A Queer learning week !

In the previous Media class we spoke about being Queer. I found this to be a coincidence, because a few days before, I had went to the movies and watched "Milk" which is primarily a movie about the evolution of gay rights, starring Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, who was in fact one of the first people in San Fransisco to establish gay rights in th 1970's.

What we discussed in class was definitely portrayed in the movie, and really helped to summarize concluding information on the topic. I can pretty much say that this was a very 'queer learning' week for me.

Being so impressed by the movie 'Milk' (which by the way, won the Oscar this year for best acting), makes me want to share my thoughts about it-

First off, I had no idea that gay rights began in San Fransisco- this was very interesting to know, especially because I might go there this summer with my parents, who, let's say aren't the most open minded people.
Second of all, this movie really touched me because I found out that it had been based on a true story. Throughout the movie, I really connected with the main character, (Sean Penn) who faught and struggled to send out the message that gay people should have rights and they are human beings who deserve equal respect in a society that does not respect them at all. In fact, the movie showed police beatings and extremely discriminating remarks and acts to portray this. It surprised me how hard it was for the gay community to gain a voice and gain respect from their community.

In the end, Sean Penn (Harvey Milk) gets shot after finally gaining the majority vote to have gay rights, by a member in the opposition party who believed he should be shot because of his success.

Although this ending was extremely upsetting, I believe that this movie overall, sends out a very powerful message that can hopefully open the minds of people who still believe in inequality and/or brutality regarding gay people, whom are simply trying to live in peace and acceptance.

Suicide

In today's media class, we spoke about a very disturbing, but real topic; suicide. Many people don't like talking about or dealing with it, but it is, unfortunately our reality and as future teachers we need to be aware of the signs of suicide in children so that we can properly deal with the issue and prevent unwanted behavior.

Teen suicide is getting more and more common these days. I was surprised to learn that there are so many websites that tell children how to commit, and how it's cool to do so. Instead of websites such as these, there should be more preventative type websites that teach children and teens why you should NOT commit suicide, and that it is NOT cool.

The media plays a huge role in popularizing suicide. More and more teens find comfort in the idea when they hear so much about it in movies, television shows and on many websites. Teens begin to identify with other people their age who have the same beliefs and as a result, we get a huge population of people who don't see past the illogical thoughts and stupid ideas they hear.

I can go on and on about the topic because it is very serious and there is so much to say, but I am no expert and I think I have to learn more about it myself first.

Happily Ever After

Today in our media class, we were discussing Disney misrepresentations in movies and popular TV shows. I was very surprised to hear that many people seemed to have different opinions on the topic.
Looking at Disney princesses, one is quickly able to gather that they all have skinny bodies, they are all white, most of the also have blond hair. They have one basic mission, which is to get the prince and live happily ever after. The problem with these movies is that it gives children the idea that that is the norm, and that being a girl requires the pretty hair, the white features and all the materialistic things money can buy to make you look that beautiful. It causes a problem when children who cannot afford all of these things start getting down on themselves and feeling as if they are not as good or as pretty as the girls they see in the Disney movies.

On the other side, people can argue that in the past few years Disney has included more minority figures, including 'Mulan' or 'Pocahontas' for example. In television shows, there's 'That's so Raven' for example which includes African American families and characters. Although I do agree that Disney has been making a greater effort at including more than just the typical white upper class family, I still think that the general image remains one full of materialistic wants and female sexuality and beauty- an image I don't think will ever change.

Slumdog Millionaire and children

In today's media class we discussed racism and prejudice. This discussion was followed by watching a short part of the movie Slumdog Millionaire. I thought that this movie choice was very relevant to our discussion as it most definitely portrays the elements discussed.
I have seen this movie twice already and I'd still love to see it again. Although it is maybe too violent for young children to watch, I think it would be a good idea for them to see a world outside of their own. Many children are not aware of the hard life some people have, and some exposure to that could be more beneficial than not.
Regarding the amount of violence in the movie, it may be slightly inappropriate for children in the younger grades, and as an alternative to watching this specific movie, I think that other cultural movies should be shown and discussed at a level that would be more comprehensible and more appropriate.
Too many children grow up sheltered from the reality seen in Slumdog Millionaire, and I really think it is time that teacher's to open their eyes to this, and do something about it.

Concerns about technology

So it is finally spring break, and here I am, in front of my laptop, listening to music with the television on and my cell phone ringing. Sadly enough, although I will do some shopping and some skiing this break, I can pretty much be assured that more than half of it ill be spent indoors on a couch using being lazy and getting entertained off of technology, technology and more technology.

It occurs to me that although technology is making our lives simpler and let's say, more convenient, it is also disabling us from seeing the potential in activities that don't melt our brains away.

The amount of time people spend watching television or on the computer/ day is seriously alarming. There is a lot of positive behind the negative though. The internet and the television are both inventions that constantly enable us to access information about anything we'd like, in any language and in any format. The internet for one, allows us to participate in an everlasting encyclopedia of information, which is amazing! -A good example of this is one that was shown in our media class last week. A few elementary school students created a project on spiders using their computer and different animation programs. Their project came out looking very nice and I was shocked and impressed to know that they were able to put that kind of thing together at that age!

The problem is that technology is hardly ever used for it's positive educational resources. Rather it's most used for online shopping, stalking, playing poker, video games and watching pornography. On top of that, we easily forget there's a real world outside of our fantasy world!

So, I ask myself, is technology enabling us, or disabling us in the long run?
I suppose long term results will only be seen in a few years, for most of technology is fairly recent and applies most to our current generation.

It's not what you teach, but how you teach it

This morning on my way to school, I was listening to the radio and on the news the announcers were discussing a very large issue that we have in our educational system here in Quebec. It turns out that Quebec has the highest school drop out rate in the country! Apparently in poorer areas of Montreal, nearly 40% of students don't even finish high school or get their diploma. This is extremely alarming information to hear.

http://www.cjad.com/news/14/872265
This article from CJAD news explains the situation more clearly and includes more alarming statistics.

At some point in the talk show, people were calling in to talk about the topic, and one caller suggested and stressed how important it is that teachers in Quebec schools make the material their teaching more interesting and more relevant to students so that they want to come to school, and actually enjoy what their learning, as opposed to carelessly dropping out. In response to that, I strongly agree and believe that integrating new and fun technology in English class as opposed to lecturing about Shakespeare, would make a significant difference in the way many teenagers and children view and value their education. Teachers who don't believe students will learn effectively through the use of technology and believe that the old fashion way of teaching is the only way, are only going to make the problem worse.


The announcers on the radio mentioned how some educators are considering using the topic of hockey and the Montreal Canadians in their classroom, because it is relevant to students these days, and because they actually like it! Many people called in saying how they think it's nonsense and how kids can't learn 'real' subjects (mostly meaning math..) from it. This type of response is, in my opinion very ignorant. People have to open their minds up, and realize that it's not what you teach, but it's how you teach it.
With regards to elementary schools, you can most definitely teach subjects like math through hockey. From fractions to simple algebra to percentages, the NHL is filled with statistics! Can you believe that students would actually want to learn math? It's possible..we just have to open our minds and open our eyes to the world the younger generation live in.

Photovoice: Women as objects in the media

An overview:

The topic I chose to explore as part of my photovoice is one whose image speaks very powerfully. As you will see below, my images portray women as objects where they are used to sell products or ideas through ad campaigns and pictures. From perfumes to dolls, these images keep sending out the same degrading message towards women, which is my main concern. The message being sent out to the public is that women are simply good for pretty pictures, sex icons and fashion related jobs. One of the main reasons that this problem exists is due to the fact that that our culture is very sex and beauty oriented and we buy into these types of commercials and ads. Companies thrive off of this and use it a tool to sell almost any product through the use of sexually implicit images that attract the eyes of men and women of all ages, including the very young population as well. Another rather serious issue is that children are growing up with the idea that it is perfectly normal to see these types of ads where women resemble objects of beauty and desire. This gives children and young adults unrealistic objectives as well as a very corrupting view of themselves and of women in general, continuing this vicious cycle. It is hard to come up with and immediate solution to this problem, because we are all so used to seeing and producing these images and more specifically because they are huge money makers for our fashion oriented culture and economy. None the less, we as future teachers can do our best efforts to educate our future generation on this issue, and to see through the fact that media’s occasional powerful influence isn’t always a good influence.





Image 1:
This is an ad for a furniture store. As one can see, this company is attempting to sell a couch by comparing its curved shape to that of a woman’s body. In this case, we can see how easily women’s bodies can be turned into literal objects. Ads such as this one are constantly seen in the media for the reason that they sell. Many male consumers might be intrigued by the comparison and completely forget about the qualities of the couch itself when purchasing, and women might get tempted by it because of the idea that it’s just “So you”; a slogan written in small next to the picture.

Image 2:
This is a classic Dolce & Gabbana ad that is trying to sell its perfume by showing perfectly sculpted, half naked men crowding around a woman who is in some sort of sexual position, like hyenas to a steak. The media is portraying women as an object of sexual desire in order to make women feel as though if they buy this perfume, they will attract these men models. It is completely unrealistic, and highly unlikely, but it makes money. Male or female, sex sells. Period.

Image 3:
This Barbie ad depicts the way women can supposedly very closely and worryingly resemble dolls. It is almost hard to tell whether these girls are real or plastic. This most recent collection of Barbie’s, is called “Barbie loves MAC” referring to MAC cosmetics, a very popular and well known make-up brand for women. Barbie’s new profession now, is a make-up artist, and for only 35$ many young girls can look up to her materialistic profession and aspire to be like her and look just like her and her anatomically unattainable figure!

Image 4:
This picture is a recent ad for the “Axe” company which advertises it’s collection of scented body sprays and shower gels for men. Its campaign revolves around the idea that men who use it automatically attract all the women around them, to the point that they show up in a shower asking to be washed as a sexual reference to their slogan ‘Get Dirty’. In this ad, the media is objectifying women as dirty objects that need to be cleaned by men. The woman’s face isn’t even shown, as the ad focuses purely on her revealing body.

A wake-up call..

Technology has eased it's way into our world as it has changed the way many of us learn, the way many teachers teach, and the ways in which we interact on a daily basis. I can definitely say that I cannot see my life without most technological appliances I own, nor do I feel like I can function properly without them.(Which makes me feel slightly pathetic, but anyways..)
Much of the younger population would agree that there are no consequences to the use of technology, as they are unaware of some of the disadvantages that technology brings, while an older generation would argue against it;
"TV screens will ruin your eyesight! i pods will damages your hearing! cellphone use can result in cancer! video games promote violence!.
Sound familiar? - I'm pretty sure it does.

Although we cannot say for sure whether or not these so called disadvantages are 100% correct, they do make a lot of sense... and even though I am part of the younger generation, and I do enjoy my i pod and my cellphone, I am not blind to it's potential harmful future effects. Unfortunately, there are more disadvantages to technology than the obvious ones your parents might lecture you about, some of which many may be blind to...

While reading about the stages on pedagogical development, I came across an interesting technology-related topic that is often not emphasized enough in elementary and high schools. Plagiarism and cheating is so easy to get away with these days because more and more ways to secretly or privately access information is available. From the internet, to cellphones, students have mastered the art of cheating and continue to do so, constantly receiving grades they are most certainly not worthy of having, and more importantly taking away nothing from their classes and lectures. Lathrop and Foss (2000) have found that '80% of high school students admit to cheating and 95% of students who cheat say they do not get caught' This is very very alarming to hear as a future educator who would never want to hear a statistic like that.
This is should most definitely be a huge wake-up call for teachers everywhere, I know that it certainly is for me.
Clearly, it isn't enough that educators have found ways to find out if a paper is plagiarized or not. We must find another way to get rid of such inappropriate use of technology so that our future can rely on academically independent individuals who have learned something valuable from their education other than how to cheat.

Here is a link to an article that further discusses 21st century cheating.

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2142

Enjoy!

Dr. Phil and Oprah : America's role models

When thinking about people like Oprah and Dr. Phil, I find myself slightly frustrated. These once regular people, have inherently become idols and role models that carry the socio-cultural power which impacts both young and old during many lazy afternoons on the couch.
I personally, used to like Dr.Phil, and other television shows that dealt with relationships, careers or the new fall fashions. I used to look forward to watching these shows on a pretty regular basis on my own time, as well as with my friends.
It was only recently that I came to a new conclusion. My new perspective on these types of talk shows originates from the fact that the only reason they are popular is because "they appeal to audiences' insecurities and thirst for entertainment" Basically, it seems as though millions of us get pleasure and entertainment from people's misery, their weight loss/gain, their broken hearts and the new season fashions that are made out to seem affordable, but in reality, really aren't.

"Oprah Winfrey is a brand in the same way that Nike, Kodak or Honda are brands". This statement is most certainly true, and just like most of us illogically get drawn by the brand name on a pair of shoes, or a logo on a digital camera because they are 'known' and popular, millions of us continuously get drawn to Oprah magazines, Oprah books, Oprah talk-shows etc, because we believe in the advice given by this 'brand-name person' who doesn't actually do all that much, yet racks in the cash.

All in all, people like Dr.Phil and Oprah, who offer the same advice as many other psychologists, talk show hosts or even regular people like you and I, will always get the attention and the money. Not because their advice or opinions are actually better than any other, but because their names constantly reassure our insecure and fashion obsessed culture.

Playing around with youtube

A hidden influence

During today's media and technology class, the topic of TV shows and films came up. The class was discussing the ways in which most TV shows that children and teens watch nowadays, constantly send out misconceptions and unrealistic goals that create needs as well as rude behavior towards parents, siblings and others.
These popular shows include Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, My Super Sweet 16 and 90210, just to name a few.
These shows tend to have a few things in common. They are all dominated by rich upper-class white teens with unrealistic bodies, who don't eat and who go behind their parents backs, maintaining a distant relationship with them at all times.
These shows are not necessarily popular for those reasons, but rather because they create a sense of fantasy filled with all the material possessions one can ever have or want. People of all ages watch these shows, although, it is unfortunately, the younger crowd that get negatively influenced by the messages these shows send out, because these children have not yet been taught how to separate the good connotations from the bad. This ties into the idea of media literacy, and how I strongly believe it should be enforced into the curriculum. This way, when students watch these shows, they can have their own opinions about them, as opposed to the ones their crowd of friends may tell them to have.

Although I follow all of the shows mentioned above, I am able to ignore their negative aspects and simply enjoy a good, overly-dramatic, unrealistic, time consuming show without having my life revolve around it, or be compared to it. If only I was able to see through them at a younger age...

Out and About

BubbleShare: Share photos - Easy Photo Sharing

My first blog

This is my first web blog. It wasn't as complicated as I thought to make. I actually like the format, and the way it is organized. I'm not quite sure what I am going to write about yet, but I'm sure more ideas will come as the semester progresses.

Although I'm enjoying my classes this semester so far, I do miss being on stage. I taught for 3 months, and it sort of feels weird coming back to be a student when I was just a teacher. It almost seems as though I have taken a step back...
Only one more year to go!.. I have to keep telling myself that :)

Anyways, that's all for now...