FNED 346

Dr. Bogad

Pechakucha !

On Wednesday 3/26, I went to my first Pechakucha.  What an awesome evening!  I have wanted to attend this event for the last 3 years.  With it’s inception in Japan in 2003 this information sharing format has grown into a world wide sensation.  You must apply to present, and if accepted, each participant is allowed 20 slides, accompanied by a 20 second narration.  In Rhode Island it is monthly, and locations are never the same.   

On this particular evening, I met a good friend at “Fete” in Olneyville.  This venue was also new to me. The setting was magical.  The bar decor was an eclectic mix of bright color with rustic charm, and amazing lights.  It was perfectly artsy, and the crowd reflected the bar:  a room full of wild hearts.  It felt like home.  I wanted to live there.

Every Pechakucha event has a unique theme.  On this particular night, it was “Connect”.  And it was a pleasant surprise that the first presenter was a young teacher.  As it turned out he was one of 4 young teachers that took the stage over the course of the evening.  Everyone was supportive and there was much laughter.

The most interesting thing about this format was imagining how easily I could incorporate it into a classroom.  It would work well as a “get to know your students” scenario.  It would also work for presentations of group and individual projects.  The time and slide limit is stressed in order to keep presenters on task.  It eliminates extraneous rambling and maintains a direct transmission of information.  So it could also work as introductions and summarizations of lesson units as well.

Before I headed out, I had a chance to thank several of the presenters, and I did speak briefly to the organizers.  The next event has a date, but the theme has not been determined yet.  I am not done with this.  I will absolutely present one day, quite possibly this summer.  And it will involve my art, probably my community of 3D pieces. . . . 

If you are interested in more information as well as dates and locations, you can go to the following website:

http://www.pechakucha.org/cities/providence

SED 407

Prof. Napolitano

Textbooks and how best to use them. . . .

I just finished reading Chapters 3 and 6 all at once.  A luxury to be sure. Time is a luxury.  And I only bring that up, because textbooks robbed me of a lot of time some years back.  

I carried those books around in my backpack from class to class.  I highlighted them, fell asleep on them, re-read them at least 3 to 4 times only to find that I didn't get it, I felt stupid.  I couldn’t give up though.  I had tests to take and at the very least pass.  Which I did.  But ask me what I remember.  Only what I found interesting.  Only the things that continue to touch my life.

I was so happy to read both of these chapters.  And this happiness piggybacked my first week at RIC when I discovered that the required reading materials for my classes consisted of only two textbooks.  The rest have been a variety of excerpts and articles with connecting content.  I am enjoying this kind of reading, more importantly I am not having to read it 3 times to remember it much less comprehend it.  I am being challenged, and I am thinking, and I am being provoked. I am alive with opinions that are being supported by research.  And I get to add hyperlinks of my choosing to my reflections.

And as much as I want to say my head hurts form my perceived enormity of the task of becoming a  teacher of young people, I am relieved that there are pioneers of this new approach of providing content from both traditional and non traditional sources.  There are indeed vast and growing genres to be tapped.  (The list is on p. 55).  And I can add my own materials, and students can choose as well.  How smart is that.

A few years ago, when my daughter was home for a weekend from college, I came across her Art History Text. I opened it and began to read.  Moments later I was texting her screaming (the way you scream in a text. . . )  “WHAT TEACHER HAS ASSIGNED YOU THIS GARBAGE. . .”  (She  loved me for doing that).  I call it ego driven text.  Someone had the “need” to be published.  It was perfectly horrible and I was furious that she was required to read it.  In no way was this going to help her in life.  To it’s credit, maybe there was some viable content, but I could neither see nor comprehend it, so how was my daughter going to get anything out of it.  Twenty years ago, my response would have been quite different.  I would’ve thought “well of course I’m an idiot because I can’t understand this.”  But my experience now tells me that just because it’s published doesn’t mean it’s well written.  And just because someone is a teacher doesn’t necessarily mean they are good at it.  And to add insult to injury I was paying for this.

As I head into the classroom, I know that I will be on the lookout for a comprehensive textbook on Biology.  But I so appreciate that our textbook, "Subjects Matter" offers guides as to what to look for, and how to help students engage with the material.  And to grasp the big ideas. How to choose the most important "fenceposts".  Further, to utilize other resources that have more of a connection to a student’s own experiences, and then having them engage with each other and help each other learn the material, just makes good sense.  It’s time, resource and people management skills, all good things to learn.

When I tackle an art assignment or idea if you will, no resource is out of bounds.  And what works is different every time.  Creating an environment that is fun, engaging, and makes sense to those whom it impacts is the best and most effective kind of learning experience there could be.  That is certainly what has worked for me.

I want to be a good if not great teacher.  I want to encourage kids to dream.  This is not ego driven.  I do not need anything more than to see them hungry to find their own way.  That’s it.  And I hope to find a school system that will support this approach.  Because it is smart.  

FNED 346

Dr. Bogad

3/2/14

• Damn Myths •

                                                              

(Sorry, my sense of humor is showing)

In the article “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us” by Linda Christensen, I had many intense reactions at a number of different levels.  I grew up with Disney in the 60’s, I raised a daughter with Disney, and Bugs Bunny, because I loved them.  And it appears that this is just another area where stereotypes are subversively displayed, damaging the developing minds of our children.  I suppose in some way I was aware of this, but as an artist my appreciation for the product had my attention.  While in college, however, I distinctly remember, if I happened to pick up a fashion magazine, I would be depressed for days.  And I knew why.

But I’d like for a moment to back way up to the days of cavemen, when division of labor was probably physically and skill based.  Men were hunters, Women gave birth, watched the children, and “gathered”.  Communication may not have been very sophisticated, but these divisions were, to a degree, practical.  And I will not claim to be a sociologist, however, one might argue then, that this stereotyping may have roots as practical and skilled based.

Back to the topic at hand, and my other “Big thought”.  Is Art imitating Life or is Life imitating Art.  And does it matter?  I related to Justine, who disclosed in her journal that the dissection of the media portrayals of women was depressing.  Realizing that her self image had been formed by some  outside force of what defined happiness for women was painful.  It is for me too.  But I have to ask again is Art imitating Life or Life imitating Art.  Did the media start it, or did we start it.  Every December as the holidays approach, I have to accept that my daughter will be with her father and his new family.  This year we had a talk about changing that.  She’s not happy, and neither am I.  The idea of what a family is, and what happiness is for women, is an assumption that plays out all year round but is more pronounced at particular times of the year.  The world appears just as resistant to alternative choices for celebrating the various passages that life presents by it’s assumptive promotions of what holidays and other family celebrations look like.  (Incidentally I never had a Barbie, this was a foreign concept to my european parents.  And my daughter’s first interaction with a Barbie was to pull her head off, an action which I applauded with great maternal enthusiasm.)

But I digress. The issue becomes, what to do once you have uncovered the conveyors of the powerful myths that teach children “what will make them happy”?  (As if the answer to happiness is an external one, and yes I struggle with that one).  Once again we find ourselves where we have so often in our readings.  We must acknowledge the problem first before we can take action.  

This article hits closer to home than some of our previous readings.  (And this is not a value judgement on what defines an "issue" by any means).  I still love Disney and Bugs Bunny (and Spongebob), as does my daughter.  But taking on the media seems implausible if not impossible. Christensen’s resolve as a teacher is to offer her students, and future teachers (yes, that’s us) a great tool.  She challenges them to create opportunities to funnel their anger into possibilities of action.  In other words, she is turning her students into teachers.  Her class created a number of proposals in which they could create a message and take action,  And with conviction, individually and in groups, they created an awareness campaign of sorts.   

I have to admit, I feel a bit of a victim to these myths.  Growing up my favorite song was “Someday my prince will come”  Just the thought makes me sad.  So let me leave you with this.

This week Disney announced that it was going to discontinue it’s charitable contributions to “The Boyscouts of America”, but not because of what you might think.  BSA is placing a ban on gay leaders in it's ranks.  What Disney is doing is a step in the right direction.  And you have to start someplace.

More on the same issue from Time magazine:

http://nation.time.com/2014/03/01/disney-stop-boy-scout-funding-protest-anti-gay-leader-ban/

Disney is a big part of our culture. The earlier films are classics, and I wonder do we have to "fix" them.  We certainly can talk about them.  And maybe the positive changes can happen as we move forward.  I do not necessarily have answers, but I do love Disney.  And for what it's worth, for animation and gaming, it is one of several amazing training grounds for future young artists.

Yeah, I embedded a video! ! ! ! Thanks Dr. Bogad!  I love school.  (see last 2 posts. . . )

FNED 346

Dr. Bogad

Inside the Classroom Walls

foundations for an inclusive and safe society

“Classrooms lay the foundations for an inclusive and safe society: a just community where common interests and individual differences coexist.”  The world would be a wonderful place if this were true. And in fairness to everyone, it should be true.  In Amazing Grace, Kozol stated that if we do not acknowledge the problem we cannot even begin to fix it.  So too, the authors of “Inside the Classroom walls” argue that in any classroom, “silence in the presence of anti-LGBT statements (and attitudes) suggests acceptance and approval.”

So even though the walls of a classroom create a definitive space, the authors assert that it is not necessarily a safe and nurturing place.  Much like osmosis, these walls are permeable to the beliefs and assumptions of the community at large.  Students and teachers reflect the community.  So the challenge becomes how do we create a classroom where difference, specifically the LGBT community, is “expected, explored, and embraced,”  and students  “develop perspectives that result in respectful behaviors”.  And the inclusive and safe classroom becomes real.

                                                                                        

                          ( kidsActivityBlog.com)

I took this article to heart.  I am headed towards high school classrooms.  The beliefs and assumptions that I expect to encounter, good or bad, will have been boiling for a long time.  More than once I found myself thinking “the more I know the less I know.”  And although it wasn't high school, the manner in which the kindergarten teacher challenged a child’s intent by having him research the meaning of his “hurtful” words, disarmed the child's intent.  This was a powerful technique.

I recently observed a High School class that was engaged in a lively group discussion about the human reproductive system.  I was struck by the maturity of the students, and the non challant way in which they followed the teachers prompts with potentially uncomfortable material.  But there was no visible discomfort in the students behaviors.  What they were learning were facts.  There was nothing to judge.  This particular teacher had clearly defined the rules of acceptable behavior.  It was visible in the classroom.  Of course not everything is on the surface.  But as an observer it was an extremely positive and hopeful experience.

In my field work at a local alternative high school, I have three students who are enrolled in a college level course on Human Sexuality.  During our first tutoring session, one of the students shared their paper on the history of Homosexuality in Rome.  The topic was the student’s choice.  All three students seemed completely matter of fact about the material.  Granted this is an alternative high school, where part of the mission statement is one student at a time.  It is a priority that each student is celebrated for who they are and what they want to pursue.  But I was again impressed.  In both of these high school scenarios, something good is happening.  I am however aware that I may be observing only the tip of an iceberg.

At the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, GLBT intolerance is written in the law.  I feel this is worth mentioning because it is currently a punishable crime to behave “openly” gay in public.

In July 13, 2013, The New York Times published the following:  "A few days earlier, just six months before Russia hosts the 2014 Winter Games, Mr. Putin signed into law allowing police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Contrary to what the International Olympic Committee says, the law could mean that any Olympic athlete, trainer, reporter, family member or fan who is gay — or suspected of being gay, or just accused of being gay — can go to jail."  (Fierstien, New York Times 7/31/13)

Upon hearing this, I was shocked that the United States did not decide to boycott the games, or at least challenge Russia on such an outrageous policy.  After all, we had boycotted the olympics in 1980 over the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.  Yes the situations are different, however the common thread is/was persecution.  And we do not know what other countries might have joined suit.  Nevertheless,  I do not understand how the current climate around the games does not infuriate the global community.  

This first link is to CNN, detailing the public flogging of the band Pussy Riot and the concerns of what will happen next.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/20/world/europe/pussy-riot-strikes-back-sochi/

This is an interview of Stephen Colbert, two members of “Pussy Riot”, and their interpreter.  The two women had just been released from a Russian prison.

And just because you may not be gay, lesbian bisexual or transgender, doesn't mean you are not being victimized as well.  What we have in common with our fellow man is the human condition.  Persecution affects everyone.

I take from this article some valuable techniques.  As our class moves forward I hope that there is more sharing of personal experience and observation.

Every Child needs a champion.  It's just under 8 minutes long.  A terrific site, this is wonderfully inspirational  (Yes I know, my first reaction was I do not have eight minutes. . . Listen to it while you brush your teeth. . . . )

and then there's this. . . .

Understanding by design

SED 407

Prof. Napolitano

UbD response

“Understanding by Design” provides a curriculum planning framework for organizing big ideas for learning into manageable and assessable lesson plans.   The framework describes effective learning as a “Backwards” scenario.  Beginning with analyzing what is to be learned; the big picture, followed by the essential questions: the big picture objectives, then developing pre, during and post assessment techniques.  Only then can one create truly effective lesson plans.  The concepts of a Big Picture and Essential Questions align perfectly with the design and development of thought provoking effective units and lesson planning, and direct explicit teaching that I am currently exploring in SED 406 and FNED 346.  Once again I feel as if I am the student that I am learning these processes for.  I will be working on my first lesson plan soon.  Understanding by design makes so much sense.

Module A, part one of the concept “Understanding by Design”, gives a descriptive account of what is considered the Big Picture.  While reading, (before reaching "What Is Understanding?" on page 6) I had a bit of a knee jerk reaction to the word “understanding”.  Bloom’s Taxonomy discourages using “understanding” as an objective behavior because it is difficult to measure without additional context or explicitly defined conditions.  I continued to read "What Is Understanding?" and was pleased that my concern was addressed (to my satisfaction, as if that matters!).

In Module F, part 2 of “Understanding by Design”, the essence of an essential question is explained.   Similar to the objectives used by Bloom, the essential questions are objectives for students to achieve, but are a bit more open ended. They could be answered with a "yes" or "no" but encourage further inquiry by the phrasing of the questions.  They provide a jumping off point for true learning.  These Essential Questions aid the teacher in focusing a unit while prioritizing appropriate issues. 

Using both Modules, A and F, teachers and unit designers, should be able to develop “thought-provoking essential questions related to the unit topic and understanding goals” and “precisely state the desired understandings as full-sentence generalizations.”  ( p.70)

This approach, consistent with the principles I am working with in my other Education classes, provides additional consistent supporting tools for the development of good unit design.  It also supports the reflective approach to teaching.  With gratitude, I have added them to my toolbox!