Conjunction Junction

Digital Literacies

2007-03-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

This week's readings focused on digital literacies in the classroom. Accoding to Beach, educators must teach digital literacy as an issue of equal access in public education. Because some students do not have personal computers or internet access, it is up to educators to close the gap between the technological haves and have-nots.

While this, and other reasons present a compelling arguement for teaching digital literacy in the classroom, I still have trouble seeing its relevancy in the face of low literacy rates and other reading and writing issues facing young people. One arguement that has been made is that by teaching digital litereacy, English Language Arts teachers can improve literacy rates and improve student writing skills. However, in my own experience, allowing students to use instand messaging, and other technology in the classroom did not mean that their skills would improve. In fact, the added technology showed itself to be more of a distraction than an instructional tool. Further, teaching digital literacy may decrease the ownership and access gap in some school disctircts. But at Minneapolis South High School, where I am doing my student teaching, the only technology in my classroom is one computer at the teacher's desk. To say that public schools all have equal access is simply untrue.

One website that I have found to be very helpful when thinking about issues of digital literacy is www.teachingmedialiteracy.pbwiki.com. This site was created in conjunction with Beach's latest book, and is a place for educators to post and access ideas for the classroom. Rather than start a digital literacy unit from scratch, there are some great ideas that others have posted, and used in their classrooms.

Whole Lotta Whole Language

2007-02-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

As I was reading this week's chapter in Williams on grammar, I had to remind myself how little I really know about grammar. I grew up in the era of Whole Language. The idea is that by surrounding me with texts and correct grammar, I would just pick it up. I didn't need direct instruction because I would see and hear the correct grammar and model my speech and writing after that.

While this was a good plan in helping me write and speak, I have to admit, I've got a lot of brushing up to do before I can teach it. This is because I never learned the rules and terminology that are behind the texts I was surrounded with. So when I read or listen, I am often able to identify the errors in grammar, and offer a solution. However, I cannot say why something is wrong, or why it needs to be fixed.

As a teacher, I would like to be intentional about what I am teaching students. Although I do not agree with the idea of teaching grammar out of context, I do think that my students and I should have a common language to discuss their work, and we should be able to help each other fine tune our writing. Also, I would like to teach them to be intention about their work. If they choose to write in a certain way, or to play with conventions in their writing, I would like them to explain what they have done, and their reasoning behind it. Rather than floating in a sea of Whole Language, I would like them to know their options and make informed choices as writers.

For a resource link I have found a site www.teachingenglish.org/uk. I know that British Pronunciation and American English are two different things. But in the UK they are dealing with some of the same issues we have talked about in class. What is standard, how are students labeled by the language they speak, and how much grammar do we have to teach, anyway? This site offers some insights into those questions, as well as some practical lessons and ideas to bring into the classroom. It's published by BBC online, so it's also credible!

What's in a grade

2007-02-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

After finishing the reading for class this week, only one thing seems certain: there are a million different ways to assess writing. Like so many things in education, there is no magic formula that will work for all teachers in all situations. Through experience I'll have to begin to make my own decisions about assessing writing. That being said, there are a few things I'll take with me into the classroom.

First and foremost, I think teachers must remember to grade with compassion. As Samantha in Spandel pointed out, for many students just putting something on paper is a truimph. If I, as a teacher, lose sight of the fact that writing is a personal and nerve wracking process, I am doing my students a real disservice. Also, a teacher who reads with compassion will look for the good in student work. Rather than spend all my energy on finding the mistakes in student work, I think it's just as important to really look for the good in a paper. Praise and encouragement are an integral part of assessment, and should not be allowed to fall by the wayside when one focuses on student writing.

Secondly, I will grade for the process of writing, not just the final product. Drafts, peer-editing, revision, they should all count toward the grade of the piece. This helps students to understand that every step of the writing process is important, not just the final draft. Also, it can alleviate some student anxiety if the final paper is not the entire grade for the assignment.

I know that almost everyone has this link already, but it's so good I had to put it into my blog, www.readwritething.org. They've got a lot of great stuff for teachers, and it's a site for all ages, elementary through high school. Also, they have links to other important sites, like NCTE. All in all, it's a very useful site that everyone should check out.

I'm gonna be a supermodel

2007-02-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

This weeks were all about the importance of modeling. If we want students to behave in a certain way or perform a certain task, we've got to show them how it's done.

In Spandel's chapter on the right to see other's writing, it was interesting to think about just writing in front of my students. Looking back on my schooling, I rarely, if ever saw teachers write. When the class was given writing time, the teacher would often sit at their desk, grading papers or doing other work.

I think that it would be helpful for students to see me and other teachers in the act of writing. Everyone has their own style and preferences when it comes to writing. By sharing my personal preferences, like writing in a comfy chair, not at a desk, I can help students begin to think about how they like to write. Further, students can see that most of what I write on the first try is really bad, and I, too, need revising. I like the idea of having students revise one of my pieces or writing, lord knows I can use all the help I can get. By showing students that I'm not perfect, but I have some tricks up my sleeve to help me become a better writer, I can take some of the pressure off of them.

One website I found this week, when I was looking for ideas about revision was a website called teach-nology.com. It has a lot of activities to help students with writing and revising their work. It also provides teachers with some good ideas for assignments and writing prompts. It looks like a great site to use when planning a unit, or in a pinch and looking for something to use for the day. Check it out!

Five Paragraph Form

2007-02-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Oh, the five paragraph form. I just have one question, if it's so bad, why is everyone still teaching it? There must be some merit to this form, or people would have ditched it long ago.

I see where criticism of the form is coming from. It is formulaic and often boring to read and write. However, it is not without its place in the writing classroom. There are times when the FPF is exactly what the reader need to quickly and easily gather information and ideas from the piece of writing. Basic writing tests and college entrance essays are examples of situations when a well planned five paragraph essay fits the bill.

The trouble with the FPF is when it is taught as the only form. Rather, educators should look at the FPF as one of many choices writers have in their bag of tricks. Teachers should ask their students to consider the purpose and audience of a piece before they begin writing. Once these have been determined, students should think about what form will best fit the needs of the reader and the purpose of the piece. Thus, the FPF should not be an end-all be-all, but one of many options students have when writing.

I am beginning work on a Shakespeare unit and have found the BBC website to be a fun and interesting place to search for information. There are photos, plot summaries and many other ideas that can be used in my classroom. It has many options to keep students active and engaged in the lesson, and how to make the play seem relevant to their lives. It's bbconline.com and it's great!

Narrative Knowing

2007-01-31T16:59:00.000-08:00

Romano uses the term "narrative knowing" in his text about creating multi-genre presentations. I thought that this brought up an interesting point, and helped frame the argument for the use of multi-genre in the English Language Arts classroom.

Although expository writing is a necessary skill, and a very useful tool, it does not say everything for everyone. I think that this is where narrative knowing comes in. There are students who can read and understand an encyclopedia entry about a topic. And then there are the students for whom there must be a personal story or connection in order for the information to have meaning for them. In this situation, these students need some other way to obtain the information. A multi-genre project can fill a void that previously existed in the classroom for these students. Also, it can help the lovers of the straight-forward to stretch and try on a few new things. I am very interested in the idea of narrative knowing, and how that can help students, and teacher, in the classroom.

One resource I have come across this week is the homework helper at the Minneapolis Public Library's website. The address is www.mplib.org/homeworkhelper.asp. This site is a great resource for students to use when they are doing homework. However, it also has a lot of information that could be useful to teachers. First, it offers teachers a few areas that students often struggle with. When teaching something for the first time, teachers may not anticipate what students will get and what they will have trouble with. This site shows teachers some common problem areas. Also, it provides teachers with another way of looking at the information. Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with a way of presenting information so students will grasp the material. This site offers one more way of thinking about the information.

Response to Williams

2007-01-26T20:53:00.000-08:00

While reading Williams "Preparing to Teach Writing," I was very interested in the tone he used. Williams did not use a tone of questioning or wondering as he wrote. Rather, he seemed certain of the assertions he posited. There were times I found myself wondering what students he had used these methods with, and how he knew that the methods worked. Williams was a very concrete writer, who did not allow a range of ideas or attempts, rather is was more like a formula for teaching. If a teacher did these three things, students would write and workshop well in class. However, I am not buying the formula. The classroom is an environment that is always changing. To say that one thing will work all the time with all students is impossible.

Williams writes of the need for the classroom to be a community in order for students to be comfortable when workshopping their writing. He states that the students should have some time to get acquainted with each other in the beginning of the term. Williams also states that students should learn how to form feedback based on the teacher's modeling. Although I agree that the teacher must model the desired behavior, I do not think that this is enough to teach students how to give feedback to each other in the workshop setting.

One resource I found when looking through information for my student teaching is teacherweb.com. This is a website that has lesson plans that can be used for class. They are broken down by age group and subject area. There are lesson plans for writing, literature, speaking and much more that would be very useful in the English Language Arts classroom.

Television and Film in the Classroom

2006-12-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Television and Film in the Classroom

The use of television and film in the classroom is something that many teachers fall into when they have nothing else planned for that day. On the last day of class before the end of the school year, many teachers show a film. If students are going to be distracted and wild during Homecoming week, putting in a movie is often the old stand by teaching technique.

However, by treating films as a fall back lesson plan, many teachers are robbing them of their critical stances and use in the classroom. There are several reasons why using film and television can be a great help in the classroom, and many ways to analyze and discuss them in relation to literature.

The first reason I plan to use film is to help students understand complex literature. Often a visual representation is easier to follow than a narrative, especially one that uses complex language. Also, the format of a film is more familiar to students than some other forms, such a poetry. A great example of when using a film in conjunction with a text is when teaching Shakespeare. For many students, the language of the plays is very difficult to understand. However, when they are shown what happens from a plot standpoint, they can spend more time focusing on the language and literary devices being used.

Secondly, film is something that students can use to compare lenses of critical theory to those used in the actual text. When teaching critical theory and examining how they are used in a text, film can provide a different perspective on a similar theme. For example, the feminist lens may be very apparent in a text when the student is reading it. However, as they views a film, a more Marxist reading may be seen. In this sense, film can offer students a new way of looking at the topics. Then the class can begin to discuss the differences between film and text, and how that changes some of the inherent values of the story based upon the differences between the genres.

There are many reasons to use film and television in the classroom. It can increase engagement, help students understand complex plots and illuminate differences between genres. Film does not have to be a rainy day lesson plan.

Media Ownership

2006-12-12T15:29:00.000-08:00

Media Ownership

I was very interested to learn about what corporations own the media I consume. When listening to the radio, I often listen to The Current. This is a station owned by Minnesota Public Radio. I also listen to Drive 105. I was really interested when I learned that this channel is owned by Disney. Drive 105 often advertises themselves saying that they are the only station in the Twin Cities that is not owned by Clear Channel. However, these advertisements leave out the fact that they are owned by Disney.

Aside from listening to Drive 105, I have been to many concerts that are sponsored by Drive 105, especially at First Ave. So, in essence, these concerts and artists are sponsored by Disney. This becomes very interesting when looking at the fact that Disney is often thought of as a family oriented broadcasting corporation. However, when looking at the other types of media I consume, I am more convinced that Disney is changing its image, or just branching out further into the market.

There is one television show that I will take time out of my day to watch on a consistent basis, and it is Gray’s Anatomy. This program is aired on a network that is also owned by Disney. Although I had not previously thought of myself as a supporter of Disney, it is apparent through my media consumption that I, although unwittingly, support Disney.

The corporations that own Media outlets have a large effect on what content they can air. So although Drive 105 is not owned by Clear Channel, it is not free from corporate decisions and censorship. Also, because so few corporations own so many media outlets, the content from one media type and broadcasting station to another may not be that different. This is because they are all owned by the same few corporations. Before there can be truly varied content and multiple perspectives, there must be fewer media outlets owned by the same corporations.

Jack Johnson

2006-12-06T21:58:00.000-08:00

My favorite singer is Jack Johnson. I have all of his CD's and have attended several of his concerts. Although the type of music he creates is different from many others, it still has many things in common with other musicians and songs I like to listen to.

Jack Johnson's music is often described as "adult alternative" when placed in a genre. This is typical of many other types of music to which I listen. Jack Johnson's music is happy, and places the listener in a good mood. This is one reason that I listen to his music. Secondly, Jack Johnson is socially conscious when he creates music. Even his CD cases are made of paper product, because it is better for the environment that plastic cases. These are two reasons why I like listening to Jack Johnson.

Of all of his music, my favorite song is "Banana Pancakes." This song is upbeat, and puts the listener in a happy state of mind. It also acknowledges the drudgery and trial that everyday life can become. However, this song looks past the negatives and offers a silver lining. For these reasons, "Banana Pancakes" is my favorite song by Jack Johnson.

Hockey in Minnesota

2006-12-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

If I were to create a documentary about something, I would like to focus on hockey in Minnesota. Although Minnesota is known as the state of hockey, I think that many people do not understand the time and energy that goes into the sport.

I would be interested in following a few hockey families, those that have several players at all different levels, and showing how much goes into playing hockey. For example, a family of four, with three hockey players, can have ice times from 4:30 AM to 12:00 PM and everywhere in between. Also, for many people, hockey is a year round, not seasonal sport. Indoor ice rinks allow people to participate in the sport throughout the entire year, leaving families without an off-season.

I would like to ask these families if playing hockey is worth all the time and energy, and what is the pay-off for all their hard work. Although some players will go on to play at a collegiate or professional level, most will not even make the cut for their high school teams. I would also like to portray the sense of community and friendship that is formed through participation in hockey. Hockey mom's are one group that I would like to include in the documentary. And the fathers of many young players who themselves play in Saturday leagues should be included.

One difficulty I see in creating this documentary is the fact that if would have to take place over the course of several months, if not a full year. This in and of itself would present a challenge. Some participants may be less willing to take part if the commitment must be that long. However, I think that a documentary on hockey in the state of Minnesota would be a great thing for others to see.

The Local News

2006-12-06T21:36:00.000-08:00

As someone who doesn't watch the local news, it was interesting to view the program with a critical eye. There are several things I noticed about the program, including the audience of the television news and the formatting of the news.

I was really interested in the way they structured the stories. The top story was about a fatal car accident in Minneapolis. It was followed by a few brief pieces about local violence. The stories were very short, about one minute, and did not offer any explanation or editorializing of the incidents. The topics that got the most time were weather, closely followed by sports.

There was also a clear audience for the newscast. They are families and parents, or older people. Many topics were geared towards families, including what to dress your children in to wait at the bus stop the next morning. However, most of the ads during the program were for prescription medication, something normally presented to older people.

During the broadcast, I found very little that was directed towards my demographic. This is probably because most young people are getting their news from alternate sources.

Apple Ads

2006-10-31T20:23:00.000-08:00

Appple Ads

"Hi, I'm a Mac."
"And I'm a PC."

These two sentences open every ad in the new ad campaign for Apple Computers. These ads are very simple, with a plain white background, and simple music playing in the background. Often, the ad features just the two actors portraying the Mac and the PC. However, these two actors that symbolize the two types of comuters are used to help the audience form an opinion about both Macs and PCs.

The actor who portrays a PC is an older man, with a receding hairline and glasses. He is dressed in a gray suit, white shirt and a tie. His manners and way of speaking are monotone and boring. The PC is all business, however, he is also portrayed as bumbling and slow.

In contrast, the actor portraying a Mac is a young man. He is dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and tennis shoes. In all of the ads, the Mac is shown to be creative and fun. This is a sharp difference to the seriousness of the PC. The Mac is also shown to be immune to viruses and accidents, unlike the PC. The man portraying the Mac is also used as the humor of the ad, making the PC the butt of the jokes. However, the Mac is willing to compliment the PC, like saying "He's a whiz with numbers." And he appears to be humble when accepting praise.

These factors add up to show the PC as an old-fashioned computer, and one that isn't very much fun. In contrast, the Mac is young and hip, creative and funny. Because of these ads, and the way the actors portray the two types of computers, Mac is seen as the more hip and cool computer. These ads are postitioning the audience to identify with the Mac, and distance themselves from the uncool PC.

Reality Television

2006-10-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Reality Television

Although many people are ashamed to admit to watching, reality television has inundated our programs and viewing. Most of the new shows, and many of the old shows, on television are some form of reality television.

This genre has several different forms, including contests, home improvement, and extreme situations. The contest shows often involve several people who are vying for a prize, for example a record deal, a million dollars, and so on. One convention of this type of reality television is the judge or mentor. This person can be cruel or caring, but they are on the show to tell the contestants what they have done wrong, and how they can improve. This will often make the judge a target for audience dislike, because the judge may criticize the crowd favorite.

Another convention of the contest reality television show is the underdog. There is always at least one person who the judges and others say will not make it. In many cases, this person will become a crowd favorite. People like to see the underdog win, as they sometimes do.

These are two conventions of the contest shows on reality television. Because this is such a broad genre, it is necessary to break it into smaller parts in order to discuss.

Gray's Anatomy

2006-10-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Amanda is a twenty-three college student. She and her roommates got together every Thursday night after work and class to watch the television program Gray's Anatomy. While interviewing Amanda about her viewing habits, she shared that this time is as much about relationship building as it is for watching television.

Amanda stated that she and her roommates would make a big dinner, open a bottle of wine, and watch Gray's Anatomy together. She said that during commercial breaks the three of them would talk about the show. For example, the previous episode featured a woman who was choosing between two med. Amanda said that she and her roommates would argue over who was the better pick during commercials.

Gray's Anatomy is a program that many of the people Amanda work with watch, as well. She said that by watching the show, she knows she will be able to participate in the workplace conversations. She said that she "will always be able to talk to coworkers" if she follows the television program.

Although Amanda shared that there are times when the plot of the show seems far-fetched or unrealistic, she still enjoys watching the show. "I know that real doctors aren't like that," Amanda stated. But she still likes the program. "It's what girls do. We watch Gray's Anatomy." By examining Amanda's viewing habits, it is apparent that, for some viewers, watching a television program can be a way to build relationships with others, not just a means for personal enjoyment.

Media Representations of Crime

2006-10-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Media Representations of Crime

A quick search on google images produces these three images of crime. One interesting aspect of these images is the way gender is used, and what assumptions are made based upon gender. The first is that the three images featuring “criminals” portray men. This creates the assumption that if someone is a criminal, it is a man.

When a woman is shown in an image in regards to crime, it is in two capacities. The first is as the damsel in distress. This is shown in the third image. Unable to care for herself, this woman is the victim of crime. Thus, according to these images, crime is an act done by a man towards a woman. In the rare occasions that a woman is shown to be a criminal, it is as a femme fatale. She is dangerous, and often portrayed as an object of sexual desire. Although she is a criminal, she is not to be feared in the way that male criminals are.

The second aspect that these images share is the anonymity of crime. In the three images showing male criminals, their faces are either not shown, or they are obscured by sunglasses. This adds to the idea that anyone can be a criminal, and that no one is to be trusted. In these ways, the way that the media represents crime shapes people’s reactions to it. Many people assume that criminals are male. Also, these types of representation add to the idea that women should be fearful, because they are often presented as the victims of crime. In these ways, the media representations of crime affect the way people perceive crime.

Conjunction Junction

2006-10-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

Red Delicious

In the September issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, DKNY brand featureed an ad for a new perfune called Red Delicious. The tag line is "a temptation in fragrances." The ad is a photo of a man and a woman sitting on a motorcycle. The woman is holding an apple in one hand, and reaching back to touch the man's thigh with the other. The man is sitting behind her, leaning into her, with his face next to her neck. In the background is a scene of New York city. Although there are several things at play in this advertisement, the two areas I will focus on are the semiotic factors, and a feminist analysis of the ad.

There are several signs in this ad which have a social and cultural meaning behind them. The first is the apple which the female is holding. Apples are a fruit which is traditionally associated with temptation. The biblical reference of Eve giving into the temptation of the apple is present in this ad. Secondly, the woman in the ad is wearing a red dress. The color red is often associated with passion. By clothing the woman in red, she becomes a symbol of sex and passion. These are two of the semiotic references in this ad.

It is also interesting to look at this ad through the lens of a feminist analysis. Here, the woman is certainly being presented as an object of sexual desire. Her dress is very short and revealing. Secondly, the man in the ad is looking directly at her, making her the center of attention in the ad. Also, the woman's hand is resting on his thigh, suggesting sex. This ad presents women as an object of sexual desire, and Red Delicious perfume as a means of becoming wanted.

Conjunction Junction

2006-09-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

The television program “Lost” is one which creates suspense through great writing and clever editing. This show, which tells the stories of several people who are stranded on an island after surviving a plane crash, uses many editing strategies to tell their stories and show that relationships between characters.

In the second season of “Lost” the creators had the difficult task of introducing several new characters of the audience. Aside from that challenge, there was also the issue of how the two groups, those originally part of the story and those not, would meet each other. In order to keep the audience engaged, the directors cut from one story line to the other often.

However, there came a time when the characters must meet, and create one central storyline. This occurred at the end of the sixth episode of the second season. Two characters from the first group, Shannon and Said, began running into the jungle, searching for another castaway who had been captured by the dangerous “others.” It is dark in the jungle, and it is pouring rain. This disorients the audience, and the characters, leaving them unsure as to their exact location.

As they are running into the jungle, the camera cuts to the second group, who are cutting through the jungle in an attempt to reach the beach and escape the others. When the bushes begin to move, the camera flashes on the faces of the characters, showing their fear and anxiety as they stand, ready to defend themselves.

The camera then flashes back to Shannon and Said, running through the jungle. When the audience can see only Shannon and Said’s backs, there is a gunshot. After a pause, Shannon turns around, revealing her injury. As Said catches her, the camera focuses on his face, showing his grief. However, Said looks up and over the shoulder of Shannon. The camera than pans across and shows the other characters, who were walking to the beach. Ana Lucia stands with her gun still pointed where Shannon once stood. In a series of close-ups the audience and the characters are able to realize the terrible mistake that had been made in their first meeting.

Though the use of close up shots and a disorienting setting, the creators of Lost are able to show the relationships between the characters, as well as create suspense to draw in the audience.

Conjunction Junction

2006-09-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Conjunction Junction

2006-09-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

Lost

The television program Lost is one that creates suspense through a combination of excellent writing and clever editing. The second season of Lost began with the task of familiarizing the audience with several new characters. Once the audience was caught up with the story of those on the other side of the island, there was also the challenge of telling both stories in a way that could keep the audience interested and engaged.

Aside from keeping up with both story lines, the characters needed to meet and create one new line of storytelling from the two. The scene in which the two sets of people met was one filled with suspense. As one set of characters travels through the jungle, trying to avoid contact with the dangerous "others," Shannon and Said push into the jungle in search of Walt, a character who had been captured.

The editors show the relationship and relative closeness of the two groups of people by cutting from one group to the other in rapid fashion. However, by using close-ups on the faces of the characters, and making use of rain as a cover, the audience does not become familier with the surroundings. As one group is waiting, ready to defend themselves from the others, another is running into the jungle. As the camers flashes on the first group, the bushes move, and a person begins to emerge. Fearing for their lives, the first group shoots the figure coming out of the trees.

The camera then flashes back to Shannon and Said. When Shannon turns to face Said, it is the first time the audience sees that she has been wounded. Said turns his attention to Shannon, but realized that she is dead. The camera focuses on Said's face, and shows him looking up and away.

We are then able to follow Said's gaze, and see the first group of people, those traveling through the jungle to the other side of the island. The camera then focuses on Ana Lucia, who is holding a gun pointed at the spot where Shannon was standing. At that moment, the audience, as well as the characters, realize the terrible mistake which has occured.

By using editing, the creators of Lost are able to keep the audience in suspence, revealing information when they chose, and leaving the audience in the dark when they chose.

Gray's Anatomy

2006-09-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Gray's Anatomy

The scene I chose to analyze was the closing scene of the final episode of the second season of Gray's Anatomy. This program is a drama involving doctors and interns in a hospital. The final scene is one in which Meredith, the main character, is confronted by her current and former lover.

The scene comes to a close with Meredith walking down the stairs and standing between both men. The camera flashes back and forth between Meredith and the men. It involves many close ups on the faces of the characters. Both men say Meredith's name, and she looks at both of them as they do so. They also slow the pace of the scene by flashing back and forth between the three characters. The director also emphasizes the relationships between the characters by showing Meredith in the foreground of a scene, and one of her lovers looking at her in the background.

This scene effectively sets up the conflict between Meredith and the two men. The viewer understands that both are interested in her, because they are looking at her and speaking her name. The director also portrays Meredith's indecision by closing the scene with Meredith looking straight ahead, and not at any one of the men. This is effective because, as the season finale, leaving the audience without a decision will bring viewers back at the start of the next season. Through the use of close ups on the characters, and showing Meredith's indecision, the director of Gray's Anatomy effectively closes the season finale with a scene that will bring viewers back in the fall.

Kids These Days

2006-09-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

To the School Board of St. Paul Public Schools:

More than ever before, we live in a society which is connected through technology. Adults are seeing huge changes in the ways their workplaces communicate and organize. Young people, however, are even faster to join the latest wave of technology. Media studies are a necessary part of their secondary education, both to help students critically analyze information and to ensure their engagement in the classroom.

Currently, there are several high schools which offer some media course as an elective. However, no school has written a media studies curriculum or requires students to take a course. This is unfortunate because critical consumption of media is essential to helping young people to analyze information they are receiving. Media studies is easily integrated with a Language Arts curriculum. However, our school district should not confine media studies only to the English classroom. Teachers across disciplines could use technology and media to enhance student engagement and enrich content.

Young people today are consuming media at a rapid pace. Televisions, computers, ipods and cell phones are just a few examples of the many ways students connect with the world. Not only are they spending many hours a day in connection with media, they are also using multiple forms at once. It is not common for a student to watch television, chat on-line and do research for school, all at the same time. With students managing so many stimuli at once, it’s no wonder they find school boring. By using media in the classroom, teachers can engage students and bring them into whatever content area being taught.

Further, adults need to realize that media has a large influence on the thoughts and opinions of young people. Rather than attempt to close adolescents off from media, educators should teach them to be conscious consumers. When media representations are unquestioned, they can have a negative affect, such as stereotyping. However, if young people learned to think critically about what is being portrayed and for what reason, the negative affects of media could be tempered.
Thus, it is my opinion that the St. Paul school board should not only keep the media studies program currently in schools across the district, it should expand it. Instead of giving in to a "back to basics" mentality, this school district should look ahead and see the importance of media studies.

My first post

2006-09-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

This is my first post!