When we observed the Mr. Ryan’s seventh grade English class, we
learned that they were learning about research so we structured our lesson plan
around that. We took into consideration Freire and other educational
philosophies as well. We wanted to engage and enlighten. We decided that we
would relate research to them and to us, and bring it around to media.
Lesson Plan & Presentation
The objective of our lesson had two parts: “Learn how what you’re
already doing can help you research,” and ”learn how movies shape our opinions,
including what should happen to ‘bad guys’ and why we need to be careful.” We
organized the lesson into the introduction, explanation, and application of
these objectives. We started by finding out what they “know,” i.e. what they liked,
their hobbies and topics of interest. Then we asked how they learned about
those things. YouTube videos, friends, practice, books, and Internet searches
were some of their responses. Then we shared our personal experiences doing
research for our social issues, including watching movies. I included how a
movie I wanted to watch became a primary source for my “Story for Change” and
accompanying annotated bibliography. Mack was able to present his research and
his project. We prompted them to reflect on the message the media was sending
with what happens to the antagonists. They were then able to think about media
they’d consumed and re-write the endings. We asked them to continue to consider
what can be done if they don’t like what they view or read.
Comparison and Reflection
The problem-posing theory recommended by
Freire involves student involvement and teachers learning from the students;
the students also teach. I felt this was done by “tapping into what they
already now, rather than reminding them of what they don’t know.” (Scheibe and
Rogow, p. 70) We learned about their interests and helped them relate it to
research. We pointed out that they’d been researching all along and that it was
actually fun. “Often the deepest insights will occur with media that your
students already use regularly but haven’t thought much about, and students
themselves can be encouraged to bring in examples from the media that they find
intriguing, inspirational, confusing, misleading, or just plain wrong.”
(Scheibe and Rogow, p. 67) We
implemented this by having them do their own story for change. We asked them to choose something where they
didn’t like the ending and remix it. The students were able to explore and
apply what they were learning as encouraged by Dewey in “Democracy of
Education.” What they are learning should not stray too far from real life so
it feels useful and important.
I know they were being prompted to think critically and reflect
because as they were stuck on what story to change, we went around and posed
questions. “The teacher initially provides scaffolding through the use of
questions and follow-up probes for evidence.” (Schiebe and Rogow, p. 64) As we
posed questions about what they had watched or read recently and what they
would have done differently in the story, light bulbs came on and they were
able to develop their ideas.
In our lesson we also tried to apply Freire’s theory of ongoing
learning. “Problem-posing education affirms men and women as beings in the
process of becoming…. It affirms women and men as beings who transcend themselves,
who move forward and look ahead.” (Freire, p. 84) I don’t know if we helped the
students of Mr. Ryan’s transcend themselves, but we did ask them what they
would and could do with what they learned. Some said “re-write endings!” We
also recommended the options including to continue talking about what they’re watching
with their friends and family, to break it down and find the messages implied
by the media, or to produce new stuff of their own. One thing I thought of
applicable to their age group was Facebook posts. If they don’t like what their
friends are posting, they can start discussions in the comments or post and
produce different things, like their stories for change.
“In some approaches to media analysis, the instructor guides
students to a particular interpretation or understanding of the messages. This
approach is commonplace in critical studies, semiotics, and protectionist forms
of media literacy, but, in general, is not the most effective way to help
students develop their own analytical skills.” (Schiebe and Rogow, p. 65) We
could've done better at helping them come to their own conclusions on Mack's
story for change. Although we did well at setting it up on what to look for, it
was almost too guided. The noticed how the bad
guys were treated in each segment, but they did not go beyond that analysis
because we didn't let them. We could have learned more from them if we had
allowed for more of a creative analysis different than our own. In this case,
we followed the "banking education" style, which Freire warns
against, assuming that we had more knowledge than the students. In the future I
want to “help students to analyze and evaluate media messages free from
your judgments” ( Schiebe and Rogow, p. 72) by asking questions that aren't
leading and presenting an example of analysis only after they have offered
theirs.
More on Our Class
“This process of deep reading, including hearing the opinions of
classmates, challenges students to go beyond their initial (and sometimes
superficial) responses or interpretations. And because students are expected to
justify their conclusions with specific, document-based evidence, discussions
tend to be respectful, even as students compare diverse opinions.” (Scheibe and
Rogow, p. 65) I felt that our class assignments facilitated this very well. We
all had lots of opinions, but when they were validated by the readings (whether
it was in our blog posts or class discussions) they became much more
meaningful. I know I always got more out of the movie when I did the reading
ahead of time, and I was able to make more valuable comments after the same
manner.
We were even able to have “civic” involvement as Hobbs recommends
in his chapter on teaching with current events. We researched contemporary
social issues were inspired on ways to change things, and then we were
presented with the opportunity to teach what we’d learn to others in classrooms
across Utah county.
Early on in the semester as we were introducing our big ideas we
addressed the dilemma that sometimes awareness perpetuates the problem. This
was particularly the case with the Abby’s topic on body image, the professor’s
on masculinity and mine on feminism. “Lessons about stereotypes or prejudice
should be approached with sensitivity because by showing examples of negative
stereotypes, you are repeating them, which may reinforce rather than undermine
their power.” (Scheibe and Rogow, p. 73) This even prompted discussion outside
the classroom. As I talked with my teaching group appropriateness of media
clips we were using, one of them said something profoundly obvious. “Sometimes
it depends on your audience.” Even if it’s taught in the right way it depends
on how the audience deals with it. But I believe if media literacy is taught
more often, then people will have the tools necessary to evaluate what they’re
consuming just as we taught the students of Diamond Fork Junior High.
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