Lesson 1: embracing wobble
Lesson 1: embracing wobble
Pursuing literacy as criticality:
Interrogating Creators of Texts
“Projects that feature black actors and are created by black people are so important because what we see in the media dictates how we think about the world. Representation is so important for black kids growing up.”
~ Amandla Stenberg
Lesson Objectives
Identity: Teacher candidates will explore their own preferences for the media texts they consume and examine the aspects of the texts that appeal to them.
Skills: Teacher candidates will use a Critical Media Literacy Framework to analyze a media text.
Intellect: Teacher candidates will consider the role Critical Media Literacy should play in their instruction.
Criticality: Teacher candidates will identify ways representations in media perpetuate or disrupt systemic power structures.
Week of March 22
1
Read, Watch, & Listen
Reading Summary
Effective teachers understand the importance of teaching students to critically approach all texts. As humans, we must able to identify the motivation behind texts, identify ideologies embedded within all texts and have the confidence and ability to affirm, reject, or revise these ideologies.
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In this lesson, we examine the definition of critical literacy and explore its role in education and the different disciplines.
As you are reading/watching/listening, please note AT LEAST ONE sentence/idea that jumps out to you for some reason. Copy it down word-for-word.
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All texts are constructed with a purpose, and thus they carry with them the biases of the authors. Although some may believe that certain genres of texts or texts from certain disciplines are bias-free, this is not the case. All texts position the reader in a certain way and reflect the author's understanding of the world. This means that we need to learn how to approach texts critically. That's where critical literacy comes into play. The following texts help us better understand what we mean by the terms critical literacy and critical media literacy. Please note that in addition to reading the text in Part 1, you should also watch the embedded video.
New technologies mean that texts can be created quicker than ever before--and by anyone who wants to create them. With the influx of texts students face every single day, it is important that teachers from all disciplines help students develop a critical lens when working with texts. While there are many aspects to this criticality, this lesson focuses on helping students identify author bias, representation, and power dynamics presented in text. The following texts examine critical literacy's role in education.
Critical literacy instruction looks different across disciplines. And sometimes, it can be difficult to envision what it might look like in a specific discipline. To help you better visualize how to approach critical literacy in your endorsements, explore the examples below that match your endorsements.
Once you have finished reading/watching/listening and noted the sentences/ideas that stood out to you, select the one that resonates the most with you. Then, go to your group's Google Notebook and post your quote in your designated section. If someone has already shared your quote, move on to the next one that spoke to you. All quotes should be posted by Sunday, March 28 at 11:59pm.
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It's time to GEEK OUT! Select the one app that you think has the most potential to accomplish your purpose and start developing a plan for how to use it in your teaching. Full instructions can be found on the HOMAGO page. Post your reflection by Sunday, March 28 at 11:59pm.
Week of march 29
2
Engage with Ideas
Although we will not meet as a class this week, you will still work on 306 during our scheduled class time. To begin, complete your planning worksheet by 1:15, and make sure it is posted to your blog. I will be looking at them during our scheduled class time and respond to them as needed.
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Once you have your plan for the afternoon, meet with your group via Zoom (one of your group members should set up a Zoom room for the meeting) any time during our scheduled class time. You should plan on 45-60 minutes live discussion. Follow the protocol in your group's Google Notebook. Note that I will post my video response by Sunday evening, so you are free to watch the video prior to your group's meeting.
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HOMAGO: It’s time to Geek Out in earnest. Using the answers from last week your task is to develop a plan for integrating your selected app into your curriculum. Check out the HOMAGO page for more information and post your reflection by Sunday, April 4 at 11:59pm.
3
Complete the Challenge
Deconstructing the Familiar
The Challenge
Your challenge is to apply what you have learned about critical literacy to analyze a text that you encounter outside of school.​
The Details
Before you begin:
Watch:
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Reflect on the epiphanies (or new ideas) you had when watching this TED Talk. What does this conversation make you think about or connect to personally?
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Locate a television show or movie that you engage with outside of school. Think about the shows you encounter and interact with on a regular basis. (Note: It may be easier to complete this challenge if you choose an episode of a show or movie that you are familiar with so you don't get distracted.)
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In the moment:
Use the Deconstructing the Familiar Graphic Organizer to apply a critical literacy lens to the text you have selected. Please note that you will need to make a copy of the organizer in order to edit it.
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Complete the challenge: ​​
Post a link to your graphic organizer on your blog. Snap a picture of the text you analyzed and caption it with your new understanding of the text. Then, compose a reflection that explores what you learned:
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Why did you choose the text that you did? What aspects of this text appeals to you? (Identity)
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WHO are all the possible people who made choices that helped create this text? HOW was this text constructed and delivered/accessed? What role did language play? HOW could this text be understood differently by different audiences? WHAT values, points of view, and ideologies are represented or missing from this text or influenced by the medium? WHY was this text created and/or shared? WHOM does this text advantage and/or disadvantage? (Skills) (Kellner & Share, 2019)
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How does this experience inform your understanding of critical media literacy? How might this understanding shape how you develop instruction for your students? What connections can you make between this experience and texts/practices in your discipline? (Intellect)
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In what ways does this text perpetuate or disrupt systemic power structures? (Criticality)
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Make sure to reference the ideas from the readings and viewings. Post your reflection on your blog.
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Post your work by Sunday, April 4 at 11:59pm.
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