4/10/2014

Selfielm and Usies Film

                                                
As a language teacher who must capture the students' imagination on a daily basis, I am constantly seeking professional development workshops to improve my teaching skills and become better connected to my students' ever-growing interests. Throughout my teaching career, I have attended an incredible amount of teacher workshops and seminars that have certainly helped me achieve this goal. Nevertheless, it has been a year-long teachers' English program that I recently took at the University of Puerto Rico in the Teacher's Summer Institute that has finally transformed my English classes from what I like to call a “teacher-driven class” to a “student-driven class.” 
     The program was taught by university professors and it was held at the University of Puerto Rico from June/2013 to May/2014. The program consisted of twenty-nine teacher workshops for public and private schoolteachers. It is a federally-funded grant titled Professional Development for Teachers of English to Diverse Learners:  Integration of Art and Technology in the English Classroom.
 The teacher workshops were held during three sessions: the summer session, the first semester of 2013-2014 and follow-up visits to the schools during the second semester 2013-2014. All the work produced by the teachers will be published by the program at the end of May, 2014.
      Some of the workshops that were offered during the all-day summer sessions  included the following topics: Movies a Source of Idiomatic Expressions for English Language Enhancement, Using Music for Creative Writing, The Museum as a Visual Cue for Speaking and Writing Production, Visits to the Art Museum of Puerto Rico, Enjoying Poetry Through Figurative Writing and Using the Radio for Listening Comprehension. During the first semester of the 2013-2014 academic year, the following workshops were offered during the half-day classes held on Saturdays: Drama for the Enhancement of Oral Communication, the Application of Technology to the Production of Digital Stories, Innovative Strategies to Develop Speaking Skills, and Language Teaching Through Strategic Planning, among others. Once we started the semester, the strategies learned in the workshops were immediately put into use . This catapulted us into stardom. There has been an explosive change in my classes at my school.
           These strategies which I put into practice every single day have revolutionized our classes. Students cannot wait to begin new projects, movies, oral presentations or anything that I or they suggest. All activities are strategically planned. The principal and the school administration have strongly supported our efforts. The questionnaires sent out to parents and students are all brimming with positive comments and feedback. Colleagues from the English Department have started using art and technology as a driving force in their own classrooms, as well, when they see the startling results that come with integration.
     The most important project which the seventh graders accomplished was the Selfielm@nvargas, a term taken from “selfie” and “film.” This project consists of an I-movie filmed by each individual student with an I-phone. By writing a storyboard and a script, the student, filmed scenes from her daily routine. With the help of the Technology Department at our school , a collection of  short one-minute video shots developed into a 10 -minute film based on the student’ s daily activities that were most meaningful to her. Some of the interests showed on film were Family, Friends, What I’m most proud of, Sports, Hobbies, and Community service. This project captured on film the essence of being a twelve –year- old girl. The student has to narrate a short description of the scene in a voice-over. One of the things that the students most loved about this project was the possibility of adding more interests as they went on the next grade and adding movie shots related to their new experiences as an 8th grader and so on until they reach their senior year. The 10- minute Selfielm@  was scored and used as a test grade which consists of 45% of the class grade for the first semester.

                During the second semester the students are developing the concept of “ Usies.” This is also a 10 minute film where two friends can choose from different themes the story that they will develop in their film. Among them are the following topics : “A User’s Manual for My Best Friend: What Makes Her Tick?,” “ A Talk Show: Interview With My Best Friend” and “ Behind the Scenes With My Favorite Star Impersonations.” This film will also count as a test grade.
                 Using these techniques inspires students to try out new things and convinces them that in spite of the complexity of the project, they can accomplish anything they set themselves to do. 

10/29/2012

The Clark Doll Experiment by Dr. Kenneth Clark

Collaboration by Claudia Varona English 7B The Clark Doll Experiment Fri 29 May 2009 by abagond The Clark Doll Experiment(1939) was an experiment done by Dr Kenneth Clark and his wife Mamie where they asked black children to choose between a black doll and a white doll. The dolls were the same except for their skin colour but most thought the white doll was nicer. In 1954 in Brown v Board of Education the experiment helped to persuade the American Supreme Court that “separate but equal” schools for blacks and whites were anything but equal in practice and therefore against the law. It was the beginning of the end of the Jim Crow laws that established segregation between whites and African Americans. In the experiment Clark showed black children between the ages of six and nine two dolls, one white and one black, and then asked these questions in this order: • “Show me the doll that you like best or that you’d like to play with,” • “Show me the doll that is the ‘nice’ doll,” • “Show me the doll that looks ‘bad’,” • “Give me the doll that looks like a white child,” • “Give me the doll that looks like a coloured child,” • “Give me the doll that looks like a Negro child,” • “Give me the doll that looks like you.” “Negro” and “coloured” were both common words for blacks before the 1960's. The last question was the worst since by that point most black children had picked the black doll as the bad one. In 1950, 44% said the white doll looked like them! In past tests, however, many children would refuse to pick either doll or just start crying and run away. In one study Clark gave the test to 300 children in different parts of the country. He found that black children who went to segregated schools, those separated by race, were more likely to pick the white doll as the nice one. The Doll Test was used in the case Brown v Board. Dr. Kenneth Clark asked the test questions to 16 black children in 1950 in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Of these 63% said the white doll was the nice one, the one they wanted to play with. Clark also asked children to colour a picture of themselves. Most chose a shade of brown markedly lighter than themselves. In 2005 Kiri Davis repeated the experiment in Harlem as part of her short but excellent film, “A Girl Like Me”. She asked 21 children and 71% told her that the white doll was the nice one. Not a huge sample size, true, but it was still shocking to see how easily many chose the white doll. In 2009 after Obama became President of the United States, the anchors of “Good Morning America” on ABC gave the test to 19 black children from Norfolk, Virginia. It is hard to compare their numbers because they allowed “both” and “neither” as an answer. They also asked the last question first, making it far easier to answer: 88% said the black doll looked most like them. ABC added a question too: “Which doll is pretty?” The boys said both, but 47% of the black girls said the white doll was the pretty one. Fo rmore information click on the website: http://abagond.wordpress.com/2009/05/29/the-clark-doll-experiment/

3/28/2011

" Kira : A New Life in the Old Village"

Kira in Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry has a bright future ahead of her. The strong bond that she has with her allies, Jo and Thomas , and her father, Christopher enable and strengthen her to believe in herself as a new leader in her society. Through her gift of weaving, she can construct a new society that is civilized, not barbaric as before. She can integrate the blue color brought from
" over yonder" to depict a glorious blue sky in the Singer's Robe signifying the freedom that they will all enjoy from now on. Citizens from over yonder , regardless of their handicap, can become integrated in Kira's society as first -class citizens. When everyone realizes Kira's well- meaning plan, he or she will collaborate on perfecting society and will be proud of putting all of his or her efforts in trying to improve and perfect it.

2/21/2011

The Highwayman vs Tim

In the narrative poem, " The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyse, the highwayman may look dashing with his French hat, his leather pants and thigh-high boots, but is he the ideal man for Bess? The highwayman is locally perceived as a hero. Although he is a robber, he persuades his victims with such gallantry, that they don't hold his crimes against him. Those same tactics help him enamore Bess, who is so blindly in love with him that she betrays her father by keeping the realtionship a secret .In the 1700s,no respectful suitor visits his loved one at night and taps the windows to announce his visit. A true gentleman announces his visit by letter weeks before and awaits for an answer. He attends only if he receives an invitation or acknowledgement of his letter. Second, the highwayman has a plan to go west in search of a prize and come back to the inn to retrieve Bess. His determination and bravado show his imposing personality. Third, when he returns to the inn as he promises, unexpectedly, he flees to the west when he hears the gunshot. Moments before, Bess, plays in her memory his refrain," Look for me by moonlight, watch for me by moonlight, I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way." He does arrive ,but doesn't rescue her from her plight. How far is he willing to go to prove his love for Bess? Obviously not very far. He goes far, far to the west where he came from, as far away from Bess as possible, to save himself.
Tim , who is a mad, jealous stableman betrays Bess by advising King George's soldiers of the highwayman's whereabouts. Are Tim's actions justifiable? Tim's love for Bess is unknown and unrequitted. She loves the highwayman, not Tim, who although not rich, does have positive qualities. He has a steady job. He is a responsible citizen who reports a robber wanted by the King. Tim complies with his duties as a dignified, law-abiding citizen. When he makes the decision to inform the redcoats of the highwayman's plans, he certainly must not phathom the implications that his actions might have on Bess's fate.
Is the highwayman or Tim deserving of Bess' love and affection?

9/12/2010

Grandparents' Day- September 14, 2010

Write a letter to your grandparents explaining what legacy handed down from your ancestors you would be willing to defend from someone who wanted to take it away from you.

Welcome to the Seventh Grade Blogspot 2010-2011


After reading the stories, novels, poems or plays assigned in the English class, you will find an entry written by the teacher. Please feel free to comment on the entry. Then, print out your comment and hand it in to the teacher on the next day of class.

10/30/2009

Tyra Banks Uses Blackface on Models in Photo Shoot

The term " Blackface " refers to using black makeup on a model to impersonate someone of another race, usually African American. According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary the term means " makeup applied to a performer playing a black person especially in a minstrel show;also : a performer wearing such makeup.
Read the following news article and post a comment .

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=6585495


'America's Next Top Model' Creates Stir After 'Bi-Racial' Photo Shoot

Thu Oct 29, 12:28 PM PDT

Weeks after an Australian variety show made headlines around the world after a group of white performers donned blackface to perform as the Jackson brothers, Tyra Banks is making headlines herself for turning her latest "America's Next Top Model" candidates bi-racial for a photo shoot.

During Wednesday night's "ANTM" episode on The CW, Tyra took the remaining six young women of Cycle 13 to Hawaii, where she took pictures of the models after they were transformed into different races.

Tyra told bleach blonde Erin Wagner she was going to be "Tibetan, like the Dali Lama, and Egyptian"; Southern belle Laura Kirkpatrick was put into makeup to look "Mexican and Greek"; Jennifer An, who is Korean, was told she was going to be "Botswanan and Polynesian"; African-American Sundai Love was made to look "Moroccan and Russian"; redheaded Nicole Fox was "Malagasy and Japanese," while blonde Brittany Markert was put into makeup to look "Native American and East Indian."

While the only things that seemed to confuse the lithe models on the show were particulars about the countries, nationalities and races they were representing, some members of the press are calling foul.

E! News asked whether the shoot was "Racy or Racist?" noting the girls were "coated in creams to darken their skin tone." Over at Entertainment Weekly, a writer noted that the models acted "like there's nothing socially charged at all about race-as-costume." And AOL TV, ran a recap under the headline "Tyra Banks Puts 'Top Models' In Blackface. When Did This Become OK?"

But while the current controversy is new, "America's Next Top Model" has changed the skin tone of their models before, back during Season 4.

A rep for "American's Next Top Mode" had no comment when contacted by Access about the controversy.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/tv.accesshollywood.com/americas-next-top-model-creates-stir-after-biracial-photo-shoot-20091029

ABC NEWS What Would You Do? Series "Up Close With Racism"

Please access the following website and watch the experiment on racial prejudice as seen on ABC News' What Would You Do? "Up Close With Racism". Wait a few moments for the video to upload. Then, watch the video and post a comment.

9/20/2009

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor

The Logan family saga continues in this novel about the trials that as an African American family they face during the 1930s , a time of racial discrimination and economic depression.
As the main character, Cassie, again witnesses the racism that the white men inflict on her own family and their African American community of men and women. This time , though, the men are more threatening than Mr. Andersen is in "Song of the Trees". Now the reader gets a glimpse of the Ku Klux Klan, a racial suppremacist group that even includes the town sheriff and the wealthy landowner, Mr. Harland Granger.
Does the reader perceive any positive elements in Cassie's world despite the prejudice set against her and her family?

9/05/2009

Short story- "Song of the Trees" by Mildred Taylor

Cassie Logan ,along with her three brothers, parents and grandmother, lives in a Mississippi farm inherited from her late grandfather,Paul Edward Logan.
Seh shares her love for the forest with her father,David.
Both father and daughter consider the land as a legacy that must be passed on from generation to generation.
They are proud to be the owners of such a magnificent expanse of land and are willing to defend their legacy from people like Mr. Andersen.
What legacy inherited from your ancestors do you treasure the same way ?

8/20/2009

Summer Reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

" Dickon, Mary and Colin's Friendships :Everyone Wins"

Mary , Dickon and Colin's friendship benefits them in different ways.
First, Mary becomes healthy both physically and emotionally. Second, Dickon's self-confidence grows when he teaches Mary how to plant seeds and how to distinguish the flowers. Finally, Colin learns how to walk, makes new friends and reconciles with his father. Having friends gives the children a new outlook on life and makes them dream of a bright future.

8/08/2009

Welcome to the English class blog. The purpose of this blog is to give students the opportunity to blog about short stories, novels, poems and other material done in class.
Some of the assigments require that you blog about a specific question regarding the reading, but you can blog on any particular topic whenever you like.
On our first week, we will discuss the novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnet.
Two of the elements of the novel that we will focus on in the blog are : Characterization and Conflict.
Characterization helps the reader understand the character and his motives better.There are six ways to achieve characterization:
1. by the things the character says : "You daughter of a pig! " Mary tells Martha .
With these words, we can tell that Mary is rude and spoiled.
from The Secret Graden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

2. by the things that other character say about the main character:
" If Papa was here,them ole white men wouldn't be messing with our trees."
from "Song of the Trees"
3. by describing how the character looks and dresses
" Yollie's mother, Mrs. Moreno, was a large woman who wore a muumuu and
butterfly-shaped glasses."
from "Mother and Daughter" by Gary Soto
4. by letting you listen to the character's thoughts and feelings
"Roger watched, horrified, as Miss Orville's figure proceeded among the aisles
inspecting notebook."
from " Miss Awful " by Arthur Cavanaugh

5. by showing you what the character does
" The female triceratops smelled something. Her sense of sight was very poor, so
she turned to face what was causing the strange odor.Wisps of smoke sailed
through the trees."
from " The Last Dinosaur " by Jim Murphy

6. by telling you directly what the character's personality is like ( cruel, kind,sneaky,
brave and so no )
" He was brown like us, a plump kid with shiny black hair combed straight back,
neat, cool and faintly obnoxious."
from " Barrio Boy" by Ernesto Galarza