Reading & Discussion #2

Youth filmmaking is a marvelous idea! I wish it had been a common practice when i was a youth. Although I am an older and nontraditional student, i usually prefer the traditional paper and pencil way of storytelling, but not now. Now I think it is a much better way to preserve the (escpecially oral) storytelling tradition through these amazing short films. I think this medium does help to bridge a gap between those of us who have been stuck in tradition with the new tech-savvy youth we interact with daily. Once I begin my teaching career, I hope to use new types of storytelling assignments like this. Granted, I know that a lot of students do not have access to all of the latest technology, but possibly assigning group work and having each group use video equipment would be less difficult. There is so much value to allowing your students their own creative voice. This way, students could show teachers what their world looks like through audio, video, images, and their own beautifully unique talents. I think that if even an old fogy like myself can be turned on to this new way of storytelling, even the "fogiest" has a chance.

The REEL Works video I watched, by Mercedes Ortiz, showed exactly how the adolescent struggle into adulthood is shaping up these days. She gave an honest depiction of how difficult it is for students to finish high school in the 21st century. Even though it was obviously hard for her to share (as she is seen shedding tears at one point), she even gives her mother's view of her struggle to keep up with high school on high school's terms. Although she has obviously high intelligence, which she shows through her video collaboration, her words, and her images, she still has that angsty teenage rebellious side to her. I believe some of the words she chooses about high school being a waste of time are truly her way of building a wall and deflecting the true issue. One of the issues  she faces is a lack of positivity at home. It is difficult to try to build yourself up when someone is consistently tearing you down. I believe another of her issues is a lack of interest in the high school curriculum. I choose to believe that Mercedes is of above-average intelligence and that the regular curriculum is failing to keep her interest. Maybe Mercedes needed an alternative curriculum in order to graduate on time.

What children learn in school and out of school are equally important. For example, if education is not valued in your home, you may not value education as a student either. I know that when I decided to go to college I was met with a lot of naysaying. My paternal grandmother did not understand why I would choose to go to more school and "put off" getting a "real job" . . . in her eyes, i was being lazy and ignorant. I was the first person (besides a great aunt, who is my educational idol) to attend college. There were not a lot of "way to go Shannon"s in my path (until i graduated, of course, then everyone was behind my decision). I wonder what a video depicting my little story might look like? I think that it would look much different today than it would have years ago when I was in the thick of it.