Foot: NBA Playoffs 2011

I honestly have not been reading anything other than assigned reading for educational purposes, but the NBA Playoffs has been a major distraction for me right now. The NBA has had an evental season with the major trades that have taken place and for that this year's playoff season has been simple amazing. I am orginally form Detroit, so I have never been a Cavalier's fan, especially when Lebron James was on the team. To say the least, I am not his biggest fan and I would hate to see Miami Heat win any title this year or years to come. In the East, I am rooting for Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls (I absolutely LOVE Derrick Rose)! I am looking forward to my Oklahoma City Thunder to win in the West and bring home a title. They have an amazing young team and they are tremendously humble when it comes to their ability to play. Despite the terrible upsets I experienced tonight with the Grizzlies beating OKC and the Heat winning against Boston tonight, I still have faith in my teams. I have been waiting for over a year to see them advance in the playoffs and I believe this is the year!

Foot: Jane Eyre

I am currently taking Intro to Women's Literature and it has broaden my horizions when it comes to reading canons and other forms of traditional classic literature. The first novel we read for the course was Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. I am ashamed to say I had never read this book before, and furthermore I had never even heard of it. I have grew to love and adore this novel. It is something that I believe all women can relate to. We are brought up in society where we are taught that women should be more passive and submissive. Possessing intellect and being strong minded is seen as a crutch in our society, but Jane defied all odds and we were able to witness her journey to find love while possessing all of these qualities. The major theme of the book to me was Jane's need to be love, while maintaining a sense of self. Too many times in society women are forced to give up pieces of themself in order to acquire love, but not Jane. Jane would not settle until she found a balance between the two. This message speaks volumes to women.

For anyone who has read Jane Eyre or are interested in Jane Eyre, I strongly suggest they also read Jean Rhys sequel of Jane Eyre, Wide Sargrasso Sea. In Jane Eyre, Rochester was married to a woman named Bertha. Rhys decided to tell Bertha's story and it creates a strange, yet interesting twist to what occurred in Jane Eyre.

Foot: Final Reflection

I must say this course has taught me a lot and many of the activities that we engaged in throughout the semester will be included in my future classroom. From the beginning of the semester we have been engaging in ice-breaker and small group activities that ultimately allow students the chance to be active in lessons. I never thought that simply playing a small ice-breaker game could have a profound impact on how students become alert and more committed to the next activity/lesson. Overall, the most important thing I have learned this semester is what defines multiple modalities. Knowing all the different ways I could include different modalities into any given lessons, allows me the chance to truly capture my students' attention. Utilizing blogs, facebook, twitter, wikis, ect. will give students a broad range of activities for lessons. I found that a lot of people believe that multi-modal always has to do with technology, but that is not always true. Multi-modal concerning education is taking different approaches/modes to teach a specified lesson. With that being said, I believe one of the most influential activities we did this semester was creating the Canonical Wiki. One the surface it is important as a Language Arts teacher to know and recognize the Canons. Moreover, it was important to actually research different lesson plans that could surround one book and a canon at that. I learned that there are some many activities that could stem off of one piece of literature and as a teacher I do not have to traditionally teach and assess the book. I learned there are plenty of meaningful activities that can be used that will tap into students' critical thinking and would benefit them more in the long run.

Another thing this course taught me was how social networking could be used in the classroom. I absolutely love the idea of including social networking in my future classroom, especially when it comes to discussing literature. Online literature circles have become one of my favorite activities to discuss literature amongst students, but I never thought about using social networking sites with it. Also, I loved how we discussed concerns with certain lesson plans, especially when the internet is involved. I believe we agreed that incorporating parents and having an open line of communication is the best way to advoid problems when it comes to internet use.

The class as a whole was ultimately complicated and quite a bittersweet experience. I learned information that will help me when I begin to start teaching, but this course also was structured in a way that I did not learn as much as I believe I could have. I loved the activities that we engaged in and completed, but sometimes the activities took away from formal instruction. As a learner, I need a balance of formal instruction, as well as demonstration. I believe the course was just a little taboo when it came to the organization of it and that is what threw off my learning process. I will say the nature of the course is probably a reflection of the organization. I have never taken a course that focused on engaging students in a non-traditional way, so I did not know what to expect. This course was very non-traditional and it reinforced the aspects of multi-modalities that we had been learning.

Foot: Graphic Novels Compare & Contrast

Text and Dialogue

Balloons:

In Naruto, two different types of balloons were used to express different types of dialogue, while there was only one type of speech balloon used. In Naruto when a character was speaking regularly, their speech appeared in a circular balloon, but when a character was expressing any sort of excitement their speech appeared in a more jagged balloon. In Pinocchio, circular balloons were used when characters were speaking. A major difference is the narration for Pinocchio appeared in rectangular boxes.

Captions:

There was little to no captions used in Naruto, but in Pinocchio captions were a very important element. The captions that were used served as narration to the story.

Emanata:

In both of these texts, emanata were used in the same ways. There were lines that were used to indicate actions. Also smoke and clouds were used to create a dream/magical element in the novels.

Labels and Signs:
Labels and signs were not used a lot throughout either of these stories. In Naruto, there were a couple of signs with Japanese lettering and in Pinocchio there were signs that identified landmarks.

Lettering:
The lettering in Naruto reflect the actions and emotions that are taking place in the story. Different lettering and font sizes are used to show anger, fear, etc. In Pinocchio, the lettering stays the same throughout the story and are not of significance.

Sound Effects:
Pinocchio does not have any sound effects, but Naruto uses a lot of sound effects, especially in fighting scenes.

Visual Effects

Characters:
The characters in Pinocchio are not very detailed in illustrations. The characters are simply used to show emotion on their face. In Naruto, the characters are very detailed and they all have their own characteristics.

Objects:
The illustrations in Naruto are very detailed and it is also shown when looking at the objects of the novel. In Pinocchio, objects are rarely even seen and even if they were based on the illustrations, they would not be very detailed.

Icons:
The main icon in Pinocchio is most obvious, his nose. Whenever he lies, his nose grows, but it is used to help him when he fights. In Naruto, the main icon is the headband. The headband is something that he has been working for and once he gets it, it is looked at as an accomplishment of power.

Scenery:
The scenery in Naruto is very detailed and it adds to the story. The scenery is what makes the story realistic when it comes to the layout of the city. In Pinocchio, the scenery is not really illustrated, the illustrations of the story revolve around the actions of the characters.

Depicted Action:
In both of the stories, the actions revolve around fighting. In Pinocchio, most of the actions were fights with the vampires. In Naruto, the actions illustrated fights and also the thoughts of characters.

Borders:
Borders are used beautifully in both of the texts with very little variation.

Gutters:
The gutters in Naruto are always there, but the gutters in Pinocchio are only used sometimes. In both stories the only colors that are used for the gutters are black and white.

Panels:
The panels that were used in both of the texts varied in size depending on the action that was taking place in it.

Open Panels:
Both of the texts utilized open panels and it added to the amazing illustrations of the books. It appealed to the reader in a different way and spoke volumes. In both texts, open panels seemed to be used when a climatic action was taking place.

Splash:
Naruto did not have many splashes like Pinocchio. Pinocchio had a lot of action scenes when fights were occurring,

Angles and Frames

Bleed:
Both of these texts bleed. In Naruto, panels bleed onto other pages a lot. In Pinocchio, the bleeds are typically only onto other panels and not pages.

Close-up:
Close-ups are used a lot throughout Pinocchio and it adds to the drama of the story. Also in Naruto, close-ups of characters added the emotion of the story.

Head shot:
The headshotss of Pinocchio were used to show the emotions that were depicted on the characters faces. In Naruto, this novel utilized thought balloons, so close-ups were used for characters when they were thinking and the story was focused primarily on them.

Head-Shoulder Shot:
Head-Shoulder Shots were used in both texts and for the same reason, to better depict and illustrate the emotions that were taking place.

Full-Figure Shot:
Full-Figure shots were used in both the texts and it was primarily for when there was an action taking place and when there were multiple characters in a frame.

Long shot:
Both of the texts used long shots to show scenery as a background for the plot of the story. In Pinocchio, were he was fighting with vampires, long shots were used to show the actions.

Extreme Long shot:
Extreme Long shots were used primarily in Naruto when characters were conversing and there was a lot of scenery. Pinocchio did not utilize extreme long shots.

Reverse:
Reverse shots were used a lot throughout both of the texts and in the same way. We saw reverse shots used when characters were speaking back and forth to each other.

Rhetorical Techniques applied in Text, Visuals and Design

Exaggeration:
Both of these texts are tremendously exaggerated. Pinocchio was exaggerated when it came to scenery and the illustrations of death of the vampires. Naruto was exaggerated when it came to actions and emotions of the main characters.

Empathy/Identification:
Other than Pinocchio's father being dead, I could not identify with is character or the things he went through; therefore, I did not feel much empathy. The characters in Naruto were easier to identify with because they had emotions and trials that are a bit more relatable.

Mood/Tone:
The mood and tone of both of these books are extremely different. Pinocchio is really dark and contemptuous. Naruto has a lighter tone and is inclusive to comedy.

Simplicity/Complexity:
Pinocchio based on organization was quite simplistic, but the storyline could be complex at times. Naruto was a bit more complex because of its writing format. Unless a person truly knows how to read this type of graphic novel, it will be hard to follow because it goes against the way we know how the read, left to right, front to back.

Irony/Satire:
Naruto's power is very ironic. He is basically hated by the townspeople and no one at school really likes him, yet he is the most powerful person around. In Pinocchio, there is so much irony and satire. The children's story Pinocchio sets the foundation of this story, but his lies are used for the betterment of society.

Realism/Icons/Symbols:
At times I lack an imagination because things seem to not be in the least bit real. Both of these stories lacked realism, but I do not necessarily think this is a bad thing. The nose in Pinocchio definitely was not realistic, but at the same time it was symbolic. It is something that a young adult can identify with and they already have basic knowledge.

Order/Disorder:
There is a major difference between these two novels when it comes to order and disorder. In Naruto, there is not a lot of order and there is a lot going on throughout the novel. Part of this may be the type of graphic novel it is, manga. In Pinocchio, everything was in order. It was really easy to follow along and the text/illustrations were not difficult.

Juxtaposition:
Naruto and Pinocchio seem to share the same juxtaposition throughout both of the graphic novels, which is good vs. evil. This juxtaposition is presented differently in each novel, but it is still prevalent. In Pinocchio, he is fighting vampires. In every fight there is always a good and evil side. In Naruto, his personality and mannerism reflects this idea. He has a good and evil side that is observed throughout the novel.

Relationships:
Naruto does not have that many characters, but all of the characters are interconnected. Naruto seems to be hated and he does not have many good relationships with the other characters his age in the novel, his closest relationship is with a teacher. In Pinocchio, the trend continues. There are not a lot of relationships throughout the novel and the person closest to Pinocchio, his father, is no longer living.

Point of View:
Naruto is not told from one specific point of view, but it is in third person. Pinocchio utilizes a narrator to tell the story and throughout the graphic novel, the reader is able to feel the narrator's emotion through his/her narration.

Pytash: Final Reflection

This semester came and went really fast! One thing that I cannot say is that I did not learn anything. Teaching Literature in Secondary Schools expanded on the foundation that was laid fall semester. This semester I really like the collaborative lesson plans and expert groups that we did in class. Through these two activities we were able to engage, but also bounce ideas off of each other for lesson ideas. I really liked being able to discuss more creative and beneficial lessons for students, instead of depending on the traditional ways of assessing students' comprehension of literature.

Once again the text that we read to go along with course was amazing. I love reading and actually thinking about how I would and how I want to apply the ideas Jago includes in her book into my future classroom. She really made me think about aspects of teaching that I never really considered. I have never thought much about the types of books I would choose to use in my classroom; furthermore, I never contemplated the tremendous amount of decision making that goes into choosing which books to include. One aspect of this chapter that I did disagree with Jago is the emphasis that is put on canons. I would never say that canons are not important and should not be used in classrooms anymore, but I do believe canons should be balanced with young adult literature. I know that lessons of adversity, adultery, love, promiscuity, etc., could be taught from canons, but young adult literature can be more appealing to students and it adds diversity to lesson plans. I am really looking forward to the final project in class because it displays this idea of canons paired with young adult literature.

The most beneficial activities we did this semester was viewing lessons and creating lesson plans. This semester was the first time I had the chance to experience writing lessons and viewing the time and energy that goes into creating a lesson. The video that we viewed in class that I really liked was the one with the teacher who was giving her students a lesson using Shakespeare. The video was not that long, but I was able to see how she used an entry, mini lesson, large-group discussion, small-group discussion and closure. I guess I did not that lessons were planned literally from the beginning of the class to the end of class. After viewing the video I understand that it is extremely important for teachers to have their lessons completely planned out, so students can utilitize all of class time to engage in meaningful activities and learning.

Lastly, I love the classroom discussions that took place throughout the semester. It is nice to know that we share common grounds when it comes to concerns and passions. I also love the fact that we learn multiple activities that I plan on using in my classroom. We learning creative ways of creating groups, lessons for critical thinking and applications of themes. I feel like this course has made all of us more comfortable when it comes to teaching.

Pytash: Literature, and the High School Graduate

I loved that we ended the semester reading Chapter 7: Literature, and the High School Graduate. This chapter served as a nice motivation for all teachers and future teachers. Many times we put a lot of emphasis on our lesson plans and meeting state requirements for curriculum, and we forget, as a teacher, we are also training students to become functional contributors to our society. We are supplying them with the tools they need to move on to the next level, whatever that level may be. Jago dedicated this chapter of her book to shed light on the profound impact teachers can have on students.

One of my favorite parts of this chapter was the part dedicated to assessment. I completely agree with Jago, too many teachers test students on literature in common ways. Making tests that include multiple choice, matching and true/false questions does not encourage higher levels of thinking. Students are easily able to access study guide materials, such as sparknotes or enotes, to find out the important characters of the story and the main plot events. I loved the way this chapter reflected the last couple of Teaching Literature in Secondary Schools classes. Jago believes using character analysis, application and/or evaluation as a closing of the text. I completely agree, all of these activities demand critical thinking of literature from students and no student could just get by from not being actively engaged in the text. Lastly, the section on assessment is truly important for all teachers. It makes students take a more active role in their education and I believe classes will be more enjoyable because students are not just reading to take a test. Instead, teachers are tapping into their ability to critically think and consequently students are actually learning.

Pytash: Canonical Wiki

This is my first experience with a canonical wiki and I really enjoyed it. I found a great variety of lessons that would appeal to a diverse group of students. The lesson plans that I found were based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. When looking for lesson plans, I wanted to find lessons that were nontraditional and would solicit a higher level thinking. For pre-reading activities I found anticipation guides that got students ready to read the novel and begin thinking about the themes within the book. For during-reading activities, I found worksheets where students could record key information from the text as they read. I also found numerous activities that called for students to keep a journal where they would write down questions about the text and their opinions of the text as they read along. It is really important to keep students active while reading a text. A lot of the activities that I found would be great for post-reading activities. I found unique adaptations of a character analysis, group discussions, small group presentations of a critical analysis and the film version of Frankenstein. I also found other adaptations of the text. It is important for struggling readers to be taken into account when making a lesson plan, I found a version of Frankenstein that was 80 pages and would be great from struggling readers and ESL students. Lastly, there are many versions of a graphic novel and comic books that would appeal to students that could be used for supplemental activities.

This assignment showed me that there are infinite activities and lessons that can be taught about Frankenstein and any other canon. In Frankenstein, there are themes that relate to our society today and the lessons that I came across put an emphasis on students finding the meaningfulness of these themes, in relation to their own lives. Frankenstein specifically is considered one of the first gothic-fiction and the context of this genre is extremely important for students to understand. There are so many lessons that could be taught in correlation with canons and would greatly recommend Frankenstein.