Teaching Experience & Reflections

Lesson Plan

Introductions

Brief intro to Media Literacy

What is it?

Reading and writing “being literate”

Media literate is being able to consume and create media

We want to recognize what is being said in media

Has anyone ever said anything untrue about you?

Abby and movies set in the south

Chris’ dad and military movies

Chris and Japanese oriented media

(Possibly share our projects now)

Activity

Intro

All media reflects the creator’s opinion

That is not a bad thing, we just need to be aware of what messages we send

Be cautious about what you say in your creations

You will a journal entry about a person who you care about from the perspective of an enemy.

“Enemy” can be real or fictitious

Reflection time!  

Reflections

                  I guess I didn't know what to expect when we entered that public high school, as we summoned the courage to teach a class of 35 students. I wasn't nervous until the silence. During our observation I noted that, when given the opportunity, the students would readily volunteer answers to the teacher's questions. Yet, in our class this was not the case. It was difficult getting them to speak up. We talked afterwards about why this might be so. First thing that came to mind was that we were intruders on their normal schedule. I think that real learning is going to take place when the students are comfortable in the setting and with the teacher. That being said, there must have been something we could have done better to get responses from them. That is when we realized that we could have eased them in more before asking the personal questions. Notice that at the top of our lesson plan is the question "Has anyone ever said anything untrue about you?" In essence we were asking them to tell the class any rumors they had heard about themselves. Not exactly an easy thing to share in front of your peers. 

                  In our planning we talked about having quite a bit of discussion instead of lecturing. In our experience that had been a much more beneficial learning environment for us both, but we were both in our college mindsets, not a public high school one. In class this semester I have loved sitting down and talking about the issues and learning strategies with my fellow classmates, but I didn't think that perhaps the high schoolers were not used to that form of teaching yet. On the other hand, when the students finally did warm up, they had some pretty awesome insights to share.

                 I learned a lot about our topic from some of the responses from our activity. The response we wanted from them was that after writing a journal entry about someone they love from the point of view of an enemy they would see how our feelings are reflected in our own creations. We expected it to be hard for them to write negative things about their loved ones. For the majority of them this was the case, but one girl said that she ended up feeling sympathy for the villain as she wrote. I found this very interesting and hadn't thought about it. I participated in the activity as well, following the ideas expressed in my teaching philosophy, I feel the teacher and student need to be equally invested in the learning experience. Here's what I wrote:

         Dear Journal,

I saw Mark Workman strutting down main street today. He was his usual happy–go-lucky self. He always has his shirt tucked in and his hair perfectly parted. It disgusts me, really. Appearance is one thing, but actions are quite another. You would think a person with that class would try to step outside the norm, but can you believe what I saw when he entered the Wal of Mart? He stopped to help an old lady enter the building… I mean, can you get any more cliché!? I bet he graduated top of his high class in high shool! Ugh.

Olo for today,

             Mega Mind

                  It is Mega Mind writing about his archenemy, my father. I read this to the class and then asked if anyone else wanted to share. Only one brave soul did. After class I realized that I could have waited to share mine after someone else had read. We weren't looking for a specific answer, but when I read mine first I think they all felt that they somehow missed the intended purpose. It really could have been anything though. The one student who did share did a wonderful job. I really enjoyed hearing his entry. 

                  It wasn't a perfect teaching/learning experience, but I enjoyed it and gained a lot from it. I walked away realizing the public school, private schools, college, and home schools all offer their own benefits and challenges and that teaching in those different environments requires different preparation. I also feel more strongly than ever that what I wrote in my teaching philosophy is true. If I want them to have a learning experience, I need to be seeking one as well.    

Story For Change

         My dad and I enjoy crashing on the sofa and watching movies together. It was one way we did our "manly bonding." Not surprisingly, we (being the manly men we are) watched quite a few action flicks. Whenever we are watching a movie that referenced military operations (take, for example Transformers) my father would scoff at it and remark about how unrealistic it was. This mind frame came from 24 years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps. If anyone has a right to be upset when the military's portrayal is off, he does. I found I have developed a similar reaction to media referencing Japanese culture. My idea for change is targeted at showing the differences between honest and charitable portrayals versus stereotypical and demeaning images of Japan.
         I found it interesting that it was pretty easy finding material for the bad examples and much harder gleaning good examples. Even more interesting is that the good examples pulled from Hollywood were almost always controversial. Take Han from Tokyo Drift. I selected him for the good examples not because I agree with the movie's take on Japan but for the character specifically. In my studying for this project I read over and over again the sad state of Japanese male actors in Hollywood. They rarely appear in big hit movies, and if they do it is for a small, insignificant, or villainous role. Sung Kang, who plays the role of Han, breaks that barrier and plays not only a significant role, but is even sexualized, which is extremely rare in Hollywood cinema. Sung is only a recent example, but perhaps the best example would be Sessue Hayakawa. For the same reasons Sessue was a poineer in early Hollywood as a sexualized Japanese male actor.
         Another main theme i found in my research was the "odorless and tasteless" Japanese media. This concept revolves around media that originated in Japan but that has either intended for a western audience or was altered to better fit a western audience. Anime is often a victim of this. Dragon Ball Z and Naruto are good examples of this. They have been a part of mainstream American media for so long they have almost lost their "Japanese taste." Voices are professionally dubbed, and thus have American voices, marketing ploys are tailored to our American audience. In an article I read a man was asking young people dressed up as Japanese anime characters at a Comic Con if they were interested in Japanese culture. He figured since they were so into anime that they was love the culture or at least want to learn. The shocking response was no from many of them. This is because it is no longer Japanese media, it has lost its taste.
         Other times Hollywood attempts to portray Japanese culture, but misses the mark. This is my the reaction my dad has kicks in. The Last Samurai fits this description. It is a wonderful story immersed in the Japanese culture and yet, who is the main character? Is it the last samurai, as the title might suggest? No! It is a side character that doesn't even exist in the historical event! It is Tom Cruise hogging the screen. Good intentions are wasted as yet again Hollywood imposes on an otherwise charitable portrayal of Japanese history and culture.

          
         Yet there are plenty of good examples out there and that is why I made a second collage that takes into account the good media revolving around Japanese culture. I already mentioned the example of male actors, but lets look at the anime. Pretty much all the works of Ghibli Studios (Hayao Miyazaki) are great examples of Japanese media that maintains its "taste." Interestingly Disney has bought the distribution rights of those films in America. For the time being I still think they do a great job. They do provide professionally dubbed versions but the DVDs always include the original Japanese audio with subtitles (that is ALWAYS the better way to go in my opinion). The Karate Kid is another great example of honest and charitable depictions of Japanese culture. Because of the character Mr. Miyagi so many people in America have at least a respect for Japanese culture and may even be interested in learning Karate.

   
           In the end the conclusion I came to is that if you want an honest view, you must go to the source. Perhaps the best example of an honest and charitable depiction of Japan I could come up with was Train Man. I guess it makes sense though because it is made by Japanese, in Japan, for a Japanese audience. Don't ask Hollywood for their view on Japan, because their outsider view will inevitably be skewed. Go out, be adventurous, and find some truly Japanese media. After this project I feel that my experience in Japan can help me in my endeavors to make more appropriate media about Japan. I can make a change.

Teaching Philosophy

          I once heard a story about one of the great ancient philosophers. He was approached by a young man who sought to be his apprentice. The boy pleaded from the master to let him learn by the great scholar's side. The philosopher led the boy to a nearby river and prompted him to dip his face into it. When the boy did so, the teacher held the boy's head under until the struggling grew violent. Exasperated and in disbelief the boy starred at the teacher. The teacher's only reply, "When your desire to learn is as strong as your desire to breathe, then come speak to me."
          I'm pretty sure a teacher like that wouldn't last long in our day and age, but the idea is one that has found its way deep into my heart. The old philosopher's analogy may have been over-the-top but the message is vividly clear. What if the boy decided struggling for breath required too much effort and he gave up. Obviously he would drown. In the extremely competitive and ever-changing world we find ourselves in today, giving up on learning is, in essence, giving up your life, dooming yourself to failure. In the same way, ignorance can have the same crippling effect.
          When I was serving my mission in Japan, I was always shocked at the choice of music amongst some of the younger church members. Although they were upstanding, righteous people I would catch them listening to American songs with extremely explicit lyrics. I confronted one of them about it and he responded that he had no clue what the words meant, he just liked how it sounded. I was shocked that he would support something he knew nothing about, but this is a common trap popular media poses. Media literacy has never been as important as it is now, and yet so often we find ourselves either too lazy to look deeper into the media we consume or completely oblivious to its meaning all together.
          One might argue that "ignorance is bliss." That may be true, and those Japanese young men are probably better off not knowing the filth that plagues their ears, but a bigger issue is at stake here. As our good friends Adorno and Horkheimer gently reminded us in The Culture Industry, when society is subdued into that passive, ignorant state by mainstream media we blur the lines between what is and what should be. Progression itself comes to a halt and society sinks into a deep rut. Passive consumption of music, without deep thought about the creation and meaning of it will leave the tires of progression spinning in the same rut. I speak of society as a whole, but the same principle remains true in an individual life, for what is being "media literate" if not being able to read (or interpret) media as well as write (or create) it?
          And yet a purely Horkheimer view on media would do little to improve the situation either. Simply noting the problem is not enough. This is where my philosophy and the tale of the ancient philosopher comes in. I firmly believe that real learning and real teaching only takes place when both parties are invested in the process. The student and teacher must have the same thirst for understanding. Name presented a beautiful method of making this student/teacher journey happen when he wrote about the affinity space. Where Adorno would write off all popular media as garbage (he actually does use such terminology... and that was back in the 50's! imagine if those two could see what we are making now!) Name's optimistic view presents an opportunity for teacher and student to become passionate and invested in media instead of passive and ignorant consumers of it. But, as stated before, this affinity space method can only work when both sides want to learn. A perfect example of this is my teacher Brad Barber. He teaches video production classes here at BYU and often references current films, techniques, and events that he knows the students are interested in. Not only are his lectures based in media we can relate with, but he continues in his own video production endeavors and shares his progress with the class. This practice clearly shows the students he is invested in the affinity space and it is my experience that his actions inspire students to follow suite.
         Utilizing the affinity space is not the only method for teaching media literacy, but the principle behind it is, I feel, the most important part of this transferring of knowledge we call teaching and learning. And that principle is that a student will never learn to be media literate if he or she sees media as a pause button on life, or mere entertainment. Similarly, a teacher will never get through to his students if he or she is not willing to put in the same effort to become media literate himself. This means the teacher can no longer rest on his extensive knowledge of the Dewy-decimal system. He must learn advancing technologies and be able to navigate online databases. 
         This brings me to the final point of my philosophy. With constantly evolving media, teachers may find themselves overwhelmed and even intimidated by their students who seem to have a knack for new things. Freire would tell us that this is a key element to a successful classroom. Recognizing that no one person holds all the answers and that students have much to offer in a teacher environment is not only important, but essential! Discussion, 2-way communication, is what brings about understanding.
         In the tale I mentioned above, the young man was awakened to the necessity of knowledge only after his survival instincts kicked in. We are currently drowning in the river of media that surrounds us today. The need for the "fresh air" of media literacy is not just a nice bonus to our educations, but vital if we are to ever free ourselves from the rut of "what is" into the world of "what we could be."

Classroom Observation

        I don't know what I was expecting, walking into a high school for the first time since my graduation 6 years ago, but I had to take a step back to soak it all in when I walked through those doors. Scenes from Mean Girls didn't seems so farfetched anymore as I remembered what it was like to be "in the jungle." After being in college for several years I forgot what it was like to be in a place that isn't well funded, highly regulated, and privately operated. Public school is a completely different ball game...perhaps not even baseball, maybe even hockey.
        The first thing I noticed was the interaction between the teacher and the students. There were two women alternating teaching a class of 40 or so students. Both seemed to be in good terms with their students and didn't seem too strict. The classroom itself was different from the norm as well. It was held in a theater practice room so there was plenty of space and no desks to be seen. All the chairs were stacked in a corner and as the students filed in through the door they would pick up a chair and sit down literally anywhere they wanted. The lecture was based completely off a slide show and handouts were given to each student with the names/pictures of important people that would appear in the slideshow. When a person from the handout came up, time was given to write down notes about that person. The teacher would say something like, "you need to know these exact words and spelling to get it right of the test! Write this down."
         I can't say that I agree with this style of teaching. Instead of the students wanting to learn more, I feel like this approach leads the pupils to ask "What do I need to know to pass your test?" Although I must say, the students seemed very engaged in preparing for that test. most everyone was righting the information down. Perhaps in a public school setting this style is necessary for participation, or maybe there is room for improvement. It's hard for me to decide.
         Questions were rare, but when the floor was opened up the pupils readily volunteered answers. I feel like the relaxed environment (lack of seating arrangement, cool teachers, and interesting subject) lead to this willingness to participate. I think that a big reason that people don't want to answer is the fear of being wrong and appearing less intelligent in front of your peers. When the classroom has a more relaxed feel, as this one did, that pressure lessens and people are more open.
         The experience was extremely nostalgic and enlightening at the same time. Public schools systems might not be the perfect structure, it may even seem like a crazy hockey game sometimes, but I feel with proper treatment education and inspiration does take place. I walk away from that experience with two major concepts that I want to incorporate in my teaching philosophy and those are; Creating a stress-free atmosphere where failure is not their biggest fear, and avoiding the tendency to expect the students to simply regurgitate information for a given test by opening up discussion more often. I feel those two concepts could help clear some of the hierarchy many classrooms have found themselves in where the teaching is simply depositing information to the students.         

Online Response #9

           I have heard many wonderful arguments against the school systems in the US. People often bring up great names like Einstein and Bill Gates who did not complete college educations. I understand this argument and even find validity in it, but Dewey raised another point that caught my attention. To point it in basic terms, the world is not simple anymore. A man's daily routine used to consist only of providing food for the family. That simple structure has been replaced by complex societal structures, and an education now consists of more than just specialized skills. A proper education now must include the transferring of cultural identity from one generation to the next. This is much more than the farm boy learning how to plant, now the farm boy must know the laws government has placed on certain chemicals, proper business management and distribution of his product, and any number of complications our modern society has thrown into the mix.
           While watching Resolved I saw this same principle at play in the form of competitive debate. Having no experience with high school debate teams I was shocked to see what they actually looks like. I was under the impression that two teams calmly discuss a relevant topic until a conclusion is reached, but when I heard the speeds at which they spoke in order to fit their argument into an appointed time limit seemed absurd to me. The documentary went on to explore and explain the structure and rules of high school competitive debate, and the more I heard and saw, the more strangely counterproductive it seemed. I was impressed, to be sure, but it was the same sort of "impressed" I would use when talking about a man that can fit a pool ball into his mouth... amazing, but is it at all useful?
            Just like our society has evolved into a complex structure, the debate world too went from a necessary part of political decision making to a silly fast-paced game of words. My favorite part of the documentary comes from Richard Funches and Louis Blackwell. To me, they were not just declaring the entire debate competition system to be a waste of time and money, as the people I mentioned before do the school systems. They were trying to bring reason back to a complicated system which had become bureaucratic. Instead of speeding through as fast as they could, they calmly presented a relevant topic in hopes to make a change. I absolutely loved the reaction shots of the apposing teams when they were faced with meaningful and relevant topics to people in the room. They were completely shocked, as if to say "Are you kidding? We not trying to accomplish anything here! Who do you think you are to try and make this worth while!?" 
             Early in the documentary there was reference made to Freire and the idea of classrooms being a bank, the teaching depositing knowledge into our minds. More than crying out against the entire schooling system I think we could all be a little more like Richard Funches and Louis Blackwell who worked within the system to try and create change. We need not abandon hope on our education structures as long as we are continuing to question the nature of what and how we are being taught. Like those two awesome debaters, we can strive to bring rhyme and reason back to a bureaucratic system.           


P.S. Resolved was one of the most interesting and inspiring documentaries I have ever seen. And I'm not just saying that cause I love Brad... although his cool points definitely went WAY up for being a part of it.