Listed below are three quotes I had a reaction to from Chapter 6 ~ Protection and Empowerment by Renee Hobbs. I will say, I could probably add another handful. What a "powerful" chapter.
1. "It was challenging for Mrs. Jenkins not to betray her shock at the very serious sense of engagement and connectedness her seventh grade students were revealing" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 108).
I am honestly surprised the teacher is shocked in regards to how engaged her students are when she began mentioning celebrities. The public in general intertwines the fantasy of celebrities into their "every day" lives. "We" love their risks, their "marriages, " their sex lives, their drug induced fights, their failures… the list goes on. No one gets more wound up in their lives more than teenagers. I'm not sure if it is the extra time they have to devote to celebrity lives or boils down to the fact that their frontal lobe is not quite developed and it enjoys more primal behaviors. In any case, I can remember David Coverdale from Whitesnake having me "totally" wrapped around his finger in the late 80s and then being in love with Kurt Cobain in the early 90s. If I recall, the adults in my life weren't quite privy to my celebrity fantasies. If I would have had the chance to talk about celebrities in class - my teacher would have never shut me up. And then there was New Kids on the Block. I remember exactly what my males classmates thought of them. And with that being said, I can only imagine how the debates in the classroom would have ensued. I know exactly how it went in the school courtyard. Ugly, ugly.
I'm not sure if it is my total disconnect from pop culture but I don't know what is what or who is who anymore. Maybe not having cable television has a lot to do with it. I do have a "new" favorite song. I heard "All About the Bass" by Meghan Trainor for the first time this last weekend while traveling to a Boy Scout STEM camp to teach robotics. When I shared it with my husband he looked at me like I lost my mind. He said, "That's been out for several months now." And my son said, "Wow mom! You really are behind the times." This song does contain sexual content along with "skinny" women bashing. I did find out that this song has an edited version that plays on the radio when I was playing it in front of my 12 year old daughter. The video below contains the additional explicits. I do have to state I tend to be the mom that Hobbs describes as viewing my, "… children as capable and well able to manage the sometimes challenging, ugly, and difficult aspects of their environment" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 112). My children and I talk things out that we happen across that may not being appropriate. My kids are not afraid to ask me questions and I am not afraid to answer those questions.
2. "However, the critics have got one thing right: When parents and teachers stand on a soapbox and bemoan the problems of media culture, that's not an effective form of education" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 113).
~I'll admit - I hate reality television. Maybe it is because of the Writer's Strike of America in 2007, which caused an onslaught of crap shows, I mean reality shows. It is obvious that the show is scripted and I don't find pleasure in watching people argue for 1 hour. So much negativity really rubs off on the watcher. It makes you feel different and if you're not careful you can get too caught up in the drama. I haven't actually seen a reality television show since the first few episodes of MTV's The Real World in 1992. Like I said, the arguing and drama gives me a headache. Several of my friends have teenagers and almost all of the students that come to visit me are teenagers. I don't share my opinion with kids because I know it isn't a popular one and my goal is not to make them shut down. Sometimes I make fun of myself for being backwards and a "science geek" and the kids think it's funny and they will open up and tell me what attracts them to certain shows like "Buck Wild."
I do think it is important to find role models outside of media for kids to look up to. I also think we need to find positive ways to allow girls to see their own self worth beyond the media image of sex and whatnot. As with anything we need balance. We need to be able to celebrate our celebrity fetishes but be able to separate and celebrate the real world too, not MTV's version. We should be able to point out the positive and negatives in a neutral way, which does not cause student's to shut down or become offended.
3. "Some people believe that TV shows are just entertainment. But becoming a critical viewer means recognizing that all messages are educational in some sense" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 121).
~I couldn't agree more. Media isn't created without some sort of intentional background message whether it be positive or negative. Helping our students sit down and critically think about the message will help them become a responsible adult. I honestly like the suggestion of having students collaborate to determine a message as the book suggests. I think getting them to talk to each other in their own "language" and hash out a message is a good idea. Each brings their own experience to the table having been exposed to media all of their lives. If they are given a chance to logically debate a topic, I think critical thinking skills would begin to emerge on their own.
Positive Media Messages with the intent to Sell a Product A media message I like is the one GoldieBox has, which basically points that that we tend to buy girls toys that are stereotypical (dolls and kitchen sets) and don't forget all the pink and purple. Girls can be engineers too and with that being said, Goldieblox came out with a line of engineering toys for girls. What we can't forget is they are selling a product designed to meet the new hottest topic - Girls in Engineering.
LEGO finally realized that they had not been marketing to girls and developed the LEGO Friends set. At first people were pretty excited. I even bought a few sets for my daughter. The excitement wore off when we realized that all the "girl" LEGOs were pink and purple. So LEGO put their heads together and came out with the female scientist set.
It is so popular that it remains on back order. It is cool to have our girls playing with LEGOs that can be subliminal mentors. And of course, LEGO is making money.
1. "It was challenging for Mrs. Jenkins not to betray her shock at the very serious sense of engagement and connectedness her seventh grade students were revealing" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 108).
I am honestly surprised the teacher is shocked in regards to how engaged her students are when she began mentioning celebrities. The public in general intertwines the fantasy of celebrities into their "every day" lives. "We" love their risks, their "marriages, " their sex lives, their drug induced fights, their failures… the list goes on. No one gets more wound up in their lives more than teenagers. I'm not sure if it is the extra time they have to devote to celebrity lives or boils down to the fact that their frontal lobe is not quite developed and it enjoys more primal behaviors. In any case, I can remember David Coverdale from Whitesnake having me "totally" wrapped around his finger in the late 80s and then being in love with Kurt Cobain in the early 90s. If I recall, the adults in my life weren't quite privy to my celebrity fantasies. If I would have had the chance to talk about celebrities in class - my teacher would have never shut me up. And then there was New Kids on the Block. I remember exactly what my males classmates thought of them. And with that being said, I can only imagine how the debates in the classroom would have ensued. I know exactly how it went in the school courtyard. Ugly, ugly.
I'm not sure if it is my total disconnect from pop culture but I don't know what is what or who is who anymore. Maybe not having cable television has a lot to do with it. I do have a "new" favorite song. I heard "All About the Bass" by Meghan Trainor for the first time this last weekend while traveling to a Boy Scout STEM camp to teach robotics. When I shared it with my husband he looked at me like I lost my mind. He said, "That's been out for several months now." And my son said, "Wow mom! You really are behind the times." This song does contain sexual content along with "skinny" women bashing. I did find out that this song has an edited version that plays on the radio when I was playing it in front of my 12 year old daughter. The video below contains the additional explicits. I do have to state I tend to be the mom that Hobbs describes as viewing my, "… children as capable and well able to manage the sometimes challenging, ugly, and difficult aspects of their environment" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 112). My children and I talk things out that we happen across that may not being appropriate. My kids are not afraid to ask me questions and I am not afraid to answer those questions.
2. "However, the critics have got one thing right: When parents and teachers stand on a soapbox and bemoan the problems of media culture, that's not an effective form of education" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 113).
~I'll admit - I hate reality television. Maybe it is because of the Writer's Strike of America in 2007, which caused an onslaught of crap shows, I mean reality shows. It is obvious that the show is scripted and I don't find pleasure in watching people argue for 1 hour. So much negativity really rubs off on the watcher. It makes you feel different and if you're not careful you can get too caught up in the drama. I haven't actually seen a reality television show since the first few episodes of MTV's The Real World in 1992. Like I said, the arguing and drama gives me a headache. Several of my friends have teenagers and almost all of the students that come to visit me are teenagers. I don't share my opinion with kids because I know it isn't a popular one and my goal is not to make them shut down. Sometimes I make fun of myself for being backwards and a "science geek" and the kids think it's funny and they will open up and tell me what attracts them to certain shows like "Buck Wild."
I do think it is important to find role models outside of media for kids to look up to. I also think we need to find positive ways to allow girls to see their own self worth beyond the media image of sex and whatnot. As with anything we need balance. We need to be able to celebrate our celebrity fetishes but be able to separate and celebrate the real world too, not MTV's version. We should be able to point out the positive and negatives in a neutral way, which does not cause student's to shut down or become offended.
3. "Some people believe that TV shows are just entertainment. But becoming a critical viewer means recognizing that all messages are educational in some sense" (Hobbs, 2011 pg. 121).
~I couldn't agree more. Media isn't created without some sort of intentional background message whether it be positive or negative. Helping our students sit down and critically think about the message will help them become a responsible adult. I honestly like the suggestion of having students collaborate to determine a message as the book suggests. I think getting them to talk to each other in their own "language" and hash out a message is a good idea. Each brings their own experience to the table having been exposed to media all of their lives. If they are given a chance to logically debate a topic, I think critical thinking skills would begin to emerge on their own.
Positive Media Messages with the intent to Sell a Product A media message I like is the one GoldieBox has, which basically points that that we tend to buy girls toys that are stereotypical (dolls and kitchen sets) and don't forget all the pink and purple. Girls can be engineers too and with that being said, Goldieblox came out with a line of engineering toys for girls. What we can't forget is they are selling a product designed to meet the new hottest topic - Girls in Engineering.
 |
| LEGO Friends |
LEGO finally realized that they had not been marketing to girls and developed the LEGO Friends set. At first people were pretty excited. I even bought a few sets for my daughter. The excitement wore off when we realized that all the "girl" LEGOs were pink and purple. So LEGO put their heads together and came out with the female scientist set.
 |
| LEGO Female Scientists |
Citation
Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: connecting culture and classroom. (p. 108, 112, 113, 121). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin; A Sage Company.
4 comments:
I agree; I found this chapter to be very robust in quotes that triggered me in some way. I like reading what others found salient because it causes me not only to revisit the chapter but creates new connections.
When I first read that Jenkins was shocked about the student engagement, I too was shocked but I didn’t make the connection of youth and celebrity culture. Rather I thought, “this is health class, how is she unused to student engagement?” You brought to mind an experience I had as an instructor for Kaleidoscope. We had a group of 6th grade girls that were completely obsessed with the boy “band” (I hate that term, how can they be a band when they don’t play instruments? Anyway, I digress), One Direction. I didn’t give it much thought because I remember the girls my age obsessed with NKOTB. However, one day two of the girls showed up in tears; I thought something horrible had happened. To them, something had. One of the guys in One Direction had gotten engaged or a new girlfriend. I was torn between being flabbergasted at the upset this had caused to the fantasy they’d developed and sympathizing because I also recognized that no matter how ridiculous it was to me, the pain for them was very real.
I find that I’m often behind on the times as well. I don’t have cable television both so maybe you’re theory is correct. I found a new song just yesterday that has been out a few months. Mary Lambert, “Secrets.” I find it a great alternative to “All About That Bass” because I don’t care for its message. You mentioned skinny women bashing, which is one reason I dislike it. I do not understand how someone can try to promote positive self-image while bashing someone else. I also do not like the idea of promoting self-image based on what boys like. The sexual content itself doesn’t bother me as much as the idea not to worry what you look like because boys will want to sleep with you anyway. Say what? I’m going to get on a rant if I don’t stop.
About the Lego set, I remember reading that the set was sold out because it was a limited edition. Are they making more?
Jamie I completely agree with you about the lesson plan and having students sit down and critically think out the message. Students bring so much into our classrooms. I think this lesson is a great way to let the students share some of what they are bring into the classroom in a constitutive way. Also this is a great way to educate student on identifying the message they are receiving.
I enjoyed reading your post and the third quote is definitely my favorite. Everything we see has a message that it is trying to convey to us. Though it might not be obvious it is there.
Jaime, I really like how you have been including media in your posts to further explain or offer examples of your viewpoints. The Meghan Trainor... "All about that Bass" is a great example, which shows how saying one thing and continuing to do something else is not educating, but just bemoaning what pop culture defines as popular. The song really tries to change the cultural view through parady, which has sparked many other paradies using this meleody. I would say I do not agree with bashing on others because she feels her demographic is the one usually being bashed, but she seems to be really trying to promote the idea that "I'm okay, your okay, regardless of size" This then makes the connection to reality TV (which may contain non-professional actors) but is far from unstaged reality. This really makes me think of how skewed our individual pictures of reality really is to the individual. Mnay of my students live a very different reality and I wonder what are they truly thinking about. Great job as usual!
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