Weekly Reading #8

"Today, every teacher needs to be a media composition teacher...because the power of authorship offers students of all ages a transformative learning experience" (pg 85).

I chose this statement because I think it is incredibly relevant for our current position in the course, as well as the overall theme for our class. Lets deconstruct this a little bit:

Every teacher needs to use media composition. This is important because it shows that we shouldn't simply teach students critical media literacy or simply an effective use of media as an educational tool, but we need to integrate it into teaching and education in general. It should not be a separate class, or one piece of the puzzle; rather, it should a common theme, and the bind that holds the puzzle pieces together.

The power of authorship offers a transformative learning experience.
This statement holds power and opportunity, and I think it also represents a common issue we face in education.  The mass education system does tend to turn learning into a big of an assembly line process, especially with specific learning outcomes and standardized tests. Allowing students to represent themselves in their work, or to learn through exploration of self expression, is an incredibly powerful tool to make students an activate participant in their education, rather than simply filling a seat in everyone's education.

 "American elementary and secondary students do not have their full First Amendment rights either in school or out of school" (pg 96).

This quote reminds me of high school.  The book speaks of the restrictions placed on students' freedom of speech, and how disciplinary actions could result in students speaking their mind. I encountered this frequently in school as I always wanted to know why we were forced to perform certain tasks, or undergo certain sequences, even if they seemed repetitive or ineffective.  I also question certain school policies, again always wanting to know the basis for their establishment and why they were in place.  Aside from my English class, I was rarely granted the ability to speak my mind, typically being given disciplinary action for my words rather than an answer.  Looking back, I understand that I was often a bit insubordinate in many of my arguments, but that was also likely due to having no capacity to express my thoughts and feelings. My contrary opinion was always viewed as "trouble," and I was never given any true capacity to explore my ideas. This is frustrating. I think that the use of media as communication and expression can aid this issue in education, notably secondary, as students seek a way to vent their frustration and confusion relating to the world they live in.

"Teacher's can contribute to student failure..." (pg 97).

I chose this quote as a bridge from our work with the common core over the past couple weeks. I have expressed that one of my concerns with the implementation of the common core is that teachers will either be opposed to the common core and teach it with lament that reflects that, or that teachers simply won't be entirely sure of how to implement the new learning standards. I think it is important to note that teachers must give students a chance to both succeed in fail in lessons. Pulling the plug halfway through can lead to a feeling that time was wasted, or that there was never really a point in the project at all.  Even if a student attempts a project and fails, there are points to be drawn that can be carried into future lessons in order to help a student with future success.