FOOT - Extra Credit

I have found that throughout the semester thus far, I am learning a lot about different texts to incorporate into my future classroom. First of all, the idea never crossed my mind to incorporate social networking into a high school. I suppose it is because I always think of social networking as something that you do outside of school for fun, or as a hobby. I really like the idea of collaborating with a different high school or university using a special facebook page. I know we have not gotten that far in the semester, but it is something I am looking forward to. In fact, instead of just incorporating a text-based literature circle, I think it would be fun to have the students post pictures that they have drawn or found online and comment to one another. The picture alone could be a great project, by having them draw their interpretation of a character or a theme of the novel. I also think that they could include videos about their thoughts, or maybe act out their favorite scene in the book (Only in a private group!). Now that I am thinking about it, the ideas just will not stop flowing and there really is a lot you could do through social networking sites.

I also think that the utilization of film in the classroom is important, too. I don't want to be that teacher who puts on a movie and lets their room turn to chaos because the kids are not paying attention. I want to be the teacher who plays insightful films that are both interesting and pertinent to what the students are doing and learning. I think maybe by playing a film that is similar to a text, or has some common themes, but is different would be nice. A really neat project could be to have them compare the text and the film in a compare/contrast type of paper. Not only just the main points, but things like how and why did the film represent itself differently than the book? Also, maybe having them see if the two modalities were switched how they think it would have been different.

I genuinely liked the idea of our multi-genre autobiography assignment. I liked that it was very open, and you could make it the way you wanted it to be made. I really think that this is something I would like to do with students at the beginning of the year. It would give them a chance to let me know about them, and know what they like. It would also maybe let me provide things that they find interesting. For example, say a majority of the students showed that they really liked the Harry Potter movies and books. I would be able to see this and possibly incorporate it into a future lesson that would be important to them as well as keep them interested. I think I would include a final part about what they would like to read and learn this year. Maybe I would have chosen a book already, or maybe I could squeeze on in like I said before.

All in all, I am really learning a lot in this class. I certainly am thinking in new ways too. I think that by varying my future lessons with my students I will be able to keep them interested by changing the way I do things through a variety of modalities!