sarahsspeakeasy

Grammar

2007-03-08T18:53:00.000-08:00

Grammar is an essential skill that all students need to learn in order to successful academically. However, how much pressure should we put on it? Do we really want to subject our students to "countless hours on unsatisfying grammar exercises?" (Dean 87. 2001) I think that there has to be a better way. I believe that sometimes the terms use in grammar are confounding, and often turn students away. However, in Dean's article she uses a different way to approach the topic of grammar. She asked the students to tell her what was wrong in the sentence, and they seemed more apt to participate. When they told her what was wrong with the sentence she explained how the grammar worked in language that accessible for her students. it is obvious that grammarand standard English are an essential tool to achieve academic success. however teachers need to find exciting ways to present the topic, so that students will not shut out the information but embrace it.

Useful website:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=30857&clcid=0x409

At this site a teacher can make grammar fun. On this site a grammar games and vocabulary for all ages. I remember relishing the opportunity to get to play games like where in the world is carmen san diego and oregon trail. However, why let the social studies class have all of the fun? Bring the fin back to grammar and English and watch your students improve.

useful website

2007-03-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.teachingmedialiteracy.com

At this website viewers can see numerous projects/lessons that were created by our cohort utilizing various media sources. So, if you want to jazz up your lesson plan and encourage engagement or reduce the "participation gap" then maybe try one of these lessons.

A & P for South West

2007-03-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

media literacy

2007-03-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

It is essential that students gain media literacy in all of their high school classes. It seems that many students are more engaged with activities that allow them to use different forms of media. In the reading by Beach, the teacher was having a difficult time engaging the students in ELA classroom. The teacher wanted the students to share their ideas, interpretations and reactions to literature that was assigned for class. The teacher was aware that wikis, blogs and podcasts could be the answer to her dilemma. As teachers, it is essential that multimodel ways of teaching are implemented. The teacher decided to have her students go into the computer lab one day a week for blogging. She had her students write a blog about something that the students found interesting in the weeks readings. Blogs are a liberating space where students don't have to worry about form or any sort of structure (like the five paragraph essay). In the blog, students were able to share their ideas more freely and the teacher got a lot more from her students. the students also shared their work with others and responded to at tleast three other student blogs. Students had found a place "in the blog" to react and interact with others. As Beach says, "students can share their writing in a broader way then in the days when the printed word processed documents and exchanged them in class" is not the era that we are now in. Students need to have the opportunity to share their work in a variety of ways. So, teachers... get hip to the blog and other forms of media literacy! You will have more engagement and more involvement from your students.

Useful website: writing

2007-02-22T08:19:00.000-08:00

http://www.readwritethink.org

On this website, which is sponsored by NCTE teachers can find lessons that incorporate all aspects of effective writing. It also gives various methods of assessment and evaluation that might be useful for up and coming teachers.

Assessment an Evaluation in writing

2007-02-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

Timed writing for tests is very stressful, and I don't believe that this form of assessment really gages how well a student can write. The writing process needs time for pre-writing (brainstorming), organization, writing and revision. I believe that with the stress of time, students are not able to organize and fully express their thoughts. I recognize that students will never be free of state mandated timed tests. However, teachers are able to adjust their evaluations and assessments to allow time for students to be successful in class writing assignments. Local schools that I have been a part of are beginning to have students turn in their pre-writing and drafts, which give the teacher a better idea of how a student's writing has improved. I believe that this is a positive step toward improving students writing skills. However, there is also the problem of how teachers grade and assess student papers.
I find it amazing that there is such a disparity in the assessment and evaluation of student writing. I believe a person who has their BA in English and M.ed in ELA have more authority over what is or is not a good piece of writing from a student. For heavens sake! That is what these degrees are all about. How can the science teacher or family science person claim to have as much authority over writing as an English major/M.ed (ELA)? I firmly believe that the standards for effective writing should not be the same accross all subjects. I think that sometimes students are not assessed properly accross subjects. How can a student get a low grade on a paper in one class and an A in another? Part of it probabally has to do with a student's motivation. I know I would rather write a creative piece than a research paper for science. However, students need to gain the knowledge of how to write about a variety of topics. The real world does not always give options for what you are going to write. Rubrics are a good idea, but my experience tells me that even the best rubrics often have grey areas. In order for students to be academically successful, it is essential that we give them time to grow as writers. If this means that they need more time, than so be it. I also think that students need the opportunity to have some control over their work by helping to create their own rubrics for papers. By doing this students will feel a sense of ownership and control over their individual academic success in writing.

Useful Website

2007-02-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

English Works!

http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks

On this site students will find help with a variety of essays, grammar, and general editing skills. It is a very helpful site for both native speakers of English and ELL students. It would also be helpful for students who are struggling readers and writers. What needs to be revised in a paper is different depending on the student. This site would be helpful in tackling some of those writing revision problems!

Revision

2007-02-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

Many students hate the idea of revision, but it an essential component in the writing process. When I was in school, there was not a lot of time for letting the process of writing unfold. However, I am happy to report from my latest volunteer experiences and student teaching, that many teachers are allowing more time for students to revise. In fact, teachers seem to be encouraging students to make the time to revise their papers. Peer editing is a valuable tool to use in the English classroom. I think that more teachers need to implement the idea of workshopping with research papers and creative writing pieces. Learning is a socio-cultural experience, and students would benefit from recieving constructive criticism from their peers. However, for this to work students need to understand the components of the workshop. Students need to understand that they will not aid each others learning by simply putting good at the top of their peers' essays. I think that students need to understand that the revision process is not about the pain, it is about clarifying your message to your audience. Students need to understand that revision will always be an essential component during the writing process, and that this skill will always be expected from them.

The Writing Process

2007-02-01T05:10:00.000-08:00

My writing experience in middle school and high school involved the notorious five paragraph essay. I believe that learning about the five paragraph essay helps students understand how to organize their thoughts and ideas in a very simple and structured way. However, I also think that there is much more to writing than just the five paragraph essay, which is often neglected in schools. I think that the five paragraph structure is a good one to use with struggling readers and writers. It is an easy way for these students to understand how to expand on an idea or thesis. However, after knowing the capabilities of your students it is also vital that more ways of organizing an expanding an essay are implemented in the classroom. I would argue that writing an informational or technical piece of writing is easier in some respects, because the writer is simply trying prove a point. Often vital questions such as Why should I care? or Why is this topic interesting to the writer? are neglected. Students need to understand that there are a multitude of reasons to write. Often the school envronment promotes writing skills for passng basc sklls tests. However, in the world outside of the school sphere students will be asked to write for a multitude of reasons. It is essential that we teach students how to write and expand ther ideas in more ways than the restrictive five paragraph essay. This will aid students in achieving their lifelong learning goals and better prepare them for the future.
At www.learner.org:
Teachers can find informaton about how to enhance the skills of developing writers. On this site there are videos and ideas for meaningful writing assignments.

2007-01-25T04:25:00.000-08:00

I believe that the process of writing is often neglected in high school classrooms. I can't remember one thing that I wrote for my high school English class that was meaningful to me as a person. Don't get me wrong, I wrote essays and papers about various works of literature, but none of the assignments had any meaning for me and did not give me a passion for writing. Looking back, I wish that I would have had a teacher or assignment that offered me the opportunity to look at writing as a process, and not just a finished product/paper. I think that writing well, has been one of the few joys that I have had in this life. It is also an essential skill that all students should obtain while in high school. Do we as teachers not have enough time? I think that is a sorry excuse when we know the value of writing well....
One site that I thought was useful..www.webteacher.com it gives videos and ideas for making writing meaningful for students.

photographic philosophy

2007-01-22T21:05:00.000-08:00

"Creative thinking may mean simply the realization that there's no particular virtue in doing things the way they have always been done" (Rudolph Flesch).

I believe that students need to realize that English language arts are highly valued in the community. It is important for students to become exposed to the rich literary community that surrounds them. While teaching intercession at Crosswinds, my colleague and I brought in a professional storyteller for our students. We felt that our students should have the opportunity to learn about the oral tradition as part of our designed English curriculum.

photographic philosophy

2007-01-22T20:43:00.000-08:00

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires" (William Arthur Ward).

My own learning of English language arts involved a lot of lecturing by the teacher. I feel that this is not the best way for students to learn. Learning is a socio-cultural experience, and students learn best by having the opportunity to express their views and opinions with their peers. The teacher should be a facilitator rather than an all-knowing source of information. A teacher should be a person who inspires students to think critically, and offers the opportunity for students to express how they think and feel about what they read.

photographic philosophy

2007-01-22T20:23:00.000-08:00

"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way" (Ernest Hemingway)

Writing is an essential skill that will be used throughout the life of any individual. Students need to learn how to communicate their thoughts and feelings in a variety of ways. Students will be more motivated to write if given the opportunity to write about what is important to them.

My photographic philosophy

2007-01-22T19:42:00.000-08:00

"We shouldn't teach great books; we should teach a love of reading" (B.F. Skinner).

Reading is an essential skill that will be used throughout life. A good reader learns to read and think critically about what they read. Teachers have the opportunity to model good reading habits everyday. It is necessary that students become efferent and aesthetic readers. Gaining these essential reading skills will foster lifelong learning goals for individual students.

My Photographic Philosophy

2007-01-22T19:17:00.000-08:00

"We read to know that we are not alone" ( C.S. Lewis)

Relationships are of vital importance in the English classroom. It is essential that teachers are able to initiate, maintain and develop relationships within the classroom, school and community. Building and maintaining these relationships creates a network that is essential for a positive learning environment. Students need to know that the teacher is a resource that is friendly and approachable. Students need to feel comfortable in the classroom for learning to occur, and it is vital that the teacher create an environment conducive to learning.

Integrating film into the English classroom

2006-12-11T13:07:00.000-08:00

It is vital that film and media are implemented in the classroom. “Regardless of the text, film adaptations of literature can engage students in critical interpretations of both literature and the media” (Beach 104). I think that it is important for students to understand the difference between print and media representations. Media has the power to influence people and it is up to the schools to teach students how to interpret these representations. I plan on creating units that give students the opportunity to read, view and create assignments. I think it is a shame that media is often neglected in the English classroom. “Film/media is often marginalized in the language arts curriculum peripheral to teaching “basic skills” of reading and writing” (Beach 101). I think that students are not being taught how to analyze and interpret alternative sources of information. It is essential that the teacher employ multimodel ways of teaching because all students learn in different ways. I would use film adaptations in many of my literature units so that student’s could see a variety of interpretations of texts.
I really enjoyed the book Lord of the Flies when I was in High School. I remember vividly having the opportunity to watch the film in class. It almost felt like a prize for having finished the text. We watched the newer version of the film, and later I encountered the version made in the 1960’s. I believe that my reading and comprehension was enhanced through the opportunity of watching the film in class. I could easily distinguish the differences between the movie and print version of the text. I think that it would be a fun activity to have the students read and watch the film. I think that students would benefit from analyzing the difference between the film and book version. I would have the students write about which interpretation they enjoyed and why they enjoyed it. I would also ask students to interpret how the experience of the text is different in book and film form. I hope to help students understand the text in both forms, and how the experience with a text is different depending on the form. I would also employ Shakespeare film adaptations.
Getting students to read and enjoy Shakespeare is getting more and more difficult. Part of it has to do with the difficult language and the idea that it was meant for stage or film. A student could miss a lot of what is going on in the plays if they didn’t read the stage directions. One film that I would show is A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999). I would have the students choose their favorite character both in the book and film. I would have the student write a diary of what happened to that character both when reading the book and watching the movie. This diary would be on the blogger website and would be a great way to get students to understand the motive of individual characters in the play. I think that this film is different from the text, but the characters and scenes in the film are excellent. After the students have both read and viewed the film I would have them look at the difference of their character both in the book and film. I hope to foster a discussion on why certain parts were cut from the movie and why other parts were added. I would hope that my students would understand that interpretations can very greatly depending on the mode of a text.

Who owns it?

2006-12-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

I would have to say that I watch TNT and channel 5 the most for television. The radio station that I usually listen to is KS95. After taking this class, I began to wonder who owns it? It is important to know this information because the owner of the station or network may have his own agenda. The station you listen to may have bias in their reporting or hidden agendas, which are trying to manipulate the consumer. It is also important to realize what is said and what isn't said when looking at who owns a station. Obviously an owner is not going to report negative information about any its other companies. This is a negative situation for the viewer because they are getting manipulated by a particular bias. There are many monopolies in the media, which restricts the inoformation that is gained by the consumer. For example, clear channel owns many local stations in Minnesota. Do you only want one view or perspective in the media? I know I don't! That is why i have decided to check my viewing habits and see who owns the stations that I tune into.
The company that owns Minnesota channel 5 is an ABC affiliate, which is owned by Disney. Well, I guess i know why they always have the Disney movies on around the holidays. I found out that Time Warner owns TNT, which is a basic cable station. I was surprised to find out that Clear Channel doesn't own my radio station, because they own a majority of radio stations in the Twin Cities. Hubbard Broadcasting owns 94.5 KS95. I think that they are able to have a little more freedom than the other stations that I tune ino, because they are not as huge as owners like Disney. I imagine they have less restrictions on what they can say on their station.
By having these monopolies often the information that we recieved is slanted. I can imagine that many people might only listen to media from one owner. If you were to look at one company and what it advertises, you might find that it sponsors other stations that it owns. This is dangerous, because viewers would not be exposed to varying perspectives. I think that their should be more independant media stations so this can happen. I think that the other big bussinesses have to give up trying to control the minds of their viewers. People need to recognize who owns it so that they can keep a critical eye and ear on what is being said on their favorite stations.

Music and Ani Difranco

2006-12-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

I would have to say that my favorite shows to attend are alternative rock. I enjoy the liberal attitudes that are demonstrated in the music and with the people who attend these shows. Many of the artists that I listen to are female including Ani Di Franco, Indigo Girls, Tori Amos, Bjork and many others. As you can imagine, I always attended Lilith fair, which celebrates these artists! I think that these artists portray what it means to be a woman in today’s society. I enjoy their powerful lyrics, which illustrate the raw emotions that women go through on a daily basis.
One of my favorite songs is called “Both Hands” by Ani Difranco, which illustrates how a woman feels after a break-up. The lyrics of the song illustrate her sadness of the break-up, but also gives her power to go on with her life. It talks about how communication is key in every relationship and that sometimes you can’t be heard in a relationship. It is a song that doesn’t blame either partner for the break-up situation. The instrument is a lone guitar and female singer. It feels like everyone is on their own in this life and that true power comes from loving yourself.
This reminds me of many break-ups that I have had in my life. It is tough to move on from a relationship that means a lot. I enjoy her music because it gives me strength to move forward in this life. I think that everybody should listen to her music. I find myself listening to her music when I am going through tough times in my life and I need a little extra strength.

Documentary

2006-12-11T07:42:00.000-08:00

I would like to film a documentary about the bar and restaurant industry and how they hire immigrants. I think that it would be interesting to see how businesses profit off these individuals by paying them less than white Americans. You can go to any city in the United States and in the kitchen is where you will find most of these workers. I would be interested to see how businesses can hire these individuals who are working without a permit or are illegal aliens. However, this issue is never talked about in our society because big business has a lot of power. My documentary would have bias because I have worked in the service industry and feel that these people are not paid what they are worth.
My documentary would include a lot of interviews with immigrant workers in the service industry. I would also plant a hidden camera in the kitchen so that the audience could see what a workday was like for these employees. I would probably have to do a lot of editing to get my perspective across to the viewers. The kitchen is a place where anything can happen, but often there are long periods of time when nothing happens. I think that the audience would benefit from seeing the realities of the service industry. The issue of these workers rights is a very important message to deliver. I think that often people don’t notice that these new immigrants are sometimes working two jobs with over 60 hours a week just to survive in our country and mail money home.
My intended message in my documentary would be that all workers deserve the right of equal pay. I want my audience to understand that big business is profiting off the cheap labor that these immigrants provide. The point of this documentary is to have society be more aware of the injustices that happen in their local area. This documentary would make people think twice before dining at these establishments who don’t treat their workers fair and equal. I would include many interviews during my documentary.
I would like to interview restaurant workers who work more than 60 hours a week and follow them through their normal workday. I would also go home with these workers to demonstrate the struggle of these new immigrant families in America. I think that often people put these new immigrants into very negative categories. Often we hear comments from the public saying “they are taking our jobs!” or “these people come here and use our system for money.” I think that these are heard more because people don’t want to face that these families are working harder than most Americans and trying to support their families.
I would also ask these workers many questions about how they got hired in America. I am sure that most of these immigrants would know how to get hired whether they are legally or illegally in this country. I would also ask the general managers and kitchen managers how they cold hire these individuals. It would also be important to ask these managers what they think of the work ethic of these immigrant workers. I am sure that some of these mangers would be reluctant to talk about their hiring practices.
It would be difficult to get accurate information about this issue from managers, because they might be at risk of losing their job. I think that more accurate information would come from a manager who had left the industry because of the unjust treatment of immigrant workers. However, this might also be inaccurate because maybe this person would have a personal vendetta against the service industry because of losing his/her job. I also think that it would be difficult to get accurate information from the immigrant workers because they would not want to lose their job. However, I would hope that by protecting the identity of these individuals I could obtain accurate information from these people. The language barrier might pose a problem, because many of these new immigrants speak little or no English. A translator would have to tell the story coming from these interviews. Some American people might think that since these individuals speak little or no English than they shouldn’t be successful. However, people don’t want to admit that English is not the only language in the world. People don’t want to hear that many people are manipulated because of their lack of understanding of how jobs in the United States are supposed to function.
I hope that my documentary would open they eyes of people so that they would fight for these workers rights. I think that if people step forward with accurate information we could stop this modern day slavery. I believe that all people deserve the right to be in this country and work for equal pay. This should be the land of opportunity not injustice.

Teaching documentary film

2006-11-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

In our lesson on documentary we would have the students use the femenist and traditionalist lens while watching Jan Krawitz's documentary ''Mirror Mirror.''This documentary provactively explores the realtionship between a woman's body image and the quest for an idealized female form. The women in this film are of varying age, size and ethnicity. The film juxtaposes their views of the ideal body with contests for the perfect body part in the 1930's. I think it would be interesting to add this documentary to a unit on femenism and literature. I would have my students read femenist literature, watch the film, and write an essay on What does it mean to be female? How have women overcome the images and roles that have been expected of them? Is the fight for equality and need to be perfect still prevalent today?

Let's watch the news again!!

2006-11-14T20:21:00.000-08:00

I watched the WCCO news team again to see what would change if I had been watching a regular nightly broadcast. As usual, the news started with its "top stories." The top story for November 13 was about a Chaska killing where Grant Everson had plotted, planned and aided in the murder of his mother. The father said, "do I hate him? No!" The camera editing then switched to a neighbor who said, "he had smoked pot. They argued." Apparently Grant was to have had a "lack of motivation." A neighbor friend of Grant's named Tom Breckeridge committed the shooting, and apparently they "were both high." The news anchor Esme Murphey said, "What's going on in kids' heads these days?" This story was about a minute and a half long, and really didn't tell us much about the story. All I knew at the end of the story was that the son had aided in planning the killing of his mother. What I want to know is why the neighborhood friend of Grant shot her? It makes me wonder what these families were like? I mean, things have to be pretty dire if a person is so unhappy and hateful that they want to kill! I wonder how they knew that these two men killed Nancy Everson? How were they caught? It is obvious that this part of the newscast left much unsaid. I don't feel like I learned anything from this story. I can't say that I believe the story, because I have not heard any evidence. Am I supposed to trust the news?
The next clip was EXTREMELY short. Apparently two sisters died in a car crash in Royalton. For the picture they showed the wheel of a tire. In fact, I think I have seen this same image before, and I wonder if it is a general picture or a picture from the actual accident. News people may have archived one good picture to give a visual image to a story, you never know...
I found out nothing else about this story. So, two sisters died whom I don't know. It did make me happy that it wasn't my sister and me. Sometimes when watching these stories you want to say "thank heavens it wasn't me!" It also made me feel sad that someone had lost family members, especially since we are reaching the holiday season. The next few seconds were about politics.
Apparently Representative Mark Olson is in jail, but it went by so quickly I couldn't tell you even why! That makes me wonder if it was on purpose. I mean these are the men who are in political power in Minnesota. Perhaps he is somebody that the owner of the news has bias against. We then get another couple-second blurb talking about how Mike Hatch got "killed in votes." I think that Hatch did very well; Hatch and Pawlenty were neck-in-neck when I went to bed. The statement that "Hatch was killed in votes was not true, and made me doubt the station a little more. Isn't the news supposed to be geared toward "reinforcing audiences' values and beliefs?" Well, it is obvious that this station is not geared toward a liberal like me. The last political story that WCCO covered was about building a Martin Luther King memorial near the spot where King gave his "I Have A Dream" speech. Other than that, I wasn't told why, and WCCO never talked about Martin Luther King. It made me think this segment was "oh looky there, they built a structure for that Martin Luther King feller." Crap! They never mentioned that he was a leader, peaceful, political or anything. Most of all, they never said why it was being built or the importance of this memorial.
There were many commercials in between these short news clips that were about 10-20 seconds long. They advertised things for the home with Menards, custom flooring and "save big money at Menards." I am sure that soon they will be changing their jingle to "new seasons greetings to you all from Menards." (it's just too far away from Christmas... I give it a week) Another commercial had a happy, upper-middle class man who was having heart failure. However, after he took specific drug he became automatically healthy. By the end of the commercial it said "don't you owe it to your family?" The next commercial was for a strong, beautiful professional woman. She was "bold" because she had a hot new car and paid for a sexy man's dry cleaning. The intention was to think if I had this car, I would have the sexy man, money, and be successful and "bold" in every situation. I think that this is a little silly, but hey, people buy into these status symbols all the time. All of a sudden the news comes back on again for a local interest story.
The story stated that Minnesotans go above and beyond the forty-hour workweek. Well, everybody except for government workers. The slip was started by a witty comment made by Esme Murphey; "most of you work harder than news anchors." The editing then switched to numerous clips of random people on Nicollet Avenue downtown Minneapolis. "How many hours do you work a week?" The pedestrian replied, "50-60 hours a week." The reporter said "don't you think that is too many?" To this the pedestrian replied, "you do what you have to do to get ahead." The editing asked a couple more people on the street and then aimed the camera up to an office window where some businessmen were having a meeting. "Late nights at the office are becoming more and more common." The editing then switched to a reporter at the Hennepin County Government Center who was yelling "hello..hello" to emphasize that the government workers aren't working these late hours. Perhaps this was a little liberal, but I am still not going to believe these news reporters. Isn't the real story why so many Minnesotans have to work so much? Perhaps the idea of the working poor should have been the angle of this story. This story really told me nothing in the minute that it was on television. I want to know why we have to work that many hours, and how we as Minnesotans can get a better wage so we don't have to work as much.
A commercial came on for the "Miracle on Ice" at the Target Center, and it is a "limited engagement." Disney also advertises for the new "Cars" movie. Wcco advertises its "project energy appeal."
The next story was about the flu. It is about how Minnesotans get the flu and was part of the good question series. The question that the reporter wanted the doctor (specialist) to answer was "what's going on in our bodies?" The reporter said, "if you live in Minnesota, you'll get it." All the editing allowed the doctor to say was "you breathe it in, it spreads, that is why all of your body aches." After that couple seconds I surely don't know any new tactics to prevent it from getting into my body so that I can stay healthy. The anchors than said something along the lines of "yeah, not looking forward to that!"
The next story said "women who eat more than 1 1/2 servings of red meat a day are twice as likely to get cancer." O.k. scare tactic, stop eating red meat ladies, unless you want to die. Of course the story never told us why it causes cancer or any evidence. It was just a "new study" put on the news to scare women.
The next segment talked about the environment, "are you energized to make change?" "Personal effort, change, savings. You can lesson the effect of global warming." Minnesota was said to have saved 3, 520 tons of gas (power). The segment wanted you to "sign up" for an energy saving program. The segment was edited to show people at a WCCO call center wanting families to call in and be a part of this energy saving group. The segment ended with "Minnesota’s can do things that others cannot do." This apparently was supposed to influence me to call this group and join as a Minnesotan. However, I don't know anything about how much energy is alot of energy. I also wondered if men who also own this energy company own the station.
There were a lot of commercials including Subway saying, "eat fresh at subway." Also SuperAmerica, "do you want great coffee?" It had a uniformed worker validating the freshness of coffee at their store.
The weather and sports ended the news. I thought that the weather introduction was a little different. The weather man said "1 in 10 are sad this time of year with all the grey and lack of sunlight." It then listed a bunch of symptoms that would indicate if you were sad. Apparently the lack of sun causes people to be sad. However, melatonin is supposed to help. He then went into a brief forecast, saying "it's going to be mild all week, in the forties." The sports contained clips from many games, playing all the best moves and comments made about the players.
I think that the local news wants you to be interested in stories that are basically about the community that we live in and being Minnesotan. I think that there is a serious lack of world news which greatly disturbs me. I feel that the local news would have the power to educate people on all sides of the issues, but there is often bias. I wish that I could believe what was being reported on the local news. However, it is basically all about the local white people in the community who have families. It seems to be geared towards middle-class and working class families. It is not geared toward the entire community, which is rich in race, class and gender. Do they ever interview successful ethnic people? I am sure that they have, but I haven't seen it. Where is the news about diversity being positive in our state? All we see is stories which are intended to scare, intimidate and coherse us into taking the upper middle-class stance. I think that I will go elsewhere to find news that I find important and valuable.

Advertising During the Ellen Show

2006-11-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

The theme of Ellen's show was truth or dare. Each celebrity guest had to tell the truth about a private question or do a dare. However, she also made it so that she did a dare as well. Her audience was mostly women, and many of them were under forty years old. In her introduction to the show she had a clip of a woman who was around sixty years old who was skydiving. The older skydiver had an instructor with her, but when she went to smile her false teeth flew out. Ellen said, maybe she should try an new adhesive next time. I recognize that Ellen is a comedian, but I felt that this comment was said because younger people might find funny. Personally, I feel that it was pretty cool that an older woman was able to skydive. I don't care if she is doing it with teeth or not!
The advertisements during the break in the show were also geared toward women. One of the advertisements was for an upcoming talk show with Dustin Hoffman. The only snipit that we got about this interview was a question. What is your secret of success for your long marriage? Dusitn Hoffman answers, giving my wife control, and being completley afraid of her. This kind of advertising is targeting the women who are independent and strong-willed that could be watching the Ellen show. The next advertisement was for Ford Fusion. It had a beautiful woman driving a sexy, black, and powerful Ford Fusion car. While going through a dry cleaning drive-thru, she sees a sexy and rugged looking hunk driving a Ford Fusion. An older lady is giving her back her dry cleaning and the beautiful woman says, "I would like to pay for a few of his shirts, and will you give him my card?" It is obvious that this is an independent woman who goes for what she wants. The car was a commodity that symbolized her confidence, power and sexual allure. The commercial insinuates that if you have this car, you will have the sexy man, power,and confidence to go after all that you desire. By the end of the commericial you are certain that this car will give you the ability to make bold moves. Another advertisement that came on the show was for Garnier Frustus conditioner. The slogan for this commercial was, have the strength to bounce back. It takes the stance that the independent woman needs to have this shampoo/conditioner. If you buy this commodity, you will be ready to face the world and bounce back into your control position. The commercial was in an ideal time slot, being at around 10 am in the morning, and many women are sitting down to a cup of coffee.
It is obvious that advertisements target certain audiences, at specific times, to reach the right consumers. I think that the images in the commercials mentioned are targeted at white, independent, middle class women between the age of 21-35. I never saw any older people in any of the ads during this show. I never saw any men in the commericals, unless they were a figure that represented a woman's sexual interest. It was obvious that the man in the car ad was the woman's object of desire, and the sales target was the woman. Advertisers gear their ads toward a specific audience and will constantly try to get the message to the audience they desire. It is up to the consumer to have a critical eye on what they want, and not be manipulated by the constant barage of commericials targeted at them.

2006-11-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

"Gangstah"

A "Ganstah" like me, loves films like these....

2006-11-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

I would have to say that my favorite movies are gangster films. For some reason the main character or "lead gangster" has qualities that even though bad are acceptable and exciting. For instance, Al Pacino in Scarface is NOT a nice character. However, the audience sees him as both a killer and a loving brother and friend. He stands up for his friends and has his own values. Another film that comes to mind is the Godfather, where we know that the family is corrupt. The family kills, steals and manipulates the church and other establishments that are supposed to be respected. The film makes it so that you are on the side of the family and makes it so the Godfather is respected. "Nobody goes against the family," or you will regret that decision. Typical settings for gangster films are busy prominent cities of New York, Chicago, LA, and European cities. The setting for the violent activity can be in the dark of night or in the bright daylight hours for some of these films. However, I have noticed that if an extremely violent act is about to happen, the setting is quite dark. The settings also use fog and sound effects to bring about the feeling of darkness and violence. Most of the gangsters in the films that I watch are very intelligent and dress sophisticated. Nobody can deny that Andy Garcia looks fantastic in the Godfather! Often the values in these films represent that there is a fine line between good and evil. The standard community has the rules that they live by, and the gangsters find the loopholes that make them rich and even prominent community members. The gangsters seem to live by a code; their code usually involves taking care of your family and comrades in crime. The storyline of gangster films usually revolves around money, power and respect. The drama that occurs in these films is getting money, power, protecting family members and friends. The language of these films is usually tough and hostile. The gangster often uses tough and persuasive talk to get what he desires. The means that these gangster characters utilize is the "eye for an eye" mentality where if anybody threatens their power and control, they are going to get it. The endings of these films still leave the gangster on the top no matter if he dies or survives. In the Godfather, one conflict leads to another, and it is a series of violent acts juxtaposed with the idea of peace and stability in the family. The ending usually leaves the viewer with a feeling of strength for having been a part of the gang. It also leaves the viewer with the feeling that they too can accomplish what they want to survive and protect their own existence.

Absolutle Spoof

2006-11-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

Absolute: Have you had a night out lately?

2006-10-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

During adolescence I used to watch the soap opera called Days of Our Lives. I haven’t watched it in years, and decided to watch an episode and go to a soap opera fan chat room for my ethnography. I figured that I needed to know what this show was about in order to contribute to the conversation. The chat room consisted of eight women from all parts of the United States (Ohio, Texas, Missouri). A couple of them were stay-at-home moms, but all the other women were at work. I thought that this was interesting because it extinguished the stereotype of soap opera fans being couch potatoes and Bon-Bon eaters. Most of the women were bored with their jobs, and used this chat room as a place of escape from their work life.
I believe that these women were able to socialize well on this site because they had this soap opera in common. All of the women on the site tended to share the same moral perspectives on the characters in this show. They gossiped on what they thought a character should do in a particular situation. They were blunt and honest in their opinions by saying things like "Bo should dump Hope, I am sick of her whining." Other than engaging in the relationships of the characters, they also engaged in talking about their personal real-life relationships. I even had one woman offer to give me her phone number in an instant message! The women seemed to sometimes bring the drama of the show into their daily lives. One woman who is getting married in November is pregnant, and afraid to tell her fiancé. I believe that the baby is her fiancées', but she said that she is not going to tell him until after they get married. She believed that it would cause problems in her life, because as a couple "they are going through a lot of stuff right now."
These women seemed to share the agenda of wanting to talk about their daily lives both personal and professional. Of course they loved talking about the show, but they often used it as a trigger /platform to talk about what was actually happening in their real-lives. I enjoyed talking to these women, and was surprised at how candid they were online. Media offered them the opportunity to speak without the in -person reservations that many people possess.
I think that the chat room offered the women a chance to socialize in way that offered them affection for a life that may not have been what they anticipated. "These female fans developed a sense of agency and social empowerment" by being a part of this site. They offered each other advice, shared moral perspectives, and felt free and open to talk about their personal lives. I think that this kind of situation is beneficial for women because it gives them an opportunity to talk to other women and get advice about how to handle personal matters.

2006-10-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

More on Urban Neighborhoods

2006-10-12T13:31:00.001-07:00

Many neighborhoods seem to be segregated by race, income and hypothesized demographics. I think that we are still living in communities that are segregated by class and race. This can only be proved by the financial officers who let this happen. Perhaps urban neighborhoods are kept in their position so that people don't have to recognize the rich diversity that surrounds them. I think that the media, especially television news promotes fear of urban neighborhoods. How many times have we heard stories of shootings, robberies, rape and domestic abuse in these neighborhoods? The real problem is poverty, which is not being addressed. Instead we are taught to fear these neighborhoods that are rich in culture and diversity. Many people live here, and not all of them commit crime. Often only the negative stories are heard of in these neighborhoods. I especially like the photograph of the American flag in front of this Latin-American structure. The flag in front of this building represents the heart and freedom of America.

Urban neighborhoods

2006-10-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

I think that often urban neighborhoods are displayed in a way that shows poverty and extreme deprevity. The last time I checked these neighborhoods displayed enormous amounts of diversity. Many people live here including the working class that is the foundation of America. I think that these pictures represent the idea that these neighborhoods are falling apart, and that this is where you should not live. The homeless person laying in front of the patriotic monument perhaps tells us that our people are not being cared for at home in America. The dog in the street portrays the idea that people in these neighborhoods are animal-like and not human. Haven't we heard this before? Perhaps we have. During the slavery movement many people were cohersd into believeing that African American people were not human, and that they did not deserve the same rights as white Americans. Perhaps if we view these neighborhoods as full of violence and animal-like people it is easier to dismiss them as people. So next time you drive through these neighborhoods think about what the media is telling you to think about these people, homes and neighborhoods. Do you know anybody who lives in these neighborhoods? Perhaps if you did, you would recognize that they are the salt of the earth and deserve to be cared for by our government. Money should be spent to rebuild these neighborhoods. Living in urban neighborhoods that are neglected strips people of their dignity. These images should make people want to help rather than fear the people who live here.

Critical Analysis of Kill Bill II

2006-10-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sarah Staples
Critical Analysis
Kill Bill II
In scene 9, of Kill Bill II it is obvious that Tarantino utilizes the feminist and postmodern approach that lacks in many films. The feminist aspects in this scene include the idea that a female can be an assassin rather the nurturing and caring female. This idea is juxtaposed with the idea that the main character (Uma Thurman) is a mother who believes that she has lost her child due to Bill. In this scene, she continues her course of revenge, where there is no mercy. Western society often portrays women as incapable of this kind of violence. It is often believed that "females are more caring than males or that they differ in moral reasoning" (Beach 41). Uma Thurman is able to: use martial arts, samurai swords, throw chew in the face of her opponent, stick the head of her opponent down the toilet, and even pull out her opponent’s eye. Obviously these are not "typical" behaviors of women portrayed in films. Often women are supposed to be the ones who saved from violence, not the ones who are acting out violence. The film is also postmodern, because it doesn’t follow the "typical" narrative structure and it juxtaposes our idea of the "innocent" female with the dark underworld of murder and revenge.
Within this scene, Tarantino plays with the narrative structure by using flashbacks to convey meaning and to move the narrative forward. This technique was used in the standoff between Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman) and Elle (Darryl Hannah). During the standoff Beatrix Kiddo says, just between us girls, why did Pai Mai snatch out your eye?" In the flashback the audience understands that Pai Mai was a rough teacher, but also that he was a wise man. He was portrayed as a "master" who nobody could beat in battle. In retribution for her agony during training Elle had poisoned his fish eggs. By using this postmodern approach, the audience recognizes whose side they are supposed to be on in this battle. For it seems that Uma is not only seeking revenge for herself but is also avenging her "master." The film is also postmodern because it challenges the idea that women cannot be warriors. Throughout the film, Uma is portrayed as the "greatest warrior," which is typically not a blonde, beautiful and violent female. This film challenges our idea of what it means to be female, and it is postmodern because it doesn’t obey "typical" cultural conventions/norms that are often seen in films.

2006-09-29T08:01:00.006-07:00

Kill Bill II-->editing, makes the movie all the better.

The Kill Bill series utilized many editing techniques in order to convey meaning, relationships, narrative development, and themes. In the scene prior to scene 11 we see Elle on her way to Buddy's trailer. She is on a mission, and as an audience we follow the car through tracking shots that were shot from the side and front of the car. In order to emphasize her speed, tracking used a low angle shot towards her turning wheels. When she is in the trailer of Buddy, the camera moves to a long shot looking toward the desert. He added slow-moving music and high lighting and as an audience our focus is moved toward Beatrix Kiddo coming out of the desert. The high lighting looks like the sun and creates a feeling of heat, thirst and we can feel the exhaustion of the character. The scene then cuts back to the trailer where Buddy and Elle are having a conversation about the supposed death of Beatrix Kiddo and the exchange of the Hanso sword. When the camera goes back to the desert Beatrix Kiddo is on a high cliff in the desert like an animal looking for its' prey. Tarantino then used an extreme close-up of her eyes and intense music to display that she is ready for her attack on the trailer. However, Elle's intention was not to buy the Hanso sword from Buddy. She put a Black Mamba snake is his suitcase full of money, and he gets bit in the face by the snake. As he laid dying, the camera utilizes a low-angle shot to convey the power of Elle. It is then that we get into the original scene that I chose in Kill Bill II.
The first shot that we see is Elle kicking open the door of Buddy's trailer. Tarantino added sound effects to make this feel like a forceful kick. We then get an extreme close-up of Elle's eyes which show shock and surprise that Beatrix Kiddo is alive. Tarantino uses a medium shot to show Beatrix's legs flying toward Elle's torso and zooms in close to her feet. While these character's duke it out Tarantino manipulates time. Often when there is a kick or punch that he wants to emphasize, he puts the camera in slow motion and as the strike occurs, he makes the camera go back to normal or even a faster speed. Tarantino uses lighting, sound, and manipulates time in order to convey power and the relationships of the characters. Tarantino also uses flashback in order to show the true evil of Elle. We find out through a flashback with subtitles that Elle had killed the master who trained them in martial arts. Of course as this story unfolds, the camera moves to an extreme close-up of Elle's eyes and we hear a wicked laugh. All of these things enhance the action of the film and carry the audience toward the final battle with Bill. In the next scene Tarantino used his usual transition in this film: a black screen with a particular chapter number and title. All of sudden we see a long shot of a beautiful Spanish vista. The lighting would display that it was early morning and it almost looks as though the dew is still fresh on the trees. He adds beautiful Spanish music which starts off slow almost sounding like a choir. Again we are moved to an image of a car, but this time it is Beatrix Kiddo in the driver's seat. Tarantino adds narration so the audience knows where Beatrix is going. She talks to Esteban Vajeijo and finds out where to find Bill.
Tarantino uses many editing techniques and angles to carry us through this story of revenge. These techniques emphasize power, characters' emotions, and movement. The editing adds to the experience because it creates mood and enhances the development of the film.

2006-09-29T08:01:00.005-07:00

2006-09-29T08:01:00.004-07:00

Kill Bill II

2006-09-29T08:01:00.002-07:00

Kill Bill Volume II
In Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill Volume 2, chapter 9, scene 11 displayed a variety of camera movements in order to convey the emotions of the characters, and to provoke a specific emotion from the audience. However, prior to discussing this scene, I need to give those of you whom haven't seen the movie a little background information.Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman) was an assassin for Bill, but decided to leave her life when she found out that she was pregnant. She was pregnant with Bill's baby but she never told Bill. She decided to leave her life as an assassin, and not have the baby grow up with Bill as a father. In the meantime, she found a man who wanted to marry her. However, when she was at her wedding rehearsal, Bill found her and was very upset. He spoke with Beatrix Kiddo and convinced her that he was o.k. with her marrying another man. He also agreed that he would come to the wedding. On the day of the wedding, Bill and his cohort of assassins attacked the wedding and killed everyone. While Beatrix Kiddo lay on the floor dying, Bill pulled out a gun and shot her in the head. Her last words were the baby is yours.Beatrix Kiddo woke up from her coma, and believed that she had lost part of her life and her baby. She decided to go on a mission of revenge and kill all who tried to end her life, with Bill being the final target. In chapter 9, scene eleven, we see the attack on Ellie (Darryl Hannah) and exquisite camera shots that display anger, battles of power and the intensity of the fight.Ellie was in the process of leaving the trailer of Buddy (Bill's brother), after having killed him. The first shot was an extreme close-up of Ellie's face. Tarantino did this so the audience could see the fear and shock in Ellie's eyes. After all, she thought that Buddy had already killed Beatrix Kiddo. However, Beatrix Kiddo was not dead, because she had gotten out of being buried alive, because of her training in martial arts. The next camera shot is a medium long shot where the audience is focused on the middle of Ellie's torso and the feet of Beatrix Kiddo flying toward her. The medium long shot captures Ellie being thrown toward the wall of the trailer. Beatrix Kiddo and Ellie battle it out with the camera being focused on both characters. However, when the characters used extreme force toward each other, the director switched to a close-up shot. In the close-up shot Tarantino focused on the eyes of Ellie and Beatrix Kiddo. Tarantino also used high-key lighting in order to put focus on the sword. When one character began to win the fight a low angle shot would convey the power of the character. Back lighting would also emphasize the powerful character and visually represent their position in the fight. If the character were losing power in the fight, Tarantino would use a high angle shot that would put the character in the submissive position. The use of angles and lighting was interesting because most of the background in this scene consisted of low-key lighting in order to emphasize the dark world of murder in which the characters' lived. At two points within this scene Tarantino manipulates time. The first time he did this was when Ellie got knocked into a counter. As she got up, the camera used slow-motion to exaggerate the cut on her face and the pain of her injury. The second manipulation of time was when Ellie was in a medium long shot flying toward Beatrix Kiddo in a martial arts motion. As she approached Beatrix Kiddo the camera switched back to normal speed and she went threw a wall. This manipulation of time was interesting, because it built a climax toward Ellie being thrown into a wall. In order to emphasize the motion of flying in the air, Tarantino incorporated cartoon-like music to emphasize the fall that was supposed to crush Beatrix Kiddo.Filmmakers use many techniques to emphasize power, characters' emotions, and movement. By incorporating appropriate camera angles and sound the frame is enhanced. A well-done scene would portray meaning, representation, relationships and be well developed. I hope that filmmakers are inspired to imitate the artistic stylings of Quentin Tarantino, and I hope to see more films from him in the future.

Katie H Answers My Post:

2006-09-29T08:01:00.001-07:00

Katie said...
Hello, Sarah!I find your advocacy for computer literacy and access at North HS an admirable pursuit. I, too, believe that it is imperative that the education system in our country recognizes the role of technology in the daily life of global citizens. Without keeping pace and staying abreast of the latest media tools, future generations of American students will be at a loss in comparison to their global counterparts. Not only will they be unable to compete for the same jobs, but they will lose their edge when it comes to analyzing media outlets with a critical eye. They've got to use their tech-knowledge...or they'll lose it!
3:51 PM

Media Studies in High School

2006-09-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sarah Staples North High School
Minneapolis, MinnesotaSeptember 14, 2006

Current Curriculum:I volunteered at North High School in 2003, and the school does not have many computers. Students need to have more access to computers, so they are better prepared for life outside of high school. Many students had trouble completing their required assignments because they didn't have computers at home. Students at North High School have an excellent and knowledgeable staff who are ready to incorporate more media into their curriculum. However, the teachers are being handicapped by not having as many computers as they need for their students. It is obvious that North High school values media studies, and more access to computers would bolster student learning. I have enclosed a letter on how I could foster student learning through having access to computers.
Dear Principal Skinner,
Being a language arts instructor, it is vital that I utilize my knowledge to foster student learning. Having more acessibility to computers would improve the student literacy levels in our high school. It is imperative that educators recognize that "81% of students in grades 7-12 have e-mail accounts, 75% have have at least one Instant Messanger screen name, and that 97% believe strongly that technology use is important in education" (Richardson, 6). It is imperative that we look at these statistics and incorporate more media into the language arts program at our school.
Computers would aid in student learning in language arts, because students would have better access to primary sources which our library may not have. Students would beable to conduct better research for their required essays. It is vital that students' learn how to search for these sources online, and this skill is necessary for academic success. Students need to have the opportunity of a hands-on experience so they are not passive recipients of knowledge.
I would like my students to have the opportunity to create a blog. Blogging gives students the opportunity to share their ideas with peers, teachers and even parents. This would be especially helpful for those students who reluctant toshare their ideas in class. Blogging would give me the opportunity to post their assignments, reminders and quicker feedback on their work. Having a blog space would allow students the opportunity to participate in conversations that would foster critical thinking skills. Computers would give students the opportunity to share their ideas with people from around the world. Multicultural literature could be enhanced through establishing contact with a schools from around the world.
I recognize that school budgets often don't accomodate us with the latest technology. However, the program that I mentioned is free and would enhance my success with students. I wonder if we could start a fundraiser or seek out donations from the community. I believe that we owe our students the opportunity to work with computers, and that their learning would be enhanced. I look forward to discussing this letter with you in the near future.
Sarah Staples
posted by Stop it Staples! @ 3:00 PM 2 comments