Dreaming Big

Description: This 30 minute documentary follows the lives of undocumented children of immigrants who are willing to work and strive hard in order to earn their citizenship. Not only does this documentary go through the lives of different undocumented people, but it also goes into discussion of the country’s policies and the consequences that it may have not only for the young people featured, but also for the country. It discusses an important matter that is always in the news and something that worries many people on daily basis.

Review: This documentary was very interesting in the way that it not only covered the personal lives, but also discussed the issues with politics and why things are not being done for undocumented people. It is interesting to see this topic addressed since this is something I’m familiar with and know a lot about. I liked seeing the different stories of different people and all the struggles that people go through. Having to constantly worry about being taken away and having all hard work and struggle be for nothing. It’s pretty heartbreaking to see the people mentioned, work so hard for something, only to be pushed back down by something so simple that can be changed if enough people believed in it.

Where I got it and where you can get it: Netflix/Youtube

Pedagogical Response:

In order to have students get a better connection with this documentary, I would want the students to partake in an activity that involves their culture. Something I would have the students do is take a look at their background and do research on where they come from, where their family comes from, any customs or traditions that they follow. I would want the students to be able to write a short report on this and then create a powerpoint to then share with the class. The grade level I would choose for this would be 6-7th grade.

Another aspect that I would want to add on this activity would be to have students randomly select a student from another culture and do research on them and do a comparison and contrast to see how the two cultures differ and why learning about diversity and different cultures is important.

By being able to do this with students, they will be able to realize that everyone is different and although we all come different places, we’re all still human and we all want to strive for a better life and chance to succeed. I want the students to be able to recognize that despite differences in color and race, this should not dictate how we view others and it should not mean that one is better than another.

It is important for students to be able to recognize this, especially from a young age, so that they then can fight and become advocates for people that are struggling and need support from everyone in order to show that anyone can succeed regardless of any status that they hold.

By being able to see those similarities and differences, the students can then come to terms with the idea that being different is not always a bad thing. It promotes diversity and acceptance in students and this something vital to their understanding of who they are and everything around them.

Psychology of a film

When Marnie was there 

Year: 2014

Found: Amazon https://www.amazon.com/When-Marnie-Was-There-Blu-ray/dp/B00ZAZEED

Description: Sent to live in a town by the sea in Hokkaido, Anna, a foster child, is dreamer that shuts herself away from everyone. She avoids interactions with others as much as she can. That is, until she meets a mysterious girl named Marnie. Together, they find solace in each other’s company and help each other through different inner turmoils.

Review:

Although a bit confusing, this film shows a new take on friendship and its refreshing to see a character such as Anna. She is often times self loathing and recluse, but soon she is able to find Marnie and find comfort and sort of face the reality of her life and come to terms with abandonment. It greatly deals with isolation and being able to cope with such a thing, while also being able to bring the positive side of this by also including emotional and spiritual healing that not only Anna goes through, but also Marnie.

Pedagogical Response 

Viewing the film once made quiet the impact on me and although it was confusing, it was a great watch. When rewatching the film, I decided to view it with a literary critique in mind. This specifically being through a psychological viewpoint. Something that I found to be reoccurring throughout the film was that the characters and the storyline, centered around abandonment and isolation. Such as with Anna, she is adopted and is fully aware of this. Feeling alone and unloved, Anna avoids everyone as she becomes afraid of making connections with people again. Anna also has great resentment for the people that left her alone, this being her mother, father, and grandmother. This is where we get the first real hint of Anna and her issues with building relationships and how she deals with being alone and isolated. Not wanting to be hurt again, she chooses to avoid everyone.

When meeting Marnie, Anna soon accepts and begins a friendship with her. Seeing Marnie as being different, Anna immediately takes a liking to her. Towards the end of the film, Anna finds out that Marnie has also left, but this ends with a plot twist. Although having been left by Marnie, Anna comes to terms with who Marnie was and why they needed to meet and become friends.

After this meeting with Marnie, Anna is able to gain that sense of being able to come face to face with any challenge. She becomes aware that no matter what life comes at you with, there are people that are going to love and support her no matter what. With guidance from Marnie, Anna was able to not only gain confidence in herself, but she also learned to be able to trust in others and learn to be able to create meaningful relationships without always thinking that a person is going to leave you.

After this, Anna soon begins to come to terms with how her life ended up and that it was no one’s fault and no one should be to blame. What should happen now is that she should move on with her life, while still remembering her powerful friendship with Marnie. This sort of topic is not easy to address. Along with the topic of adoption and being able to cope with something like this. This movie handles it well by being able to bring that childlike aspect into it. Making it all the more relatable and meaningful.

57 Bus

Photo by Kaique Rocha on Pexels.com

The 57 Bus is written by Dashka Slater in 2017. It is a true story about two students who’s paths would cross every day on the bus. One day, their lives connect for more than just the time they spend on the bus together. The girl is left burned form a fire on the bus and the male is charged for that fire. Now their lives will be connected in a deeper way.

I thought that it was a very interesting story. The fact that it is a true story and that they are really people made it even more interesting.  It was also written very interesting. Some chapters were written in verse, some were written like a glossary. It made it more interesting to read.

One way that this can be used outside of a typical English class is in a Social Studies class. This book can be used as a jumping off point to talking about race. The student that got burned was a wealthier white student. While he student that is arrested is a poorer black student. The book can be used to talk about how different races interact with each other and how that impacts our society.

A New Hamlet

 

I Am Alfonso Jones was written by Tony Medina in 2017. Alfonso is going to be playing Hamlet in his schools version of it, but one day he is shot while he is mistaken for having a gun. He then goes to “the afterlife” and meets other police shooting victims. His family is out in the streets fighting for justice for Alfonso.

I enjoyed this book because it was written in graphic novel format. I think that it makes it more engaging, not just for students but adults as well.

One way I could use this book in the classroom would be read it along side Hamlet. They could compare the two different books, being what is similar and what is different. It can also be used to start a conversation about police brutality.

Photo by Monica Silvestre on Pexels.com

YA Text Response #7 – Asiya Fatima

Bully (2011)

Created and Produced by: Lee Hirsch

Where to find: Any movie site/location

This documentary is about five students who go through harsh forms of bullying from their peers. Each student has a story to tell and they talk about the consequences they faced. One student gets transferred to a reform school because she pulled a gun on her bully. Another student’s videos are leaked about he gets bullied on the bus from other students. Another student is a star athlete at her school and she gets bullied for being Lesbian. Finally, the last two students have committed suicide to escape the torment that the bullies have done to them.

I felt that while watching the movie that it was very realistic with the way it was shot, but there was still a bit of fakeness in the way people talked. The ways these peoples lives were affected creates a sense of reality to the people who are watching. It shows how far a person can go in order to cause pain to someone else. It also shows the way people are affected from being pushed around. While watching this, I felt disgusted and sad that people could be that cruel to someone for being themselves. Why would someone care so much about someone who they don’t anything about? As people we should give other people the space to be themselves whether or not we agree with them. Just watching people lose their lives because if this is so disheartening.

Pedological Response: Activity

After students watch this documentary it can bring up the conversation of bullying and empathy. Students will love to discuss the ideas presented in this film, especially young adults.

I would create an activity where students can connect the film to real world. I would make sure this is a safe space for students to discuss their stories and ideas.

After the movie is over students will write two things on a notecard passed out by the teacher. They will write the thoughts after watching the movie and some experience of bullying that has been done to them or they have done to others. This card will have their names on it. The students will get into a circle and one by one explain their thoughts of the movie. Then, the teacher will come and collect their notecards and put it into a hat. The teacher will read one of the experiences students put on the notecard, but leave it anonymous. This will facilitate discussion and guide students to think deeper about the idea of bullying. Think of bullying in terms of extreme consequences. They will be able to see how bullying can cause someone pain, but also see why a bully wants to bully. This will be an emotional activity and there needs to be a lot of things to consider. The sensitivity level is very high.

 

 

Dangerous Minds: Weapons for a Better Future

Book Read: Dangerous Minds by LouAnne Johnson

Published: August 15, 1995 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Description: LouAnne Johnson, a former marine, has been given one last mission: get 34 inner city high school kids to care about their education. Through her hard work and determination, she gives her students one of the things that they needed the most: hope. Hope that they would beat the odds, that they wouldn’t be another statistic. Her story is remarkable and the time and effort she put into her students is evident in this text.

Pedagogical Reflection: Digital Trailer

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pDfUguryptfadl5x6KejZNMyY-0Th0a5

My thoughts: I thought this book was great. It shows how great a teacher can be if she’s really in love with what they do. Students will begin to respect those that will put that time and energy in their lives and LouAnne definitely defines what it means to be a teacher. Even in today’s climate, there are millions of students that are under represented and not given the proper education they deserve, especially in a school system like Chicago Public School where the disparities are obvious and not every teacher has that drive to want to teach each and every child they can.

YA Text Response #3 Shaojun Huang: Everyday leadership

Everyday leadership

Publish in 2010 (published after 2008/audio)

I found this speech from Ted.

It could be accessed through Ted.

https://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership#t-7595

Brief Description: Drew Dudley questioned about how many people think they are the leader in their life, and provide a short story about he has been told how a unconscious thing he did bring the positive influence to others, and change their life. However, he can’t ever remember he did such a power thing in his life. He pointed out everyone is the leader in their life and power. People should recognized their powerful, get over the fear of extraordinarily powerful people can be in each other’s lives, and move belong it.

Reader Response: The speech impress me about some people are self-conscious and believe what they can do or achievement in their everyday. Especially to young adolescent, when they encounter difficult, they would shut down right the way instead of try to do it or face it. Many of they wouldn’t even give a try on it. This speech showed a great example of how power people can even just doing a ting little thing can bring a big positive change to others.

Pedagogical reflection:(Rational) This speech focus on realized the power of self, and get over the fear of extraordinarily powerful everyone can be in other’s life. Showing this short speech to 6th-8th grade would help them gain self confidence, and help they see their ability to change the world. Being a leader to their own self can could be powerful not only to realize their ability, but also seeing how important they are to everyone.

 

Rabbit Proof Fence

Where I found it: I found this movie when it was showed in one of our ED courses.

Directed by: Philip Noyce

Brief Summary: This movie takes places in Western Australia around 1931. The government has the “right” to take half caste children an be “re-educated” in the western ways. The three girls Molly, Daisy, and Grace are separated from their mother by government official Neville. The three sisters are relocated into this camp where they are being stripped from their identity. The three girls try to escape and reconnect with her mother. Yet they will be chased by skill tracker to bring the children back to the camp.

My thoughts:  The movie has lots of interesting point to pick out of. Firs the children in the movie are being force to into the Western culture of thinking. The children that are aborigine and white, a mixed race are being forced into a cultural though to be for better good of all children. Mixed race children are forced into assimilating a different identify which is a major point throughout the movie. These Western ideas are being forced upon natives in 1931 which has its similarities with other cultural groups that were forced into Western ideas.

Pedagogical Response: This movie could be seen in a social studies classroom. Students would analyze example of assimilation of culture or children being forced into the Western ideas. Yet historians might also view this movie in a comparison with other civilization that might have experience similar treatment. Historian might have looked into why a certain culture change within certain time period, or what were the effects of this cultural assimilation.

YA 6: Good read’s very own – The Silence of Our Friends

Written by: Mark Long, Jim Demonakos

Illustrated by: Nate Powell

Published in 2012

Available via Good Reads and Amazon, but I found it at a local Chicago Public Library

The graphic novel takes place in Houston, Texas in the 60s. It is about a white family that is from a racist neighborhood and a black family under the poverty line in Houston. The novel looks into US history during the civil rights movement. There was a war going on in the south and plenty of people lost their lives and suffered horribly. The novel discusses the horrific struggle of black people and the way white people mistreated them. It centers around the civil rights incidents covered by Mark Long’s father, who is a reporter. The graphic novel then goes into the Texas Southern University student boycott after the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was banned from the campus. Finally, it ends with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination and the mourning of the larger Houston community as they grieved and marched in his memory. It emphasizes and reinforces Dr. King jr’s powerful words, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.”

My thoughts on this graphic novel is that it was super frustrating to see how white people created a war with people of color. I believe this novel is also an autobiography about Mark Long’s life. Seeing that is is written by him we can see that these events truly impacted him, as well as our country. Thinking about the tragic events that white people took part and that people of color suffered through was heart breaking, but that is the sad reality. This is what young adults need to know about our US history. This graphic novel discusses historical events in a whole new style, where young adults can find it interesting.

For my pedagogical response for I would be looking into Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s speech and having my students create a speech they feel passionate about. I would first have my students brainstorm contemporary issues and research information. Then I would have my students create rough drafts of speeches. Finally, we would do writing workshops with peers as well teacher conferences to help proof read and review speeches. The students would all take turns reading their speech to the class.

#graphicnovels #civilrightsmovement #blacklivesmatter

YA Text Response #6 – Asiya Fatima

Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

Published: July 1951

Link to Find: Any bookstore or online store and the library

This novel is about a teenage boy, Holden Caulfield who narrates his story. Caulfield is struggling with life and this is a story of his experiences as he leaves his third school, Pencey Prep. Holden struggles with depression and he decides to leave his school couple of days before Christmas Break. He explores New York City and tries to figure out what he wants in his life. He feels like he is missing something and he wants to feel like he belongs. He goes through a whirlwind as he rides trains, visits his teacher, breaks into his parents house, goes on a dates, etc. He does find happiness in his younger sister, who becomes his companion and the reason he goes to get help.

I remember reading this book in high school and I loved it so much. So, I decided that I was going to read it again with a different lens. I was 16 years old when I read this before and now, I’m 22 years old, so I felt I could have different views now. While reading the novel, I realized so much I didn’t before. I felt like I could understand Holden and his struggles. The idea that students need a sense of belonging rather than a sense of imprisonment. Which, Holden felt in all the schools he went to and that forced him to act out. I felt reading that it would connect with a lot of students who struggle with motivation. It can also connect with students who are going through depression or any other mental disorder.

Pedological Response: Theme

This novel has a lot good themes for young adults. One theme that is throughout the story and relates to the idea of growing up, is alienation. Holden throughout the book has this idea that he doesn’t belong in the world. He struggles with seeing himself as a part of the society because he doesn’t think like them or act like them. He continues to throughout the novel look at people as if they are fake or in his words, “phonies.” He makes him self superior to them, so he could  control his fear and sense of alienation. Holden struggles to feel loved and wanted, but he can’t open up to all these problems. He shields himself from all the problems he has. He can’t that love and belongingness because he is cynical and bitter. In the story when he goes on a date, he drives away the girl because he insults her. This is because she couldn’t understand him and he couldn’t understand her. He thinks no one will understand him, but he doesn’t want to give it a chance with anyone else. He convinced himself that he is not a part of this world, which causes him to lose relationships in his life and act out. He can’t get what he wants because he doesn’t accept himself and doesn’t love himself. When he visits his sister, he sees the way innocence is present in her. He sees how little she has seen of life. He sees how important it is to be a better person. He gets think urge to be better for his sister and to be there for her. He grow up in a sense because he wants to protect his sister from the cruelty of the world. His sister shows him that he isn’t alienated in the world and that someone loves and needs him.