece for her class. It inspired me to master the process, and for that reason, I am planning to use powerpoint slides and Movie Maker to complete my project. My topic is going to be about propaganda and the effects it has on individuals, as well as society. I taught a lesson about this in my field experience at a middle school, and even though I liked the way that teacher presented the lesson, I am excited to see what I can do with the same info.
It took me several times reading through the article, The American Experiment, before I was able to fully comprehend what exactly the author is trying to state. I did not particularly enjoy this piece, but I do feel that some valid points are made, just as I found certain aspects that I do not agree with.
I do think that patriotism should be covered in schools, but I think it needs to be done showing all the sides possible. America is a great and wonderful country, but both students and educators need to examine not only what we think of our nation, but how we are viewed in other parts of the world and why. This is a topic that my teachers have often tip-toed around and I never understood why. America emphasizes the pursuit and obtainment of knowledge, so why not explore all avenues for how we came to be the nation we are?
One thing that got me a little fired up was when the author lists documents and books that are considered classics and essential to American culture. I have not read all of these things, but I am aware what they are about and why they were written. I am pretty sure that I would still be as effective as a teacher if I had never had to suffer through the Scarlet Letter. This idea of having a prestigious group of literature has always bothered me because who says that these matter more than others? Is there a rubric or ranking process for books and documents? I understand that things like the Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation are very important to this nation, but I am not about to make my students memorize them. For me, it is more important to place emphasis on the ideas over the actual pieces. That is how the students can relate it back to the world in which they are living and studying.
I do agree when it says that as students move up in education, they “may be introduced to less well known but significant arguments about the meanings of key concepts,” because students should be made aware that there are less famous works that share similar and important ideas with what people consider to be classic literature (133). I believe that we can educate students on the fundamental principles of American ideology without throwing a bunch of memorization their way. This may be a personal preference, but reading something does not have the same impact as discussing it. I remember the discussions about the constitution more than I remember what exactly is said.
Should students be expected to know important literature that has influenced the society we live in today? I think yes, but I also think the way in which it is taught needs to be a more complete picture and presented in a more creative way. It took creativity, or at least thinking outside of the box, for those documents to come into existence, so why would we teach them in a boring manner? Using technology and other mediums for teaching is going to be so important, especially in the future because technology is going to play an even bigger role in their lives than it does ours. On page 140 of the article, it points out that there is literature out there which deals with the dangers of technology, but to me those books create a fear, when novels like Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother show that technology can have positive outcomes. It should not be about fearing technology, but rather understanding it and teaching students how to be responsible with all the tools at their disposal.
I do have “faith in the future,” just as I have faith in the fact that I can teach the basis for our society and country, and also responsibility with technology, without scaring my students or making them believe that America is always sunshine and rainbows (142). There needs to be a well-rounded view of both our nation and the advances that have been made throughout its history.
Cory Doctorow’s novel Little Brother is not only an interesting story in its own right, but it also asks many of the questions that our society should be asking in regards to both the government and technology. Even though I often found it difficult to keep up with the technologic jargon, Doctorow did his best to put some pretty complicated things into plain English. It was difficult for me to see Marcus as just a seventeen year old boy, not because of his skills and knowledge, but just because of the way he was written. I don’t think this took away from the novel, and I do believe that people find him relatable, but I did not feel he fit into the age group of which he is assigned. That could also be commentary on how the times are changing, not just between generations, but even just a few years of age difference.
It is incredible what people can do with computers and other aspects of technology. While I am not sure if this book would be well received as a novel in a high school or middle school classroom, I do think that it makes people consider what is truly going on around them, and how to utilize what is available to them in terms of privacy protection.
One of the most important quotes for me from this book is on page 88 when Marcus is talking about technology and how it made him feel like he had power. He makes several excellent statements in this paragraph, but the one that stuck out the most to me is when he says that “if you used it right, it could give you power and privacy.” The last part of this statement is important, but the part about using something right is what really makes the point. Who is to say when something is being used correctly? The hippies and other protestors of the 1970s thought they were using their constitutional rights correctly, but other people did not agree with them. America felt that dropping the atomic bomb was proper use, but I bet the Japanese in Hiroshima felt differently. Just because one group of people feels that something is being used properly, not everyone else is on the same page.
Another valuable point made by this book is the fact that the government, which is set up to serve and protect, may at times do way more harm than good. It begs the question of when they have the right and/or power to step in and infringe on citizen’s constitutional rights. It also puts our judicial system under the microscope. Should Severe Haircut Lady have gotten off at the end as easily as she did? Does the DHS have the right to put all the surveillance out like they did? I want to know what my students would say to being put under scrutiny like the people, not just the main characters, but everyone in this book were. How would they react to having every single keystroke monitored and the way they walk be tracked as well? There comes a time when rules and protections are actually doing more harm than good, so what do we do about it? At what point is the right to privacy being violated and how flexible should that law be? If you are fighting against the people who are supposed to keep you safe, does that make you a terrorist? The last question in particular is one that Marcus struggled with throughout the entire book, both internally and with others in his life, like with his father and Vanessa and Jolu.
Even though there are some aspects about this book that confused me or that I did not like, I do respect that it takes very complicated, mature and often confusing content and makes young people think about it. I love how it is not all about the terrorist attack, but it includes all aspects of what it is to be a teenager, dealing with everything from peer pressure to fights with parents to relationships with girls/boys. It combines all components into a realistic view of what America’s youth deals with today, and sets up a scenario for the impact technology can and does have on our society.
