Ashely and Michelle's Indy Teach

I really appreciated these Indy Teaches today. Both were insightful, relevant and useful lessons. Ashely addressed some important issues in the secondary classroom for new teachers and I was reminded of my own high school experiences. It's funny the things that we don't consider until we're put in those "other" shoes. What is ethical? What information is necessary? Which consequences are appropriate?
Michelle took it home with a great exercise on literacy. I think this is an issue all too debated, especially with the rules of grammar and standard English paving the way. She made me consider how I would attempt to create an open learning environment in my own classroom when literacy, reading and writing become an issue.

The tools in their coursepacks will be beneficial to me later, that's for sure. Especially Ashely's survey.

Group Teach

Over the past two days we have discussed stereotypes in the classroom, media and global consciousness. We have discussed the prejudice students face in their classrooms. We have seen how minority groups have been misrepresented and degraded by large companies like Disney. We have witnessed the subtle attacks and demographic targeting done by advertising agencies. Now how can we use this information to create more social imagination in our classrooms? What activities from the past two days were useful in deconstructing stereotypes? How can we open students' minds and broaden their world view?

Youth Marketing

Here is a link to some educational resources for media literacy. You will find lesson plans and helpful information for elementary and secondary classrooms.

I wish I had a penis

Men have access to different opportunities than women do. Men still get paid better, treated with more respect and usually are not hired solely because their breast size is impressive. I cannot think of a single memory that highlights my desire to be manly, but I can tell you that my therapist has mentioned "penis envy" in a session or two. I'm THAT girl. The one who walks around wishing she had a bit more to offer in the dick and balls department.
Often I am not taken as seriously as my male peers. It took twice as long for me to get full trust and respect at the biodiesel lab in comparison to my male coworkers. They were sporting keys, confidence and attention from the bosses long before I did.

dialte.

Today is a day for apathy.
A day for emotion to rise up from the barracks
and evaporate into thick air.
In billowing, black music notes
it rises up, up, up.
Disappearing into light and dust.
Straining to see where it might have went,
you focus on a speck.
Blinking, swallowing, blinking,
until you realize it's really gone.

Now what to do?

Go back to the beginning.
To the sunrise and dew of spring mornings.
Eyes peeling open and legs
stretching out forever against a flannel canvas.
Deep sighs and ripe fruit on a clean plate.
Wake up.
The soles of your feet should meet the earth
and become callous.
Climbing trees has never seemed so right.
In breathing deeply we are whole again.

Our eyes knew each other
long before they met across rooms.
They were old friends
of inspiration and freedom.
And hands?
Well, our hands form partnerships
at the opposite ends of oceans.
Pullling the tide back and forth;
knuckles laughing in a tug of war.
Our hands are childhood blood brothers,
keeping secrets and winking.

I came across this short film by Dove. It effectively addresses some of the core issues we are dealing with in the big bad world of advertising. Please check it out.

Beauty?