Funny Little Montage March 30, 2008

Do Fairy Tales Really Come True?

After viewing the montage of cartoon clips, I would like all of you to think about the characters and storylines from all the cartoons you can remember watching. Choose a feature-length cartoon you think you might enjoy writing about. Re-watch the movie. Only this time, you must view this film with a critical eye. For the purpose of this assignment, I would like all of you to use your feminist lens (you know-the one we talked about in class). You will use this lens to examine the works you choose.

In addition to selecting one film, you will also choose two fairy tales (works by The Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Anderson, Frank L. Baum, and Madame d’Aulnoy is a great place to look). Once you have chosen your three works, you will write a literary analysis comparing and contrasting the representation of traditional and/or non-traditional gender roles in your selected pieces. Your paper should attempt to analyze how the depiction of gender in these works impacts the larger world. In other words, can cartoons and fairy tales have an effect on the world we are living in today?

You paper should be 5-7 pages. This is a formal composition; therefore, 1st and 2nd person pronouns are unacceptable. Do not forget to always use present tense when referring to any literary work (this includes film). Also, please provide an MLA formatted works cited page for your three selections.

All papers must be typed (I will reserve one day in the computer lab so everyone will have the chance to type their work). Your work must also be double spaced using Times New Roman font. The paper will be due 10 days from today. Good luck and have fun!

Suggested Films:

Cinderella
Aladdin
Alice in Wonderland
Sleeping Beauty
The Little Mermaid
Mulan
Pocahontas
Shrek, Shrek 2
The Fox and the Hound
Finding Nemo
Beauty and the Beast

Teaching Rationale

This assignment could be given at either the 11th of 12th grade level, but the standards addressed for this particular task will be for a 12th grade World Literature class. I will use the video clip as a sponge activity that will, hopefully, elicit the interest of my students. Moreover, the clip will help them to brainstorm ideas for the composition assignment that will be handed out after the clip is shown. The students will have already been taught several lessons on feminist literary theory as part of a ten week critical theory unit. We will have read Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and analyzed the text using feminist literary theory. Because of this, students will have a conceptual framework on which to base their writing. The composition assignment is my way of assessing whether or not the students grasp the concepts inherent in using critical theory to explore all different kinds of texts.

I chose this specific clip because I think it is funny. Additionally, I believe it will get the students thinking about all the other “innocent” images that, despite their seeming innocuous, have a subtext that have implications, some very negative, on the greater world around us.

Remarks on Mabry Middle and Tim Tyson March 12, 2008

Regardless of whether or not technology will play a major role in your classroom, I believe it is important for every teacher to see Tim Tyson’s presentation about his experience as principle at Mabry Middle School. Mr. Tyson’s presentation, titled “School 2.0,” is an inspiration; I believe watching his speech could potentially change the way people view students and their work.

Mr. Tyson’s belief is that schools currently emphasize the wrong things, and I agree with him. Rules and conformity should not be the status quo in our schools as it does not help our students to learn. According to Tyson, learning should be self-directed, and students should be respected as independent learners. In addition, he asserts that children really do want to learn, but it is up to us to make their work more meaningful. If we can make school a platform for students to enact social change, then children would become part of a larger entity; they could share with the world, and become change agents. Tyson believes this can be done by allowing students to make films that can be shared with the global community. Clearly, his students have responded very well to this approach. The movies that these kids made are wonderful examples of what Mr. Tyson is calling for; if you challenge your students, and show them that you value their hearts and minds, they will rise to the occasion and produce amazing things.

Not only did I completely embrace the idea of having students make films, but my favorite part of this assignment is the concept of it being an authentic assessment. Having their work displayed on a global level is much more tangible than a letter grade, and, therefore, will mean much more to most students. I also really like the fact that these students were never underestimated. It is amazing to me how they handle very serious subject matter with profound maturity. The films that he showed during the presentation are a testament to the validity of Tyson’s approach; if schools are able to do these types of projects, they will work to motivate and inspire students. Effective teachers will help children become more meaningful and connected citizens of the world. As teachers we should realize that we are preparing students to be the best citizens they can be, and that it is never too early to begin helping them make the world a better place. Kids won’t mind the hard work because of the gratification of being taken seriously.

When I begin teaching my sincerest hope is that I will get the chance to work at a school that promotes this view of education. If not, perhaps it will be my responsibility to show them the possibilities.

Now Hear This…. January 23, 2008

Hey everyone! I’m practicing putting links in my blog. Wanted to share something that I love with ya’ll. Check out this band and see what you think.

Amending this post to also include these amazing musicians that all ya’ll should check out! I saw them at last year’s EchoProject and they rocked my socks off!

I thought this was cool… January 15, 2008

I found this video about banned books on YouTube and thought it would be a cool resource to show students. Since I’m going to teach literature at the high school level, I have to find a way to get students interested in books. What better way to do that than presenting books in a provocative way. Check it out:

Wish I was here! January 14, 2008

Already feeling overwhelmed by the demands of school? I know I am! At times like these I wish I was here:

Musings on readings from ENGL 3241 January 12, 2008

Because I am a novice when it comes to this technology thing, I found many aspects of Will Richardson’s book, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, interesting and useful. When I first began reading, I had no clue what a blog is, or that it could be used in the classroom. To my surprise, I have created a blog just one week after purchasing the book. The ease with which I did so has inspired me; I now know that this really is something I can do. And if I can do it so can my future students. While I was unsure about whether blogs have a place in the classroom, Richardson’s book assures me that they are very relevant. In fact, he states that blogs work to create a “community of learners” (p 49). When I read this I knew I would love this book. His statement directly correlates to my philosophy of teaching; I believe that the main goal in the classroom should be to create a community of students that trust each other and are supportive of one another in their efforts. If teachers can do this I believe that all their students will be excited about the learning process.

Due to my lack of experince with blogs, I had no idea how they could be relevant in the classroom. Richardson very clearly lays out for us many different uses. I really like the idea of creating a reflective journal. After all, the best teachers are those that are constantly reflecting on what works and does not work in the classroom and adjusting their lessons accordingly. This type of blog is a great way for teachers to share their ideas with other professionals. I also really like the concept of a class blog. It seems as if this type of blog has endless possibilities; you could post homework assignments, Internet resource links, publish student writing, and so much more. I also appreciate how Richardson includes helpful hints about keeping students safe when it comes to the Internet. The inclusion of a template for a permission form for parents to fill out is very helpful. I also really like his idea about creating a wiki site where teacher and students can create and modify curriculum. This keeps the learning process interactive, which is a great way to keep students engaged.

Rook Checkin In January 9, 2008

Hi everybody in the blogosphere. As the title suggests, I am a rookie when it comes to this whole blogging thing. In fact, I really did not even know what a blog was until I started this class at KSU. Come to find out, I have been reading blogs for quite some time, but never really knew they had a particular technological title. Well, at this point I am not feeling all that inspired, but ya’ll just wait, and I promise that I will come up with something mildly interesting.