Clothes: the 80's, 90's and today!

OMG! That JCPenny's catalog was a "real" treasure to find! I found myself laughing out loud and some if the pictures and written commentary! For example, those green bathroom covers were putrid! I am sure that elementary school boy wearing the red stripes and HUGE, flashy belt did have a rough time at school if his mother put him on the bus in the AM dress like that! (He would be one to vote for school uniforms just so his mom did not have a say with his school clothes!) I am glad 1977 fashion is staying in the 70's because I am not sure that I would be OK with using my hard earn money to buy an orange jumpsuit that makes me look as if I was spending time in prison! What was that? And how many socks did he have stuffed into his underwear area...or was that to complete the "look?!" Two more observations, from the JCP clip, so please bare with me! The commentary about "How to get your a$$ kicked on St. Patrick's Day," in my opinion, those men looked like giant, green boogers with chest hair! And last but, certainly not least, what about those couples (so very much in love) wearing matching outfits!?!?! I especially like the lady who was checking out her partner's package in a swimsuit that matched the polyester suit she was wearing! The only time my boyfriend and I match is when we are both wearing our U of M sweats from college on Football Sundays...I think I would hurt him if he wanted to match any other days of the week! I am glad that our fashion tastes have improved (or at least changed) since 1977...I just wonder what our great, great grandchildren will think of our current fashion choices (or fopaux!)

This next video will be a trip down memory lane as to what many of us looked like in the 1980's. I made some of these mistakes (unknowingly, of course!), and these will get you int right mind set for what I write next!



My fashion fopauxes from the 80's...Off the shoulder sweaters, ruffled socks, pinned & rolled stonewashed jeans, bright neon colors, matching plastic earrings for EVERY outfit, just to name a few! Now for the hair...I did sport the HUGE curled bangs that defied gravity (thanks to the help of lots of hairspray!), but it really stunk the days that it rained and I had to wait for the bus. By the time I got to school, my previous rock hard bangs were droopy and a hot mess all day long...talk about traumatic. Take a look at this link to get a visual of what I talking about...
http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/images/blog/myhair-1989.jpg
This is not a picture of my in my heyday, but it is very similar to how I used to style the 80's bangs! What was I thinking?!?!

Another extremely popular haircut (this time from the 90's) was the "Rachel" copied from Jennifer Aniston who played Rachel Green on the hit TV show "Friends." Check out the video clip below when an avid fan of the show gets a hip, new do!


So this leads into the 20th century...what about the clothes of today? I am a teacher and here is my dress code: Khakis, button up shirt, and my Puma Shoes...I have variations, but this is the general guideline. The purpose of these clothes=Comfort, Convenient, and it's easy! As a teacher you have to have pockets...you never know what you are taking from kids throughout the day, and it's funny to see what you end up with! As a teacher, you also need sensible shoes, and Pumas are it (plus they give you cool points with your students!) http://www.footlocker.com/images/products/zoom/30040603_z.jpg

Props to those female teachers who can run around all day long with heels on, but no thanks, that is not for me! Being in the education world, we would like to consider ourselves at school to be "business casual." But what is that, really?!?! I think some staff members have taken "business casual" to a whole new "very casual" level...but I'm not the boss, just the 5th grade teacher, so who am I to judge?! The one thing we as teacher keep fighting for in our school is "Jeans on Fridays." Our director has not jumped on board yet with this idea, and here is her reasoning...the kids will respect us less if we are wearing jeans.

I beg to differ! One day last year, actually the day before winter break, we were allowed to wear jeans. I can't tell you how many kids said, "there is something different about you today, Miss Riggs..." or "You look very nice today in your jeans." I think that is the opposite of getting less respect if you ask me! And we work at a charter school where we are trying to promote college and higher education to all of our K-5th grade students. What would be better than jeans and our college alma mater sweatshirts to get those conversations between students and teachers rolling??? I think that will be my next selling point to the director the next time this Jean topics comes up!

One thing I do know about fashion today, is that many very young kids are dressed WAY better than any clothes I have in my closet! I have seen 5 year old girls in full Juicy Couture leisure suits, with Ugg boots, manicures, and hair brushed and curled just right! OMG! I think some parents of today, use their children as a pawn to "show off" their financial status when out in public. I think this because kids grow so quickly, so who in their right mind would spend that kind of cash on a hip outfit that will last for a month or two??? (I wish I had that kind of money on a teacher's salary, and then I would let you know how I would "handle" the same "problem!")

I do think in today's culture, clothes are a sign of status and show a belonging to a certain clique. The students at my school are required to wear all navy blue uniforms for many reasons. First, many of these families do not have much and starter uniforms are provided by the school for free. Second, many do not own their own washer and dryer, so having a navy blue shirt and pant is an easy load to wash at the laundry mat. Third, we want to create an even playing field for all the students. But that may have backfired on us...instead of showing status by the shirts and pants they wear, they now fight over having higher status through what shoes they wear or if their hair was just freshly done. I have never heard so much on the price of shoes in my life...but that is their platform to stand on, you either can afford to be on top, or not! We have Family Nights once a month where we invite the families of our school in for a hot meal and school activity. This is the one time that students can be at school and not in their uniforms! OOOOOWWWEEEEEE! Do some of the kids show up dressed to impress! This is another avenue to show their financial status...if you show up in your clean street clothes, you have the means to take care of yourself...if you show up in the same uniform as you wore to school, well, then you just lose a couple of cool points in the popularity game we call life.

I close with this...Holiday parties are just around the corner, and I am sure your planners are starting to fill up with them now. Clothes do say a lot about us, and maybe some put too much pressure or take too much value into the clothes on our backs, but allow me to get your mind going...What are the dress codes for the parties that you will be attending??? Will you be seeing the same people...or can you "risk" buying one new outfit and wearing it to all the holiday parties you will be attending??? Regardless, if you can wear one or have to wear many...make sure you buy one with room to "grow" to be able to fill up on party drinks, food and yummy holiday cookies! Tis the season to be jolly, right?!

We only want the COOL toys!

Watching the "8 Minutes of Pure 1980's Commercials" was a trip down memory lane! I was born in 1981, and I am the quintessential 80's child! Bare with me while I take YOU down my memory lane! I took notes while the YouTube clip was playing...and wow, how great were those graphics back in the 80's?!

My first favorite part of the YouTube clip was the snack size candy bars. I would have loved to have invented the snack size candies...they are all the rage even still today...especially with Halloween that just happened. But how funny are the kids who want to only go to houses that give away the full size or king size candy bars! Regardless, the "Three bites and done" was a great new invention to the candy world. The next part I loved was the CALIFORNIA RAISINS! I had all the California Raisin plastic figurines and I jammed out to their jingle, "I heard it through the grapevine." I remember my brother and I watching the Raisin movies...both cartoon and the claymation videos! The third part of the the commercial clip I loved, was the Toys'R'Us jingle. As soon as I heard those opening musical notes, I sang right along! Who doesn't remember that catchy jingle?! And going to Toys'R'Us as a kid was a special treat. I remember walking up and down the isles wanting just about one of everything, but not ever being able to buy all of what I wanted. To this day, I swear I am traumatized because I wanted a Teddy Ruxbin more than ANYTHING in the world...and I never got him. I swear this kind of stuff sticks with you! I may have not gotten the Teddy Ruxbin, but I was lucky enough to have Cabbage Patch Dolls! As a kid, I guess I did not know that having a Cabbage Patch Doll was such a big deal! I hope my mother was not part of this mass chaos!

I guess the craze of Cabbage Patch Kids laid the groundwork for the craziness for Tickle Me Elmos. I guess back in the 80's, young children saw their parents acting like crazy banshees, and that gave them the green light to go crazy over the Tickle Me Elmos for their own children today!

Anyhoo, back to the Commercial Clips...GhostBusters! My brother had the Ghost mobile Station wagon car, and I used to "Borrow" it for my Barbies. The MatchBox Cars were totally awesome and we would build great tracks and car wash stations and play with them for hours! Not to mention, I have a 5th grade student today in class who uses Match Box cars to calm himself down. No joke! I found this info out from his Mother last year, and I am "borrowing" some of my brother's old match box cars for my current student to use in class now. If he starts to boil over, I can just point in the direction of where the cars are kept, and he knows to go play with them for a few minutes to help him calm down before he boils over like a volcano...talk about the past meeting up with the present! And last, but certainly not least, Charlie Brown Thanksgiving....what a classic! I showed this DVD to my students last Thanksgiving, and they have already asked to see it again...we are building traditions even at school! In one of the Toy'R'Us clips, there was a little boy on a Big Wheel...this brought back many memories for me!

Click on this link to see my All-time Favorite Childhood Toy, My Cabbage Patch Big Wheel! I used to ride around my neighborhood and keep my Pound Puppies in the basket of my big wheel...I thought I was REALLY cool! Wow, I was special! http://images.quickblogcast.com/18684-17848/bigwheel.jpg

So now, the connection to Pop Culture and our class...all kids play with toys, and have been playing with toys since the beginning of time. Kids have the creative juices to be able to turn a cardboard box, or pile of rocks into the greatest toy ever. How many times have you bought a really cool, and hip toy for a family member and he/she is more interested in the box or wrapping paper that it came in?! Crazy that we would spend the money on the gift right, but we still do. And with Black Friday right around the corner, there are already specialist making speculations on what the Hip, New, Must Have toys will be for this holiday season.

Ironically, these hip, new, must have toys find their way onto commercials during Saturday morning cartoons...the very same cartoons that kids watch religiously. Advertising companies have become master minds at hitting their target audiences. Pitch it to the kids, the kids will bug their parents until they buy it, and the parents with money will buy it to stop hearing their kids whining for the toys. The only twist in this whole master plan, it that the parents know how much their kids want a certain toy, so they have the upper hand and can get their kids to do just about anything in order to get that toy...chores, behave, get better grades...you parents know that I mean...it's a mean, mean trick!!!

These must have toys get brought into some schools either during share time, or being snuck into classrooms hidden inside of backpacks. I have seen some classrooms set up "Show & Tell" time as "Brag & Boast" time. The "rich" kids bring in their newest, flashiest toys to rub in the faces of their peers that they do not have it. It can be really sad, create jealousy and animosity, and even promote stealing...and that is why I do not set up my sharing time in this way.

For my sharing time in class, each child has a certain day that he/she is able to share with the class. This is not a surprise and he/she has the choice to share or not to share. What the kids are able to share helps us get through share time without hurting any one's feelings. Here is our criteria in class: For your share day, you can bring in: a photo, your favorite book, something found naturally in nature, or verbally tell a story about a past experience. The hard and fast rule is, if you can find the item you want to share in the toy isle of Target, than it is not OK to being to school and brag about it. This criteria has helped us have interesting share time. We have seen pics of family members alive and deceased, we have seen scrap book pages, and we have heard some incredible real life stories...all because the kids know that Toy and trinkets are not OK to share. I suggest switching up your share time criteria to something similar to our classroom, if you are finding that there has been problems with your current share time...just a thought!

Regardless of what can be shared during our share time in class, our students are growing up with fast-paced technology leading the way. Toys for kids and adults alike need to keep getting smaller, faster, more cost effective to be out on the market. No one wants the old version, every one wants to be the first to get his/her hands on the new toy that just hit shelves. And if you think I'm crazy...think about it, toy cars can not just be pushed by boys on their knees anymore, the toy cars need to drive over piles of dirt, spin, and climb walls all from a remote control...and baby dolls can't just open and close their eyes, instead they need to talk, cry, and soil their pants before a little girl will think of begging her parent(s) to buy it for her! It is a popularity contest in schools with clothes, shoes and what you eat...but there is also a hidden popularity contest with toys among children and adults. Ask yourself, what would you be willing to do (or what have you already done) to get your hands on the new, must have toy? I hope that none of us are willing to be crazy like the adults on the above Cabbage Patch clip, but who really knows just how far some one will go to get a deal and make their child (or even himself/herself) happy??? Happy shopping on Black Friday...May the best shopper win!

How can we be comfortbale in the skin we are in?!

The "Dark side of food"...great topic for the holidays right around the corner, right?! You have to ask yourself this question...do you start dieting now to be able to have wiggle room to enjoy all the holiday cooking and cookies, or eat what you want during the holidays, but sign up for a new membership at Life Time Fitness like the rest of world on January 1st with New Year's Resolutions fresh on our minds...or do you eat what you want, not feel guilty about it, but be uncomfortable with a muffin top on your favorite pair of jeans??? Lots to think about huh, and we are adults...now think about what pressures we are sending the kids we teach? Kind of scary don't you think?!

I have been a competitive swimmer most of my life, learning how to swim before I was out of diapers, and swimming for the Gophers for four years back when I was in college. Being in a Speedo most of my life, I have seen my fair share of girls with eating disorders. It is so sad...we burned so many calories in the water during our two hour practices, plus the weights, plus the yoga, plus the core training...not to mention going to class all day long to get an education...and some of these girls would only nibble on saltine crackers! I would not have ever been able to survive on that! Did I like being "in shape" when I was in college...as opposed to gaining the "freshman 15"...ABSOLUTELY! But it was all of the hard training that I liked so that I could eat whatever I wanted without having to worry...now that my training is over, well, that is another story. I look at pictures from training trips my swim team took to Hawaii where we were in the best shapes of our lives, but I have to know that I will not be that way again...I don't have time to spend 6-8 hours daily working out, I have a real life now...but that's hard to deal with...always coulda, shoulda, woulda when you look back at something fondly, right?!

So, if I am a 28 year old female longing to be back in shape again, what are my 5th grade students thinking? I can tell you what they are thinking...many of my 10 and 11 year girls are already on diets and will only pick at their food during lunch and skip breakfast altogether. I work at a charter school in Minneapolis where we provide our students and families will just about everything they could ever need...uniforms, breakfast, snacks, lunch, turkeys for the holidays, wish lists fulfilled so there are presents for Christmas, hot meals for Family Nights, bus and cab fare for parents to visit the school...just about anything is provided because 99% of our families live in shelters, are doubled up with others due to being kicked out of their old homes, or are in transit to find a better place to live. So our families do not have much of anything and weekend are hard for most of our children because they know they will not have their routines like at school and will not be getting 2 balanced meals like during the school week. Many of our younger kids come to school Monday famished and still half asleep from what did or did not happen over the weekend, so they devour the food they get at school on Monday's. But as you go up the grades, food has a different power over the students. I know many of my 5th graders do not have much at home, and the boys will come to school and eat up breakfasts on Monday's, but most of my girls will not even touch breakfast, regardless of what day it is! Why is that?

I overhear many conversations between my girls of "I'm on a diet" or "I'm not hungry" or "Are you really going to eat that?" and I have to step back and ask myself, why do they have that mentality when they are basically "starving" at home?! I teach African American students and many of my girls as 5th graders look and are REAL women already...a shock to me, and we already had to have the conversation at the beginning of the school year about how to take care of yourself when it is "that time of the month." Many of the mothers of my students were thankful that I paved the road to make sure my girls were comfortable being at school when they were on their period. Having said that...my girls look and sometimes act like 35 year old women. Not that I have anything against older women, but my "girls" have the bodies of women and at the age of 10 and 11, they are already feeling the pressure to be thin. And in today's society, who can blame them?

Like our reading said, "The message is clear-cut: women who are financially successful must have small bodies; education and ability are less important than physical appearance" (Fed Up Women and Food in America). But here is the ironic part of my teaching situation...the females in my student's lives, moms, grandmas, aunites, are not all that financially stable. So what gives? I can only turn to the pop culture side of body image. While my students may not be grade level in reading or math, they can certainly tell you who is at the top of the charts for music, what clothing style is in right now, and the latest movie to see. Pop culture is my students' way of life, but I think that it is hurting them. I see those "video chicks" in rappers music videos in their string bikinis shaking and gyrating their bodies over new Bentley's...Lil' Kim made a statement a few years back at the VMAs with wearing her purple nipple pasty and jump suit...and the latest dance movies have stick thin girls shaking their stuff for guys...what message is that sending my 5th grade girls??? This is the message: "YOU HAVE TO BE THIN TO FIT IN, AND IF YOU ARE NOT, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOU! What in the heck kind of message is that?!

Pop culture can be cruel. Not all that long ago, pop star divas like Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson were berated for gaining a few pounds. Magazines were devoted to calling out these usually in shape females and literally poking fun at how they looked. The flip side to this, the ladies lost the weight and the same magazines that had just made fun of them, now celebrated their new bodies and gave the readers the secrets to their training and transformations. Here's the real secret: these women have the means and the money for the quick fix and can surgically "fix" the problem. But what about my students who are not financially well off, how do they fix a problem...by not having a problem at all. They might not have food at home, but they want to be part of the in crowd and their body is the tool to do that, so they have to control what goes into it...not much at all.

While reading Chapter 14 of Tooning In, I found this piece to be very shocking on page 138..."Teenage girls have the poorest diet nutrition of any group in America. Taken as a whole, their diets are deficient in many important nutrients and in total calories. We are evidently feeding refugee groups more nutritiously than we are feeding our own daughters" (Children and teens afraid to eat). How can this be?! Why in a time a place where we could feed all humans are there people in the United States still hungry, and worse, why are some Americans starving themselves? Where did this pressure come from where your pants size determined your value as a human and the smaller the number, the more valued you are?

I guess we do live and learn from our own experiences. Do I wish I cold snap my fingers and be in the shape I was back in the peak of my training in college, yes..I'd be lying to you if I said no. But why do I wish this...is it due to society's pressures to be thin? I guess I would have to say that plays a HUGE part, but overall I just wish pop culture and society would stress being healthy. And by being healthy I mean not being too over weight so that you are hurting your heart, and not too underweight so that your organs start shutting down. And the most important part of being healthy, being comfortable in the skin that you are in! But if society puts such pressure on what your "own skin" should be, then how can we ever be happy with ourselves?! It comes down to practicing what we preach!

At the end of our reading, White and Walker were paving the way for what needs to be happening in our schools. We need to promote and create safe environments for ALL sizes of students. And that goes for teachers as well...I hate when students think "all 'fat teachers' are mean, and all 'skinny teachers' are nice." How ridiculous is that?! I agree with White and Walker when they write, "Prevention needs to be the focus, not curing, if we want to control the damage wrought by eating disorders" (pg 140). We as adults in the classroom need to pave the road and show our students what healthy is and how to be OK with the body we are in right now. This is a tricky situation we are in because we too are feeling the pressures of society, and we also need to understand what morals we need to teach our students...WOW, not only do we teach students to pass the standardized tests, we also need to teach them how and why to respect their bodies as well...all for pennies to the dollar compared to what those big wigs of diet companies are making. In the words of Alanis Morsette, "Isn't it ironic, don't ya think?!" It almost feels like a losing battle we have picked to be a teacher, and it does take a special person to be an educator, and if we each make a positive difference in one life of our students, then we have made the correct decision. So on that note...who it ready to take on the world Monday morning?!

Pop Culture Makes the World Go Round

Dear Friends and Families of Room 205,
I wanted to give you a heads up on your child’s learning this year in Room 205. Of course we will be memorizing our multiplication and division facts, having spelling pre and post tests each week, as well as mastering our cursive handwriting. In addition to these normal subjects, we will also be studying Pop Culture and bring it into our class room on a daily basis.
Pop Culture you are asking yourself…why waste time on this? I am sure you are thinking, “My student needs to be at grade level…he/she needs to pass his/her standardized test…What is Miss Riggs thinking THIS time?!” I hear you loud and clear, but here’s the reality…Pop Culture is all around us, and it will bring your student’s learning to life!
Let me get you to see our side of this controversial coin. Pretend you are at work right now, in fact on a lunch break or a quick stop at the water cooler. What questions do you hear among your co-workers, your peers? Do these questions sound familiar??? “Did you see the game last night? How’s your fantasy Team doing? Can you believe that run by AP and that throw by Farve? What are your thoughts on Ballon Boy? Can you scream like Mary Murphy? Would you like to be on the hot tamale train? Do you agree with the Chief about firing that new Doc from Mercy West when she did not check that lady’s throat? What you think about McDreamy standing up to the Chief and pointing the finger at him? Are you going to see the MJ movie this Wednesday…so are you going to have a sick day on Thursday? How about those Law & Order story lines…hits pretty close to home, huh?”
Regardless if these are topics you are interested in, I am willing to bet my next pay check that you have at least heard of the Minnesota Vikings, “So You Think You Can Dance,” Grey’s Anatomy, Michael Jackson, and Crime TV shows. Well, here is the deal, your student has also heard about these topics and this is what they would prefer to talk about. Think about, you pick your friends from people who have similar interests as you…you talk about the same things, you watch the same shows, and generally have the same interests. If adults can handle this, why would we want to squash that for our students?
I can not tell you how many times I have heard from students in my years of teaching, “WHY ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT THIS?” Sometimes it is hard to see the real world connections in trigonometry, but what about having to learn cursive so that you can cash your paycheck, what about learning multiplication facts so you can know how much you will be paid that work week, what about learning proper grammar so that you sound educated when you go in for an interview, and what about understanding history so that we understand how the world functions today. These real world connections can be seen, but why not use REAL real world connections from our every day life that can be felt and touched every day. If our students are going to be excited about the big Vikings game or seeing the new MJ movie, why not tie their interests into the classroom and make learning fun again?!
I would like to invite you on this new journey of learning. I challenge you to learn your 5th grader’s likes and dislikes and get him/her to use that in their learning. I know that it will take open communication between you and me to help bring the real world into your child’s classroom. I am ready to step up to the plate and take on this challenge, the question is…are you ready to be on the “hot tamale train?!”
Thank you for your continued support in your student’s learning, Miss Riggs

Pop Culture Assignment #1
As we have mentioned in class, we are going to be bring Pop Culture into our classroom. Here is your first assignment:
Last year, I introduced you to the Hip-hop group “FigureHeads.” We listened to their CD, “The Movement” every day while we are in school. Well, this year we are going to be listening to a new FigureHead CD titled, “Fire in My Soul.” Your assignment is this, read the following lyrics to “Social Justice” as you listen to the new beats by clicking on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVUfON3veHo. After you listen to the song, pick 3-4 lines that relate to you and your life. Jot down some notes as to why these particular lines mean something special to you.
Part two to your assignment: Have your family at home listen to our new FigureHead song. Ask your family what they like/dislike about this song. Would they be ok with you listening to this song, as opposed to songs with explicit lyrics? Why, or why not?
Part three of your assignment goes to your family! Ask your student what the “hidden” message is to the song “Social Justice.” Have a discussion with your student about what Social Justices they know about, or have seen first hand. Also ask your student what social injustices they have seen or know about.
Note: to both students and families, have fun with this assignment! You will be listening to an awesome song with a powerful message. Be open with each other when having discussions and make sure to check in with each other as our school year progresses. We are working on bringing Pop Culture into our classroom, and this is the first step! Be sure to check out the FigureHeads website to learn even more about our favorite Hip-hop group: http://www.figureheadsinc.org/

“SOCIAL JUSTICE” - FigureHeads
Chorus
What you know about social justice/The ones who fought the ones who suffered/For basic rights like suffrage/But knowin about it ain’t enough kid/It’s time for you to rise up/It’s time for you to lead us

Verse 1
I’m a sojourner for truth like harriet Tubman/Can you feel that underground railroad rumblin/When it comes to justice stay stubborn/Like Rosa Parks on the bus not budgin/It all starts when someone does somethin/Instead of waitin around grumblin/So I let the ink flow like harriet Beecher Stowe/Whose uncle tom’s cabin helped to start the civil war/Then I’ll spit it some more like frances harpera protest poet revolution sparker/There’s no doubt that the path to a new beginnin/Is trail blazed by amazing women/do the math theres more I could name dozens/Many of whom did their thing without husbands/So raise the standard ladies it’s your life/And speak up for change if somethin ain’t right

Verse 2
Out the ashes of despair /Hiphop rose like a phoenixDuring a time where crime/ doubled up like a helixThis was the preset setting stage/ For a movementYouth took this flame of pain and straight used it
To spark a revolution and ignite a generationPassed from civil rights was this light of liberationOur interpretation/ went beyond their limitationsTeens/ remixed the dream/ and reached/ every nation Creativity was awakened/ And it’s no coincidenceHiphop transformed more than just/ instrumentsIt Bridged the gap distance / of black and Brown differenceAnd it still insists that/ We rise thru the resistance But now oddly Hiphop became commodityMarkets ideology making us like colonies/But our phil-o-sophy says we can move as oneand using technology, we shall over come

Verse 3
it’s hard when it feels like the world ignores you/but sorry I don’t feel sorry for you/ kids around the world been dying in war too/they won’t get used what you can afford new/27 million men, women and childrenare slaves on the planet and the number’s building/just a couple pennies is all you gotta pay for a five year old to work a twelve hour day/locked in a room till the carpet is made/you complain cuz you gotta work hard for Asdag,/ don’t you get it, get off yourself there’s billions of children who all need help but/ you still care more about your clothes than the slave kid who might have made those /either way I’m just saying there’s a lot to do /we on the front lines saving a spot for you

Humans as Bullies in the Cyberworld

Wow...the chick in the car at the bottom of this post is....well, CREEPY!!!! I did not have any pictures of myself where I was not smiling (as the Gizmo site suggested), but I created an avatar anyway...holy cow I am creeped out!!!! Those are my eyes, but nothing else is me! And I have auburn hair, so I thought how funny would it be to be a blond in this virtual world...LOL, this is SOOO funny to me! Anyway, how to use avatars in the classroom…My students LOOOOVE Poptropica. They create from scratch players to use for different computer games. They have to remember passwords and codes, and they chat constantly about who beat what level. I would love to see if they could create an avatar of themselves to play in Poptropica (if that is even possible!) They love playing this computer game, but how much more would they love it if THEY were the characters passing the different levels?! My charter school just purchased a mobile cart of 10 laptops to be used in the classroom. We have a project to this week about our field trip to the zoo last Wednesday (right before MEA break…whoop, whoop…even though I spent 10 hours in school on Thursday and 9.5 hours Friday, so what break?!), but if the research projects get completed, I would love to look into my students making avatars for their computer games. I will have to see how this week goes…

I chose the “Interacting with Computers” to read for the second part of this week’s assignment. First off, Aaron Doering is AWESOME! He was my professor when I took Intro to Technology back when I was in school to be a teacher. Not only did I learn so much from him and become more comfortable with my technology skills, Aaron helped me with a slide show I had to create for the U of M Swim team. When I was in Aaron’s class, I was a senior on the Swim Team at the U. I was also captain and my coach asked me to create our end of the year slide show. (Just a few tid bits on that, past years had not turned out that well and I had 35 teammates giving me 100’s of pics and song requests. Yes, I am not that old, but this slide show was created before all the new age with albums online and programs designed to make slide shows a breeze!) Anyway, I mentioned to Aaron that I had this HUGE project to do for my team and he offered to help. With his assistance, that end of the year slide show turned out to be the best one to date. Everyone…coaches and parents included, asked me for a copy of the slide show, and that had NEVER happened before. Making copied of the DVD slide show was another project in itself…and Aaron was there to help again. Anyway, Aaron is GREAT and it was awesome to read about his project for this week’s assignment!

OK, back to this week’s assignment…as I was reading this article, I kept writing questions in the margins… “Did the kids know their convos were being logged?” “How is Joan responding to this abuse?” “Holy cow…did middle schoolers really just say that?!” As I continued to read, some of my questions were answered, but not all of them.

Towards the end of this article, the question was presented, what if the students were told that their teacher was able to see how they were using the Avatar? I think that would have made a world of difference, because now they are being held accountable. But then how real would this study have been??? I think when there is interaction with computers, the loss of the human factor results in people dropping their guard and acting more brashly than normal. Without a human to fire back at you, I think more people are willing to be the bully or harass because no one is going to harass back. But is that really their true colors and they are just putting on a front when they actually have to deal with other humans??? Kind of the chicken or the egg question? Which causes what? The lack of human contact brings out the worst in us, or are we set up that way and this technology environment just helps it shine through?!?! Food for thought if anyone has comments on that one.

Also, at the end of the article, there were notes about how to change how Joan responded to the mis-use of her helping students. I think comments to get kids back on track might work, but I also think if a person wants to “bully” a non-human trapped inside of a computer, I think he/she is going to bully regardless if the non-human is asking the student to get back on track. Furthermore, I think having Joan ask the student to get back on track it only going to make the situation worse…get them more fired up to keep the harassment and bullying going. But what do I know, and maybe not getting a rise out of Joan will squash the issue and the student will get back on track.

On page 297 of this article when the comments of Students A-J were being noted, I actually wrote in the margins… “WOW!!!!!!” My jaw dropped and I was shocked that middle schoolers would be using this language, and more shocking…using this language WHILE IN SCHOOL!!!!!! I’m not saying that I’m a saint, but still, I was raised with morals and values and knowing the difference between wrong and right. What the heck were these kids thinking?!?! I’m a female so I have never asked another female the questions that Students A-J did, but at the same time, I have never been asked those questions by people in my life. Yes, I go out to the bars and yes, I know how to have a fun time, but I do so not at the expense of another person. I also surround myself with people with similar values…yes we can get rowdy, but were not going to ask a passerby, “Do you suck bug nuts?” I still can not believe that a middle school would ask that same question when it is part of an assignment…regardless if he/she did or did not know that the teacher could read the questions posted. I know that Thom can read our blogs, he told us he could at the beginning of this class. You better believe I would never ask my blog buddies what color undies they are wearing, but I certainly would not stray from the course work during our chats knowing that Thom can read all that we type!

I do find this study to be very interesting, and the questions it poses. Would there be similar sexual questions if Joan was a male character? Would it help to have a gender neutral person answering questions, or would that just stir up the students to see who could find out the sexuality of the CPA first to be able to share the answers with others? Would the outcome be different if the students were told upfront that their activity online was being recorded…or would that just mask their true colors? I guess the only way to get answers to these questions is to have more studies on this subject and change one variable at a time. Aaron Doering is an awesome professor (no offense Thom!) and I nominate Aaron to conduct more studies and let us know what he finds out!

Blog #4-We are living in the fast-paced technology world of tomorrow

These three articles on video games were particularly interesting to me, seeing as the last video game I thoroughly enjoyed was Super Mario Brothers 3. It’s been a while since I have hunkered down and played a video game for hours on end, but I do know that’s what most of my students (as well as many school age children of the world) are currently doing! We are living in a world where technology is a way of life…machines have replaced the human factor while trying to make things simpler and easier for all. I can recall my grandfather telling me of the days where ice cream cones were 5 cents, a pack of gum cost a penny, and there were men at gas stations who would fill up your tank for less than what a gallon of gas costs today. Where are those people who provide services hiding today?! Gas stations now have machines to do all the work, collect the money and YOU get to fill up your own car…make it quick because there will be a line if there is a “sale” on the price of gas and you probably are running late to next commitment. And what about grocery stores? More and more are replacing the check out clerks with machines so that YOU can scan your own food and you can be on your merry way. Why do we view face time with other humans, as “bad” time?
Regardless if you are on board with the technology craze, this train is moving and you better get a ticket. I feel fortunate enough to have grown up where new and improved technology was the norm. I did not get my first cell phone until I was in college, but I do feel comfortable in texting and downloading apps…or helping my mother set up her voicemail for the 13th time! Computers are another technology avenue I feel comfortable navigating…only because I have always had access to one, and have had to use computers for my own school work, as well as my teaching. Kids today also have a knack of understanding technology (probably having a better understanding than the generation ahead of them!) And with this love of technology, we as teachers would be crazy not to incorporate it into the classroom!
The article by Scot Osterweil is information I am going to bring to my director and school board as a way to bridge the gap between school and technology to enhance student’s learning. I think the game Labyrinth sounds just fascinating and exactly what our school needs. Our kids come form underprivileged homes, many of them being homeless. And this game sounds like the right link of building math, reading, and writing skills AND still using technology, even if you can’t afford the newest gaming system. As a teacher who works at a school who is now on AYP, I can relate to Osterweil’s quote:

“Teachers recognized the attraction of games to their students, but they can’t justify games-with all the social baggage the word carries-to administrators and parents.”

This is so true! We feel bogged down by trying to hit all the standards and trying to teach so that our kids can pass a standardized test, but what happened to making learning fun? I think this game would do an excellent job in justifying games for learning, means fun for all! The one other quote that was an “Aha” moment for me in Osterweil’s articles was:

“We expect teachers to be talented professionals while paying them low salaries and even lower levels of respect.”

Ain’t that the truth?! So my question is, why do we as teacher keep coming back to hard work, for our little pay and littler respect…it’s because of the kids, and we need to remember how to teach to these kids in this technology craze, while still making learning fun, and still hitting the standards. Wow, that’s a tough order to fill!
The second article about “genderplay” made me chuckle. It is true that many games are geared towards young men and boys, and the scantily clad women as advertisements are very enticing to the horny male population. In a world where sex sells, advertisers would be crazy not to use sexy ladies to help sell their games. Do I agree with it, or think it’s right, of course not, but until the men on this earth get re-wired and think only with their brains, and not their personal “joysticks,” I do not think sexy vixens will be going away any time soon! It would be nice if the women in video games could be seen as pioneers, but chances are, a guy is the one creating the video game, so why not have something nice to look at?!
The last article by James Paul Gee, made me reflect on my own teaching skills and how learning happens in my classroom. I have always wondered how can my students play video games on end, or take hours to update their MySpace accounts, but they can’t hunker down with a good book and read for 20 minutes?! This insider look at video games, and how it challenges the player is great information to use in the classroom. Gee mentions,

“Video games operate on the principle of “performance before competence.” That is, players can learn as they play, rather than having to master an entire body of knowledge before being able to put it to use. Research shows that students learn best when they learn in context—that is, when they can relate words, concepts, skills, or strategies to prior experience. In fact, many students are alienated from what they learn in school because those connections and experiences are absent.”

I was taught in my teaching classes at the U of M, to relate lesson to my personal life so that the kids can see real-world connections to what they are learning. How many times have we heard students say, “Why do I have to learn this? When will I use this in my life?” And if we as teachers can show them all the real-world connections, it gives more meaning to what they are learning. I have even learned to take it one step further, and not just relate lessons to my own life, but asking the students how they can be connected to what we are learning. When kids are able to make that connection, their learning is taken to a whole deeper level.
Technology is a way of life, and this craze does not seem to be losing any speed, in fact it’s just the opposite. Technology is getting faster, cheaper, and more accessible. Teachers from the past may have gotten a way with simple lessons of text books, notebooks paper, and pencils. But today’s teachers will need to master Smart Boards, websites, and LCD Projectors to keep their students learning fun, exciting, and on the cutting edge of technology to make sure everyone is entertained.