Integrating Media into the Classroom
Integrating film and media studies in the classroom can emphasize a classroom topic, theme, and even help better engage students into the instruction. If, for example you taught high school literature and were specifically working on To Kill a Mockingbird, one could easily incorporate media into the classroom to emphasize the topic and themes in the literature.
With permission, your students could view clips from the movie Crash to emphasize the themes and topic of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird. Not only would this help bring out these issues in a different form, it would also help students better relate to an older text. Crash is a recent movie set in modern day America, where as To Kill a Mockingbird takes place earlier in the 20th century. Integrating this media into the classroom would help students better identify with the literature in the classroom.
One could also show the movie production of To Kill a Mockingbird and discuss the different ways the two forms of book and media attempt to create the same story. This could be done through comparing and contrasting and by recognizing the unique characteristics of both forms of the narrative. All these issues could be discovered in the classroom through small group and class discussions and/or through worksheets that help guide students in figuring out the separate values of media and text.
Fantastic Folk Music
I love the genre of folk music. There are two types of folk music, traditional and popular. Traditional folk music was played by people in villages for people in those villages. It was music by the common people for the common people. In today’s society folk music refers to popular music that was influenced by that traditional folk music. Today’s folk music genre has many cultural influences descending from many different cultures.
I love both traditional and popular folk music, as they both have incredible value:
Traditional folk music attracts me because it is authentic, coming straight from the soul. Folk music originated as a community event, it was music created to provoke emotions among the people, not to orchestrate according to musical rules on staffs. Folk musicians played what their hands and heart told them to play, instead of reading music. Traditional folk music also had voice accompaniment that told a story of the community’s culture.
Popular folk music, combines today’s society with the traditional folk customs. Today, there are popular folk musicians who infuse a lot of traditional folk techniques with the modern style of music. Some use modern instruments to play traditional folk songs, others weave in modern stories to traditional folk music tones, others cater to the needs of following written music, but add additional soulful twists led by the heart and hand.
I have an example song for each both types of folk music:
For traditional folk music, I love the song Meadowlands. I have heard this traditional Russian song played by St. Mary’s Balalaika Orchestra, and its’ accompaniment consists of vocal, accordion, balalaika, and domra talents. Each instrument does it’s own rhythmic pattern and melody that does not follow the music. Its instruments and vocals tell the story of old Russia and is often played in local areas by the people of NE Minneapolis for the people of NE Minneapolis.
For popular folk music, I love Bob Dylan’s revival folk music! It’s very hard for me to choose a favorite, but North Country Blues is always a good choice. The music and vocals work together in this song to tell a sad local story.
Balalaika Documentary
Have you ever heard of a balalaika? Many people in this country think of a Greek pastry when they hear this word instead of its true definition. In the Twin Cities area, however, there is a growing population of people who are learning what that word means. It is a Russian musical instrument that is often found playing traditional folk and gypsy music. I think it would be very interesting to make a documentary on a local group that started in NE Minneapolis, St. Mary’s Balalaika Orchestra, which plays at several events around the Twin cities.
The main point of the balalaika orchestra documentary would be to create awareness of the strong cultural heritage pride in NE Minneapolis and to introduce the passion of folk music to the film’s audience. The film would make strong emphasis on why keeping traditions alive is important in our modern society.
I would interview several people of all ages, beginning with the members of the St. Mary’s Balalaika Orchestra asking them how they started playing with the group, and why they became and are interested in it. I would then ask audience members why they come to see the group’s performances, what keeps them coming? Why is it important to them? After interviewing the performers and the audience, I would also interview the founders of the group and ask for their opinions on the importance and interest in the music.
St. Mary’s Balalaika Orchestra has many activities and practices that I could also select to add to my documentary. I would video them during their practice sessions, meetings, and at a variety of performance events including the local Kramarczuk’s Ukrainian Deli, weddings, festival of nations, museums, etc. I would also make a point to film them when they are having a balalaika party, where they value their social time with good drink and food.
Creating an authentic, realistic portrayal of St. Mary’s Balalaika Orchestra should be fairly easy. It may, however, be confusing to find out the history behind the orchestra as there may be several variations on the oral story. I would have to make sure to interview key people who know the exact history and compare others’ responses to it.
Politics, Politics, Politics
I watched the 10 o'clock channel 5 news last night (Wednesday). As expected, the first 20 minutes were devoted strictly to the political races. It focused on who won against who, and why so and so didn't win. It told of the other votes, including the newly passed transportation amendment, and how the vote for school funding did not pass.
The news cast spent half of the political time on how Governor Pawlenty had a well-scheduled night during the political race and how he visited several locations while Hatch kept a low profile. I thought it was biased in the way that during that section, they only interviewed Pawlenty and his supporters while neglecting to hear Hatch's side. The media made Hatch look disrespectful, unproductive, and uncaring. It appears that CBS had a politically biased presentation of the situation. If they would have interviewed people on Hatch's side, it could have been a more neutral newscast.
After the politics were over, CBS added in a quick blurb of local events including a woman dead in a fire, ten police officers in the hospital, and the case of a drunk driver who killed someone. These broadcasts together totaled approximately five minutes. It was interesting, because in usual everyday news, these events would most likely take up five minutes a piece, but CBS did balance their news yesterday in order to fit in the political campaign. The next five minutes were focused on upcoming traffic and weather (did you know it's supposed to snow tonight) and Roseville's new skating arena-the largest refrigerated ice area in North America.
Finally, the last ten minutes were focused on SPORTS! We heard about upcoming high school state tournaments, the Gophers and Viking's latest results and upcoming games, and they interviewed various athletes.
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Clearly Popular
“Clean, and Clear, and under Control,” broadcasts one adolescent female on a commercial during one of WB23’s teen flicks, One Tree Hill. After she states her overheard line, she and her friends start to giggle and fall on top of each other in a ‘sisterly’ sort of way.
The girls in the commercial are BEAUTIFUL! That is, beautiful according to society’s definitions-beautiful because they have clean and clear skin. Their faces are magically free of all blemish, scar, and pimples, even though they are in the stage of their lives when they are most susceptible to acne-an impressive defeat. Why does our culture make the impossible beautiful?
The ads for Johnson & Johnson’s ‘Clean & Clear’ are seen constantly during commercials airing when popular teenage shows are playing on television. Clean & Clear ads also appear in nearly all adolescent female magazines. The setting is usually a bathroom in front of a mirror or a bedroom. Whichever setting the ad takes place, it usually shows a clear light-blue backdrop making the setting automatically look clean. Our connection from blue to clean from a semiotic analysis occurs because blue is a culturally made ‘clean’ color in our society due to the many blue cleaning products.
All of the Clean & Clear ads have women models. Notice the plural form women. It is interesting to note that the women are hardly seen alone in these ads. They have a popular image when they are modeled with others, they appear to be well liked and have close friends because of their clear skin.
The Clean & Clear ads are definitely targeting young adolescent females as the product is modeled by beautiful young adolescent females who give the object a subjective appeal. The product subconsciously appeals to the audience’s yearning for popularity. Young adolescent females may begin to believe that if they use this product, they will become beautiful and popular.
My Big Fat Greek Genre
Genres…Classifying films….I love romance. I love comedy. Therefore, I shall write about Romantic Comedy.
One of my favorite Romantic Comedy movies is ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’. Like several other romantic comedies, this movie also involves a wedding plot. Other such movies include ‘Runaway Bride’ and ‘My Best Friends Wedding’. Romantic comedies often have the same basic general plot line: girl likes guy, girl overcomes obstacles to get the guy, guy and girl overcome obstacles together, and guy and girl live happily ever after…This is exactly what happens in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” as the main female character works in a Greek restaurant run by her family. The ‘guy’ walks in and does not notice her because she is not attractive, but of course, the ‘girl’ notices him. The ‘girl’ must go through the obstacle of changing her appearance to get the guy. The girl gets the guy, but now they must humorously struggle with the girl’s family and their interesting religion. Eventually, the couple settles and lives happily ever after.
That is just one example of this type of genre. I just find it very interesting how there are so many films that have such a similar plot! Can’t we as a society be more creative and original in our films? None-the-less, I enjoy each and every one of them. Why is that? Branston and Stafford’s textbook ‘The Media Student’s Book’ says that “Audiences seek pleasure in the familiar. We enjoy the ritual and reassurance involved in knowing broadly what might happen in a particular media text”. Thus the variations of characters, but the same typical character traits keep us coming back for more.
Media Ethnography
According to Richard Beach’s upcoming book teachingmedialiteracy.com, “Media ethnographers study how audiences have become active performers through participation with the media”. Knowing that my mom often expresses visible reactions when watching sappy films, I decided to observe her watching the infamous 1983 made-for-television movie Anne of Green Gables starring Megan Follows. In doing this activity and interviewing my mom with questions about her viewing, I discovered how and why she has become an active performer through participation with the media. The following shows excerpts from my observations and interview:
Example Observations:
- While watching the movie, my mom formed an attachment to the father character in the show, Mathew Cuthbert. This attachment became apparent when Mathew died of a heart attack in the fields, because my mom started crying tears that continued coming for the next half hour during the movie.
- When the character Anne Shirley tries to show off to the other students in her school by walking on the ridge on the roof of a house, my mom gasped and tensed her body, clutching the cushion on the couch as Anne fell off the roof and sprained her ankle.
Example Interview QuestionsHow many times have you seen this film?
Probably between ten and twenty times, I used to watch it with my daughter often when she was little.
When you decide to watch Anne of Green Gables, when is a typical time you would watch it?
I used to put it on for my daughter when she was little, but now I put it in when I’m too tired or sick to do any more work around the house or related to my job. It helps me to zone out and put my cares elsewhere for the day.
Why did you cry when the character Mathew Cuthbert died in the movie?
Mathew reminded me of my father who also passed away and had heart attacks. Both Mathew and my dad were quiet, humble, and spiritual people who made their daughters (adopted daughters in Anne’s case) feel special. At that part, I felt an attraction to Anne because we had a lot in common-both loosing a father.
Why did you gasp and tense up when you saw the character Anne Shirley fall off the roof top?
As a mother, I have built up a safety, concern, and worry for youth. I started to get inwardly nervous when she started her show-off business, but then the fear came out outwardly when she actually fell. On a related note, initially I had a hard time warming up to Marilla Cuthbert, but when Anne sprained her ankle in the woods and was late in coming home, I sympathized with Marilla when Anne hurt herself, because I knew how worried Marilla would be. Seeing Marilla concerned was the beginning of my liking of her character.
What is your favorite aspect of this movie?
I am a sucker for romance; therefore I enjoyed the interaction between Gilbert and Anne. Also, when my daughter was young I used to enjoy discussing the character Anne with her and talking about her independent spirit.
Conclusion:
My mom became an active performer through participation in the media. She formed social connections to the characters in the film, such as Anne Shirley when her father died, and worrying about Anne’s safety. My mom also confessed to be that she spent many of her days at her grandmothers’ farm, suggesting that she identified with the media through class and gender identity.
Everything my mom identified with or was attracted to in the movie, such as the mother and daughter relationships and the romances between Gilbert and Anne, are examples of traditional female attractions in films. Society attracts females to this film through our society-constructed-accepted women gender values. Women, according to society are supposed to like romance and strong female-dominant characters. My mom fulfils the role of the feminine audience becoming an active performer through participation with media designed to attract a female audience.
My mom also showed the importance this media had on a social communication level. This movie helped her discuss topics of independence and death with me as a child. It became an opportunity for social viewing to discuss societal ways.
