Beat Down on Spongebob

Okay, what do you see when you look at this picture? Is it a little girl beating down the man... well I guess sponge in this case or is it a mom who buys into disneyification? You guessed it I buy into it. I am a Disney fan.

When I was reading the article I believe I was an oppositional reader. Every sentence I read I found I was shaking my head. How can we go about blaming large corporations for the way our children are spoiled? Let me give you this scenario:

A farmer brings a basket of tomatoes to the market to sell. In less then 2 hours he sells out. As he is packing up other shoppers approach him and are upset that they missed out on his red ripe tomatoes. He feels bad and leaves. The following week he brings two baskets of tomatoes. Before he even sets up his stand there is a line of people waiting to buy them. Some people even begin pushing. Still he sells out. Now what should the farmer do to provide for his family and make the shoppers happy? Should he continue to bring more and more tomatoes or should he just bring the same amount every week. You can blame the corporations all you want for the vast products they put out and marketing to certain age groups, but that is marketing. It reminds me of the whole Cabbage Patch debacle, when there isn't enough of a product people get pissed and go a little crazy. I don't know if anyone understands what I am trying to say but we can't keep blaming everyone else for how the world is we have helped to make it like this.

One parent commented that there is no way to keep your child away from the products and advetising unless they are homeschooled. But it is the parents like me who throw their daughter not just a spongebob party but Elmo was involved too.

There were some things that were amazing in the article such as Disney hiring an anthropologist to go through kids closets and find out what they really want. But the fact is there is a parent acceting the 75 dollars for the kid to get interviewed. We all made fun of the lady who put her kid on ebay in a t-shirt saying put your advertisement here. How horrible of that woman. Then you see all the children walking around with Gap across there chest or Abercrombie on their ass. Is there really a difference?

Day 1 Down

Well the first day is over and I have to say it went by relatively quickly. We hit upon some very interesting topics. Today, the main thing I came home with is "Question Everything," "Always ask why" A main staple of critical pedagogy. This is something I try to instill in my students every year. Think for yourselves. You are responsible for your own destiny so it is up to you to make the most of your education and your lives. So often they rely on their teacher to shovel it all in for them as I have been told by students before, "It is your job to tell me." It reminds me of how I finished up the school year.
It was my last exam of the year. My fellow teacher and I had collaborated on making a lab practical exam for our students. This was not information they had to memorize but concepts that they had to apply to each lab station that we had covered through out the semester. Before entering the classroom I explained to the class how the exam would be carried out. One student responded, "Is this like Miss C's exam because she is a horrible teacher. I told her that and if this exam is the same then you are to." I chuckled a little and replied, "I guess I am." One thing that I have found is using these learning applications you meet a lot of resistance. Not just from administration, colleagues, or parents but often from the students. Many find it harder because they actually have to think not just memorize or recall facts. But this resistance is nothing compared to the other students that you reach and the minds that you can open to find their own knowledge.
On other topics we discussed today, Beauty and the Beast will always be my favorite Disney movie. No matter what we point out about it. But I understand that it is recognizing that those things are there and I can still take pleasure in watching the movie? My question is at what age should I begin pointing these things out to my own daughter? She is only 2 now but at what age do they begin to understand these things and at what level do you discuss it. Discussing these things with teenagers is totally different. Does anyone have any suggestions on that? One of my favorites from the movie, "Tale as Old as Time," for your enjoyment.



Again, there were so many interesting topics we touched on today. Still not sure about that Madonna video. Think I need some sleep for that one to sink in. Until tomorrow I have all my technological devices powering up so we will be ready for class tomorrow. Until then....

My First Post

Welcome Media Literacy Friends. I am Jen Goulding and this is my last class before I receive my masters in education. Yeah! It has been a crazy 2 year adventure for me. I had my first child in May of 2007 and then began my masters program in September. I then had my second child this past November pretty much in middle of Tiskus's Assessment course (Not actually during class!) But I have made it through and it is a great program for all those who are starting out.

I have been teaching at North Providence for the past six years. I am a Science teacher who has taught a number of different courses in the past 7 years from Biology and Physical Science to Nutrition and Disease and Forensics. I love technology but my school is so behind that I hardly have a chance to use it in my classroom. I am excited that my department head has just given me a projector that I can keep in my classroom so I can't wait to use everything I learn in this next week in my courses for next year. I am excited for this year's course load, Forensics, Environmental Science, and Earth and Space. It should be a good year.

I found Pensky's findings to be spot on. I know I am a digital immigrant because I was born in a time when computers and technology is not what it is today. Email had just started to become begin when I was in college which was just about the time when only a few students had their own cell phone. I was never a big emailer or texter. Hardly ever used my own cell phone which many people made fun of. With my hectic schedule and kids I never had a moment to spend time on the computer. Last year my husband got me a blackberry with unlimited text and email. Now with this technology at my fingertips 24-7 I have definitely upped my digital citizenship. How easily and quickly I confirmed. Two weeks ago I joined facebook and have connected to a lot of old friends that I lost touch with because I didn't email. This phone has opened up a new world for me and I now see why many of my students can't just put their phone away.

Bloggity Blah Blah

Well here it is my first blog of summer for media literacy! Can't wait for the week to really get started!!!