1st Day Reflection
I was a bit surprised, when looking through the book we're using in class this weekend, that it was mostly a collection of anecdotes with minimal research. While I'm cool with this, I had expected to see more of the Grad School speak, research based information that is so common in work about our field.
I was a bit confused by the map, as that part was skimmed over quickly, and what I have is done more in the outline style for how I organize my thoughts for stand up---a tradition I've been using for several years to get my ideas collected quickly. While I could turn it into something else (and still might), there's a part of me that tends to find these kind of graphic organizers not particularly useful. For others, perhaps, but not for myself.
There were some interesting conversations about the kinds of things we're going to do, but I think it will be shaped a bit more as the week continues. Right now it's a bit formless, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as we're figuring out what our focus will be.
The books Ryan brought to check out for the Demo I'll be giving were excellent and, I think, gave me what I needed. (It's an approach I've found very useful and having quotes to back up what has worked for you makes everything look more official.)
I was a bit confused by the map, as that part was skimmed over quickly, and what I have is done more in the outline style for how I organize my thoughts for stand up---a tradition I've been using for several years to get my ideas collected quickly. While I could turn it into something else (and still might), there's a part of me that tends to find these kind of graphic organizers not particularly useful. For others, perhaps, but not for myself.
There were some interesting conversations about the kinds of things we're going to do, but I think it will be shaped a bit more as the week continues. Right now it's a bit formless, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as we're figuring out what our focus will be.
The books Ryan brought to check out for the Demo I'll be giving were excellent and, I think, gave me what I needed. (It's an approach I've found very useful and having quotes to back up what has worked for you makes everything look more official.)
2nd Day Reflection
Like an idiot, I waited to do the Relationship map for the play I'm working on instead of doing it before this institute started.
I spent about 20-30 minutes making the map on the board in the corner of the room and then wrote in front of it for the rest of the time, getting more accomplisehd, and more that would be worthy of saving in the future, than I did yesterday.
The structural elements are good to keep in mind. I may use the Dan Harmon story circle for the main character tomorrow as a bit of pre writing.
Sharing the rescources was fun, as I find it easier to remember things I know for other people's projects than to try to plumb the depths of my memory for what I've read that links into what I'm doing. It's also easier to get excited over something for the short term, doing a quick burst of research because you find their topic interesting and you know you don't have to put it all together. It's like helping someone get all the edge pieces for a puzzle and then walking away to let them fret over the stupid big white patch of clouds in the middle that all look the same.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying some whiskey and binge watching Hannibal.
I spent about 20-30 minutes making the map on the board in the corner of the room and then wrote in front of it for the rest of the time, getting more accomplisehd, and more that would be worthy of saving in the future, than I did yesterday.
The structural elements are good to keep in mind. I may use the Dan Harmon story circle for the main character tomorrow as a bit of pre writing.
Sharing the rescources was fun, as I find it easier to remember things I know for other people's projects than to try to plumb the depths of my memory for what I've read that links into what I'm doing. It's also easier to get excited over something for the short term, doing a quick burst of research because you find their topic interesting and you know you don't have to put it all together. It's like helping someone get all the edge pieces for a puzzle and then walking away to let them fret over the stupid big white patch of clouds in the middle that all look the same.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying some whiskey and binge watching Hannibal.
Day 3 Reflection
The thing I took away, when making the object, was that it was to be something useful. When I heard that and was handed a piece of fabric, "A Bib for a Bad Ass Baby" came to mind immediaetly.
I'd already known that I wanted to do something collagey with the Odyssey cover and the two kids. Once the fabric came into it, I cut things out---turned it more into a fantasy and then, since I had the make up wheel with me, I was able to bloody and dirty them up.
My first--and primary--- goal was to make someone laugh when they saw it. It should have been a bit rediculous and disturbing. There was a happy accident where the girl's mouth almost disappeared under the application of red for blood.
I added in more blood, dirt, and viscera to the images to highlight the violent fantasies and play that often accompanies children's play.
I'd already known that I wanted to do something collagey with the Odyssey cover and the two kids. Once the fabric came into it, I cut things out---turned it more into a fantasy and then, since I had the make up wheel with me, I was able to bloody and dirty them up.
My first--and primary--- goal was to make someone laugh when they saw it. It should have been a bit rediculous and disturbing. There was a happy accident where the girl's mouth almost disappeared under the application of red for blood.
I added in more blood, dirt, and viscera to the images to highlight the violent fantasies and play that often accompanies children's play.
Week 1 Reflection
I'm most excited to have the time to sit and write. I enjoy writing a great deal but, in the hubabaloo of the day, it's easy to leave it behind, even when I don't have other specific things to do. Having an hour a day to write has netted me 17 pages so far, whcih doesn't include 7 pages of a false start.
I'm interested to see what other ideas will be brought to the institute. RAFT is something I've done but haven't necessarily given a name or a specific technique to. Other things people have brought in have, for the most part, been those ideas that we ocassionally dip into in classes but are easily forgotten if the inspiration isn't immediaetly available. It's good to be reminded of the kinds of activities you forget.
There are some really good and interesting people here---good discussions and ideas are something we don't often get to experience as teachers, being that were so busy doing the actual job of teaching. A chance to come together and knock heads--even if we're in a wide variety of grades, is welcome.
I'm interested to see what other ideas will be brought to the institute. RAFT is something I've done but haven't necessarily given a name or a specific technique to. Other things people have brought in have, for the most part, been those ideas that we ocassionally dip into in classes but are easily forgotten if the inspiration isn't immediaetly available. It's good to be reminded of the kinds of activities you forget.
There are some really good and interesting people here---good discussions and ideas are something we don't often get to experience as teachers, being that were so busy doing the actual job of teaching. A chance to come together and knock heads--even if we're in a wide variety of grades, is welcome.
Day 6 Reflection
Having read through a few of the articles in the Connected Learning book, I was mostly curious as to how much of the articles needed research as opposed to strictly anecdotal information, which is most of what I found. While it seemed as if there were a lot of good experiences by the students (and, inexplicably, one of the articles seemed to be as much about why they shouldn't do the thing they talk about doing), it didn't seem as there were many of the things that we tend to look for in scholarly papers. (Which I don't necessarily find to be a huge drawback.)
Day 8 Reflection
Cuz we all got busy yesterday.
There are a few things that I"ve seen these last two weeks that I've already usedin the classroom, though maybe not as specifically intentional.
I like the idea of using the Zines as a sort of Flash Fiction with any class, creative writing or English. Maybe something for acting which is a quick cheat sheet to who a person is and how they react to things. It might even be useful for tracking beats in a scene, as it creates a teeny little book they'd be able to easily hold and reference.
The student reactions to the artistic project could be very interesting....give them a way to describe the things they saw and come up with some kind of social justification. The ability to describe something that has been created without, perhaps, a specific purpose and coming up with an idea for it on the spot could make a very interesting bit of highly involved writing.
Bringing comic storytelling to retell what someone considers the vital part of a story can make for a check on what the student has gotten out of a specific reading of a text.
There are a few things that I"ve seen these last two weeks that I've already usedin the classroom, though maybe not as specifically intentional.
I like the idea of using the Zines as a sort of Flash Fiction with any class, creative writing or English. Maybe something for acting which is a quick cheat sheet to who a person is and how they react to things. It might even be useful for tracking beats in a scene, as it creates a teeny little book they'd be able to easily hold and reference.
The student reactions to the artistic project could be very interesting....give them a way to describe the things they saw and come up with some kind of social justification. The ability to describe something that has been created without, perhaps, a specific purpose and coming up with an idea for it on the spot could make a very interesting bit of highly involved writing.
Bringing comic storytelling to retell what someone considers the vital part of a story can make for a check on what the student has gotten out of a specific reading of a text.
Video editing
video.mov | |
File Size: | 6170 kb |
File Type: | mov |
Conversations about digital rights
!st stop
In order to get our students to use the Creative Commons for media that has been created specifically for general use, we must first instill in people the idea that these things require skill, effort, time, and equipment that costs money. Because of this, there needs to be more respect paid to what people have done with their creative efforts and a realization that this should include compensation if the artist so chooses.
2nd stop
Putting a creative comments license on your blog or other work is probably like carrying around a condom when you're a 15 year old mathlete.
Chances are, it won't be needed, but if it is----whew!
It's not a particularly difficult step to take but I've also seen people get paranoid about things they do or even vague ideas. The ability to send them to CC to get a license down may shut them up.
3rd stop
The conversation about fair use is one that students haven't generally had. People believe saying "This isn't supposed to be infringement... and thinks that's fine. The sense of entitlement can be a pretty huge obstacle to fight, since many people believe that anything online is fair game for use.
In order to get our students to use the Creative Commons for media that has been created specifically for general use, we must first instill in people the idea that these things require skill, effort, time, and equipment that costs money. Because of this, there needs to be more respect paid to what people have done with their creative efforts and a realization that this should include compensation if the artist so chooses.
2nd stop
Putting a creative comments license on your blog or other work is probably like carrying around a condom when you're a 15 year old mathlete.
Chances are, it won't be needed, but if it is----whew!
It's not a particularly difficult step to take but I've also seen people get paranoid about things they do or even vague ideas. The ability to send them to CC to get a license down may shut them up.
3rd stop
The conversation about fair use is one that students haven't generally had. People believe saying "This isn't supposed to be infringement... and thinks that's fine. The sense of entitlement can be a pretty huge obstacle to fight, since many people believe that anything online is fair game for use.
Remediation of ancient artifacts from the Krannert Art Museum
Joshne Cortez
Age 9
Harley Davidson Middle School
8th of August, 2746
A survey of the Artifacts of the Great American Society, Circa 1776-2105, ending with the culmination of the 4th Great War and the Dave and Busters Accord of 2105.
Unlike many of the civilzations we've studied so far this year, the Great American Society seems to have eschewed the use of dieties and other festivals on their utensiles.
We believe they had a fondness for simple, geometric shapes, allowing the ocassional floral pattern to intrude on the blandness of these artifacts. It's believed that the glassenware cup with a single ring of silvery metal encircling about 1/2 inch below the lip of the cup was kept for the head of the household, which was traditionally the father but later fell into a more fluid arrangment before the Children's Rebellion of 2076 created a society in which children below the age of 25 were diefied much the way cats were in Ancient Egypt.
The more colorful cup, that has a stylized camel on it, is believed to have been reserved for the children, much as the boxes of food they ate in the mornings. These boxes were decorated with various mental tests to keep the children sharp and train them for the mazes of the cities in which they would live.
We've been unable to determine the strange variety of colored plates with nearly photorealistic drawings of people in a variety of situations. Due to the titles and some of the subjects being identical across kinds of plates, we believe these plates were a kind of primitive storytelling they engaged with when not chatting on their TVs or playing with the dishwashers they kept in thier pockets.
Since so little is left of their civilization, we may never really know why they did anything.
Age 9
Harley Davidson Middle School
8th of August, 2746
A survey of the Artifacts of the Great American Society, Circa 1776-2105, ending with the culmination of the 4th Great War and the Dave and Busters Accord of 2105.
Unlike many of the civilzations we've studied so far this year, the Great American Society seems to have eschewed the use of dieties and other festivals on their utensiles.
We believe they had a fondness for simple, geometric shapes, allowing the ocassional floral pattern to intrude on the blandness of these artifacts. It's believed that the glassenware cup with a single ring of silvery metal encircling about 1/2 inch below the lip of the cup was kept for the head of the household, which was traditionally the father but later fell into a more fluid arrangment before the Children's Rebellion of 2076 created a society in which children below the age of 25 were diefied much the way cats were in Ancient Egypt.
The more colorful cup, that has a stylized camel on it, is believed to have been reserved for the children, much as the boxes of food they ate in the mornings. These boxes were decorated with various mental tests to keep the children sharp and train them for the mazes of the cities in which they would live.
We've been unable to determine the strange variety of colored plates with nearly photorealistic drawings of people in a variety of situations. Due to the titles and some of the subjects being identical across kinds of plates, we believe these plates were a kind of primitive storytelling they engaged with when not chatting on their TVs or playing with the dishwashers they kept in thier pockets.
Since so little is left of their civilization, we may never really know why they did anything.
From Spirit Statues
Ours is a dead god
These other cultures have living gods and sprits---ones that aren't entombed in societies far away and dead to those alive now.
They're still with them.
So their spirit spouse statues---the things they carve from beyond this world to help bring peace from our jealous soul mates who reside in the spirit world---these grow and change as the world does.
Would one today be staring at their iPhone?
Would they be powning newbs on League of Legends or building great cities in an other worldly version of Minecraft?
We never got that wonderful flavor in our culture.
Jesus never had his mullet, cut-off shorts, and fanny pack phase.
Would Dutch cartoonists have been killed if Mohammad had a time where he wore tye-dye and sported dreadlocks?
Does the kind of animistic impulse that we see in some cultures do better things for them?
Does it require monotheism to get to where we are?
Do we romanticize the beliefs of these cultures because they feel to us, in our more englihtened state (and I use that knowing that there's a cultural bias there but, for love of Christ, please prove any of this works before asking me to buy into it), like a refreshing change from the monolithic religions we're used to?
Plus, we get to pick and choose the things that look interesting and leave the grittier realities behind, unless we're wanting to feel superior.
And museums tend to be for the pretty or interesting parts of their society. We see the sarcophagus without the brain scooped into its own, exquistely carved jar. We don't see the sacrifice of one of the female slaves that would accompany the burial of a viking king.
We get neat artifacts of everyday life and warfare and love and sex without any of the ugliness of their actual uses.
No wonder we think we're amazing. Everyone else has a cartoon society, the way we see it.
These other cultures have living gods and sprits---ones that aren't entombed in societies far away and dead to those alive now.
They're still with them.
So their spirit spouse statues---the things they carve from beyond this world to help bring peace from our jealous soul mates who reside in the spirit world---these grow and change as the world does.
Would one today be staring at their iPhone?
Would they be powning newbs on League of Legends or building great cities in an other worldly version of Minecraft?
We never got that wonderful flavor in our culture.
Jesus never had his mullet, cut-off shorts, and fanny pack phase.
Would Dutch cartoonists have been killed if Mohammad had a time where he wore tye-dye and sported dreadlocks?
Does the kind of animistic impulse that we see in some cultures do better things for them?
Does it require monotheism to get to where we are?
Do we romanticize the beliefs of these cultures because they feel to us, in our more englihtened state (and I use that knowing that there's a cultural bias there but, for love of Christ, please prove any of this works before asking me to buy into it), like a refreshing change from the monolithic religions we're used to?
Plus, we get to pick and choose the things that look interesting and leave the grittier realities behind, unless we're wanting to feel superior.
And museums tend to be for the pretty or interesting parts of their society. We see the sarcophagus without the brain scooped into its own, exquistely carved jar. We don't see the sacrifice of one of the female slaves that would accompany the burial of a viking king.
We get neat artifacts of everyday life and warfare and love and sex without any of the ugliness of their actual uses.
No wonder we think we're amazing. Everyone else has a cartoon society, the way we see it.
"Anonymous" letter to Donald Trump from Ryan Kerr by Mikel Matthews
Dear Mr. Trump,
Your entrance into the political field, as a candidate for President of the United States, pushes the GOP candidate pool from a series of bumbling morons into a force five hurricane of clown.
Your insistence on standing in front of a camera and spouting off whatever insipid thought that passes through your head has done serious damage to political discourse in this country. The only ones more at fault for the fact that you have a message to get out there at all is the news media who knows that people will tune in to see what kind of buffoonery you'll come up with.
Once the "Birther" debate was settled and you decided that you had to tell people you "Heard from a friend that Obama wasn't a good student" and that "we should look into that", your 15 minutes of fame should have ended. Everything that falls from your bloated lips is a pox upon the sanity of people who feel how a country should be run is the business of adults.
It would be immoral for me to suggest that you go to the top of one of your towers and throw yourself off of it, so I'm going to suggest you disappear from the public eye in such a way that I can sleep soundly, believing that you've become a grease stain on a sidewalk and that Fox News covered it up, hoping to float out the occasional insane pronouncement from you like you were the Tupac of saying stupid things.
And one day, far from now, when political savvy kids ask me, "Is Donald Trump still alive? Can someone really say something that stupid?" I will be able to look these little political agents in growth, clasp them to my loving bosom, and tell them that "Trump was someone who was once alive and said stupid things, but he hasn't been seen in nigh on 20 years. Rest yourself and feel content in the fact that we're all a little less stupid today."
Sincerely,
Someone who doesn't want you to kill yourself but would like to believe that was a possibility because you don't enter into the media anymore,
Ryan Kerr
Address and picture enclosed in case you wish to sue
Your entrance into the political field, as a candidate for President of the United States, pushes the GOP candidate pool from a series of bumbling morons into a force five hurricane of clown.
Your insistence on standing in front of a camera and spouting off whatever insipid thought that passes through your head has done serious damage to political discourse in this country. The only ones more at fault for the fact that you have a message to get out there at all is the news media who knows that people will tune in to see what kind of buffoonery you'll come up with.
Once the "Birther" debate was settled and you decided that you had to tell people you "Heard from a friend that Obama wasn't a good student" and that "we should look into that", your 15 minutes of fame should have ended. Everything that falls from your bloated lips is a pox upon the sanity of people who feel how a country should be run is the business of adults.
It would be immoral for me to suggest that you go to the top of one of your towers and throw yourself off of it, so I'm going to suggest you disappear from the public eye in such a way that I can sleep soundly, believing that you've become a grease stain on a sidewalk and that Fox News covered it up, hoping to float out the occasional insane pronouncement from you like you were the Tupac of saying stupid things.
And one day, far from now, when political savvy kids ask me, "Is Donald Trump still alive? Can someone really say something that stupid?" I will be able to look these little political agents in growth, clasp them to my loving bosom, and tell them that "Trump was someone who was once alive and said stupid things, but he hasn't been seen in nigh on 20 years. Rest yourself and feel content in the fact that we're all a little less stupid today."
Sincerely,
Someone who doesn't want you to kill yourself but would like to believe that was a possibility because you don't enter into the media anymore,
Ryan Kerr
Address and picture enclosed in case you wish to sue
Juliet to Nurse: A song
Juliet to Nurse
Song about the Perfect Man
to the tune of Off to the Races by Lana Del Rey
My perfect man hates my dad but
I can't deny the way his pilgrim hands
captify me, He has me by my heart
He doesn't have a Capulet past
he doesn't mind that I have a crass cousin duelist
he loves me even when we are far apart
Swimming pool hide from the guard
sneak in my room window after dark
Marry me in the friar's cell
Gotta promise not to tell, cuz our daddies ain't gonna like....yeah
My moon and my stars, make jealous the sun
Be a good Montague, change my name, hon
My moon and my stars, makes jealous the sun
Give me that love's vow, gimme that vow
I'm off with a montague, cutie too, making me his wifey, too
hiding our love from all, cause he's gonna be wanted
Undaunted, chasing all my cousins and I can't get out of my house
cuz my daddy, got mad he, better get here and consumate me
I'm his wifey, lifey, drinking all this vial he
kissed me on my open mouth
when he thought I was dead
Song about the Perfect Man
to the tune of Off to the Races by Lana Del Rey
My perfect man hates my dad but
I can't deny the way his pilgrim hands
captify me, He has me by my heart
He doesn't have a Capulet past
he doesn't mind that I have a crass cousin duelist
he loves me even when we are far apart
Swimming pool hide from the guard
sneak in my room window after dark
Marry me in the friar's cell
Gotta promise not to tell, cuz our daddies ain't gonna like....yeah
My moon and my stars, make jealous the sun
Be a good Montague, change my name, hon
My moon and my stars, makes jealous the sun
Give me that love's vow, gimme that vow
I'm off with a montague, cutie too, making me his wifey, too
hiding our love from all, cause he's gonna be wanted
Undaunted, chasing all my cousins and I can't get out of my house
cuz my daddy, got mad he, better get here and consumate me
I'm his wifey, lifey, drinking all this vial he
kissed me on my open mouth
when he thought I was dead
Thoughts to use in School
I've been thinking a lot over the last year how I might be able to bring some of the techniques from my Acting classes into English. I deal with people on an indvidiual basis. All work is done publicly. They get to see strengths and critiques of each other's work. They get to work together to create.
Acting classes slow to a crawl if there's more than about 12 people in them, as it takes forever to get through things. The students feel more free to attempt and support each other in that class, partially because they're seeing it done in front of them each day.
I keep thinking that some major revisions need to happen in how we approach teaching but, without some kind of reason to look at the foundations and see what needs to be built, I htink we're never going to get to where we'd like to be. Instead we're Frankensteining our education and it's bad for students and teachers.
Acting classes slow to a crawl if there's more than about 12 people in them, as it takes forever to get through things. The students feel more free to attempt and support each other in that class, partially because they're seeing it done in front of them each day.
I keep thinking that some major revisions need to happen in how we approach teaching but, without some kind of reason to look at the foundations and see what needs to be built, I htink we're never going to get to where we'd like to be. Instead we're Frankensteining our education and it's bad for students and teachers.
Final Thursday Reflections
Some kinds of creativity have to come from a place of joy, I think.
I could have written something if we were writing. I could have planned something. I could not, today, bring myself to find it in me to try to struggle through creating some kind of robot---especially for something I'm unlikely to use in class. A different day, I could have done it. Today, my head is in 15 places on things I have no power over anyway, but none of them are here.
We work with some of our students when they're in a bad place. But the problem is the students who don't want to be there and might either fake a mood or create it in themselves. We don't give them the freedom we give adults to take a walk and clear their mind a bit. There are certainly students I would allow to do that, but without the intrinsic or even extrinsic motivations that keep adults from disappearing or causing havok in other places, we can't necessarily rely on that with our students.
And I'm feeling for them right now.
It feels more and more like we have to do a lot of foundational work to make education not seem like
I could have written something if we were writing. I could have planned something. I could not, today, bring myself to find it in me to try to struggle through creating some kind of robot---especially for something I'm unlikely to use in class. A different day, I could have done it. Today, my head is in 15 places on things I have no power over anyway, but none of them are here.
We work with some of our students when they're in a bad place. But the problem is the students who don't want to be there and might either fake a mood or create it in themselves. We don't give them the freedom we give adults to take a walk and clear their mind a bit. There are certainly students I would allow to do that, but without the intrinsic or even extrinsic motivations that keep adults from disappearing or causing havok in other places, we can't necessarily rely on that with our students.
And I'm feeling for them right now.
It feels more and more like we have to do a lot of foundational work to make education not seem like
Final Blog Prompt
The ability to come together with a creative group of teachers and share in each other's ideas, questions, and joy is a thing sorely missing from our profession.
Teaching can be an exhausting profession. We're constantly on the move and any time we don't pack into the school day for getting our work done becomes work we have to do at home.
I think looking at different definitions of writing and how we approach the subject is important. Things like create a film or having them make something and give their opinions. Practice with verbal or other media is often eschewed in favor of pen to paper or, sometimes, fingers to keyboard.
The ways we were taught aren't working. I don't know if it's because new ways or better, the generation has different life experiences, or the fact that boredom is now something that doesn't have to be tolerated.
It is, of course, a mix of all three and a number of other things besides.
Peer collaboration let me charge some batteries that have been drained for a long time. The fact that there isn't a regular chance for teachers to come together and explore their profession is a tragic waste for the possibilities that can bring.
It was a good group of people---lord knows I've been stuck in groups before with some miserable folks.
I was glad not to be there here.
Teaching can be an exhausting profession. We're constantly on the move and any time we don't pack into the school day for getting our work done becomes work we have to do at home.
I think looking at different definitions of writing and how we approach the subject is important. Things like create a film or having them make something and give their opinions. Practice with verbal or other media is often eschewed in favor of pen to paper or, sometimes, fingers to keyboard.
The ways we were taught aren't working. I don't know if it's because new ways or better, the generation has different life experiences, or the fact that boredom is now something that doesn't have to be tolerated.
It is, of course, a mix of all three and a number of other things besides.
Peer collaboration let me charge some batteries that have been drained for a long time. The fact that there isn't a regular chance for teachers to come together and explore their profession is a tragic waste for the possibilities that can bring.
It was a good group of people---lord knows I've been stuck in groups before with some miserable folks.
I was glad not to be there here.