Chapter 2

"Listening and asking questions are the most important practices that activate critical thinking in the high school classroom." (Hobbs 33).

I thought this quote missed its true meaning by adding the piece about in the high school classroom because I feel like listening and asking questions is extremely important at every level of education. I love to listen to my middle school students explain things from their points of view because it gives me a chance to get some insight into their lives.

"Not only is it important to be able to identify the source of information, we must also examine the quality of information we encounter" (Hobbs 35).

I try and stress this to my students as soon as we start researching online. I always try and get them to understand that they have to learn how to judge information they find online for quality. They do not want to do all of that work to find a source, but the information not be good quality. An example that I give is that even though The Washington Post might be a good source of information, but if the information is not up- to- date, accurate, or relevant, the source makes no difference.

"simply reading six, eight, or twelve works of classic literature in a year doesn't meet of our students' real needs when it comes to developing reading and writing skills" (Hobbs 36).

As an English major, I am heartbroken to think that the classics are not enough, but I also understand this. Not everyone gets what they need from Shakespeare, but they may get what they need from reading more informational text. This is why I am okay with the Common Core, because I do feel that there needs to be a balance between literature and informational text. Students need to learn how to read for information, although I am still a major advocate for literature and the classics because there is a lot to be learned from the classics.

 I think memes track media literacy because they are easily recognizable to students. I used a series of memes in my Welcome Back PowerPoint, and the students were really interested and engaged because they recognized the images.

My Magazine Cover

The first and main persuasive technique I used was a celebrity endorsement. I actually searched it up and Bill Gates is a major advocate for the Common Core, and the quote was really one of his. (I wanted to make sure I didn't have any libel on my cover.)

The second technique that I used was the bandwagon approach when I said that everyone feels like it is a good thing to be able to read for information. What I mean by this is that too often, students can interpret Shakespeare but they can't read their taxes (this is especially true in my case), so I feel like teaching students to read and interpret informational text is a great thing.

The last persuasive approach was the emotional approach with trying to enact some fear in students being failed.

Reflecting on Our Love Hate Relationship with Media

After viewing and reading everyone else's Padlet entries, here are some interesting concepts I gleaned:

• Although there were a few that mentioned other types of print media, it seems most of us automatically went with books.
• I think that one person said that visual media conveys meaning, which I think sums up everyone else's love of visual media.
• It seems that we all love to listen to media, but not media that is repetitive.
• We all seem to hate the parts of digital media that make it scary.

My reflection (In a Love/Hate Relationship with Digital Media)

The Internet offers such endless capabilities that I personally take part of every day. I can search for lesson plan ideas, listen to my favorite music, and connect with friends on Facebook, all in one sitting. If I need to know the answer to a question quickly, Google is just a click away. If I want to know why 5 ambulances and fire trucks just went whizzing don my street, Facebook usually has the answer before the news. If my students are talking about this hilarious video, and I want to be able to connect with them, I can easily pull up YouTube.

I use Digital Media in my classroom all of the time. I help my students learn how to research online. I expose them to new information they can learn about, like on Wonderopolis.org. I let them explore the world using Google Earth.

While I can go on and on about all of the reasons I love Digital Media, I can also list some reasons why I completely despise Digital Media.

With endless possibilities comes endless dangers. I a lucky, now, that my sons are 4 and 1 because I don't have to worry about all of these dangers, yet. I do know that I will eventually have to fear when my  children go online. You always wonder, who are they talking to, what are they looking at, etc. At school, I have to be constantly circulating the room when my students are using the Internet. Even with my constant vigilance, I still have had students get on things they shouldn't have. It is a shame that I cannot let my students freely use the Internet, but the reality is that it is my responsibility to keep my students safe.

Love Hate Relationship with Media

Magazine Deconstruction

According to the publication's site, The Blaze is, "a news and information website, TV network, digital radio network and small business marketplace – but above all else we are a community of people, bound together by a shared set of values: Truth. Respect. Ingenuity and Family" (theBlaze.com). The publication is directly related to Glenn Beck, a right-wing conservative who openly speaks his mind on multiple issues. According to the site, The Blaze began back in 2010 with a goal to "cover a wide range of topics from politics to culture, technology to science, faith to family" (theBlaze.com) The site has become over time one of top 100 websites in the world.

The target audience of this particular issue are the parents of students around the US. The technique used is a threatening, warning-like tone that is used to scare parents into believing what the publication says is a threat to our children, freedom, and future. The publication uses big letters on the front of the issue that make this bold statement.

As a parent, I would interpret this article much differently than I would as the teacher that I am. As a parent, I would become worried about how these new standards are going to effect my child and my child's growth in school. As a teacher, though, I understand that this is just trying to scare parents into believing all of the horrible misconceptions of the Common Core standards.

The people who would like to abolish Common Core would definitely benefit from this article, but the well-being of the students may be at stake. There may be problems with the Common Core, but I do believe they are moving education in the right direction.

The perspective being left out of this publication is that of educators or those that believe in the good of the Common Core. I believe that in order for something to be made credible it must be without opinion or bias and it must highlight points from both sides of the argument, so I would be apt to say that this publication is not credible. Not knowing much about Glenn Beck, I would be willing to bet that this pushes his beliefs on the Common Core.

Critical Media Literacy: Core Concepts and Debates

"We would resist, however, extreme claims that the era of the book and print
literacy are over" (Kellner and Share 370).

I am so glad to read this because too often I have heard that books are becoming obsolete, Libraries will be a thing of the past, and, my personal favorite (she typed sarcastically) "Oh, you're a Librarian! So you teach all of your students computer skills, right? I try and instill a love and value of books in all of my students. We do many things on computers, and I teach them research and use the Internet appropriately, but that is not what defines my classes and my teaching.

"It is highly irresponsible in the face of saturation by the Internet and media culture
to ignore these forms of socialization and education; consequently, a critical
reconstruction of education should produce pedagogies that provide media literacy
and enable students, teachers, and citizens to discern the nature and effects of media
culture" (Kellner and Share 371).

I think that this quote sums up why taking classes like this one are important because the world of education is going to and has to continue to evolve with the ways of the world. We may not be to the point that technology is being implemented in education as it should be, but hopefully we will continue to go in that direction. As standards change to include more technology implication, so must our pedagogy.

"When groups often under-represented or misrepresented in the media
become investigators of their representations and creators of their own meanings the
learning process becomes an empowering expression of voice and democratic
transformation" (Kellner and Share 372).

I think this speaks volumes to the importance of making at-home and school connections. When we allow students to connect something in school to their home life or their culture, they become investigators, teachers, and even advocates.
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I definitely feel like I fit the media literacy movement. I have such a love for books (the ones with paper and covers, not font on a screen), but I also know the importance of using media, especially in ways of expressing oneself.