Frosh
We continued reading The Scarlet Ibis. The older brother can be a bit of a jerk, but you haven't seen the worst of him yet. Keep track of those details and their larger meaning on the story chart. You are getting plenty of time to do this well since it isn't due until Tuesday, October 25.
Seniors
You worked on the Anglo-Saxon laws worksheet, which will be due at the end of class on Friday. Remember that examining the laws a society enacts is the best way to analyze the values that society holds dear. Tomorrow, the the third Article Selection is due, and I'll be checking your books for the next sections annotations. Be prepared to dive deep into the timed writing because there's more asked of you on this one than on any of the previous writings we've done in class before.
BROCKTOBER COUNTDOWN
Here's a video of Brock Lesnar giving an F5 to a shark.
Speaking of analyzing a society's values, I am surprised that you are perpetuating North American gender stereotypes as seen through this video clip. As a teacher, I can see how you might want to bring in pop culture to bring a relevant and fresh perspective. I can also guess that one might argue that this is a spoof. I tend to find that American audiences (particularly young ones) tend to live out these scripts rather than analyze and I am disappointed that you are show-casing this clip for teens to emulate. Is your class able to think critically enough to see the pros and cons of these types of clips? Is the climate emotionally safe enough to express dissenting opinions on whether or not to view these clips or do you all sing from the same choir-book? ie. Are you so immersed in your culture that you can not step out of it for a critical look?
ReplyDeleteThere is undoubtedly a broader context to the embedding of this clip but I think it would be a worthwhile exercise to examine the cultural assumptions behind the pairing of this video clip with educational objectives for a teen audience.
And another last question, do you provide other strong female role-models or do most pop culture references in your class involve semi-clad, helpless, screaming females waiting to be rescued?
I’d like to tackle this in pieces, as I believe there are some valid concerns but also some complete misunderstandings or misconceptions of, at least, the culture of my classroom if not American culture in general.
ReplyDelete**Speaking of analyzing a society's values, I am surprised that you are perpetuating North American gender stereotypes as seen through this video clip. As a teacher, I can see how you might want to bring in pop culture to bring a relevant and fresh perspective. I can also guess that one might argue that this is a spoof.**
There are two things I want to address here. As has been evident by the many previous entries I’ve made over the last few days and weeks, I’m excited about attending the UFC event in Anaheim, California this Saturday, headlined by Brock Lesnar. He’s the guy doing the wrestling move in the video clip. It’s become something of a running joke in the class because I’m a human being and like to make sure that my students see me as one first and an educator second. I get excited about things like literature, writing, lively discussion, and, yes, combat sports (or sports entertainment). Secondly, in no way am I attempting to perpetuate gender stereotypes nor do I believe that the video does so. As you stated, it’s very clearly a spoof of the film Jaws, meant for laughs since it’s a ridiculous situation when the then professional wrestler (and current MMA champion) dispatches the dangerous shark by giving it a wrestling finishing move in the water. Yes, there is a woman in a bikini (which is appropriate attire for the setting) screaming, but she’s one among many doing so and her behavior is in line with the satire presented.
**I tend to find that American audiences (particularly young ones) tend to live out these scripts rather than analyze and I am disappointed that you are show-casing this clip for teens to emulate. Is your class able to think critically enough to see the pros and cons of these types of clips?**
ReplyDeleteHere’s where I feel you have a really basic misunderstanding of the age group I’m teaching or are perpetuating your own stereotypes of American audiences. I teach 14 to 18 year old students who are able to distinguish fact from fiction. My frosh classes know that attempting to fight a shark or perform wrestling moves in general are bad ideas because we have literally had the discussion that emulating things seen on television (e.g. the video in this post) or succumbing to peer pressure (e.g. jumping off a bridge because a friend says it’s a good idea) leads to terrible outcomes. My seniors have spent a good portion of this semester studying media analysis, a fact readily available by looking at the previous entries of this blog. When I discuss my own interests at the beginning of the year, I readily admit that, objectively, my interests in comic books or pro wrestling or fighting are silly and/or barbaric. But, at the same time, I like what I like, and I have my reasons for doing so that I can easily justify. Those reasons spur discussion in my class, and said discussion often lead back to the literature we study because everything leads back to literature eventually. Literature is about being human and exploring what that means, and every interest anyone has can tie into that idea.
**Is the climate emotionally safe enough to express dissenting opinions on whether or not to view these clips or do you all sing from the same choir-book? ie. Are you so immersed in your culture that you can not step out of it for a critical look?**
I like to think that the climate I create in the classroom is emotionally safe enough for people to bring up a dissenting opinion and have gladly welcomed those discussions in the past. Heck, the dissenting opinion you’ve expressed here is a welcome change of pace because I get so few comments. One of the big ideas that my seniors and I cover is the idea that questioning ideas, especially mine, is healthy. Dissenting opinion strengthens a person’s ideas, whether by making him or her question what they already know or by forcing them to defend what they feel with reasoned arguments.
**There is undoubtedly a broader context to the embedding of this clip but I think it would be a worthwhile exercise to examine the cultural assumptions behind the pairing of this video clip with educational objectives for a teen audience.**
I agree with you that looking at the cultural assumptions and implications of the clip is a worthwhile endeavor and think that such an exercise could yield a discussion that explores satire in a post-modern age combined with the responsibilities that sports figures or even sleazy wrestling companies have to their audience. Honestly, though, that wasn’t the point in posting the clip. I just thought it was funny.
**And another last question, do you provide other strong female role-models or do most pop culture references in your class involve semi-clad, helpless, screaming females waiting to be rescued?**
Yes, I do. To be fair, though, the sheriff, lifeguard and little boy building a sandcastle were also looking to be rescued.