"Dear 40-Year-Old Me..."
This empowering video of high school students who are members of the Illinois Safe School Alliance, which is a safe zone for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students is one way that shows how effective "video diaries" can be in the classroom. These students video taped themselves talking to their 40 year old future selves about what it is like being high school students and being gay. This video struck a note with me because my best friend is a homosexual and has been mercilessly teased and bullied throughout middle school and high school for her sexual orientation. These students appear to be empowered by this video, they are strong and have a voice in which they tell their 40 year old selves the heart breaking experiences they have been through - rejection, violence, bullying, exclusion, you name it.
This video is a great example of self expression. We tell our students to be themselves and not to be afraid to be who you are, these students took to technology to do just that. The traditional "Dear ..." letter style was taken and revamped into a video, put on YouTube so that it is not just a "letter" for one reader to experience, but can be experienced by millions who can listen, comment, discuss, and access the creators. While YouTube may be a bit pervasive for some projects, the video project is a fun and alternative way for students to keep a journal or "write a letter." If it were my class (English) I would love to have students act out scenes - put a different spin on what they have read by recreating their own interpretation through props, characters, clothing, setting and really have an individual twist on a text.
Shelby,
ReplyDeleteI have read several blog posts, but I have to say reading your post made me feel warm. I love projects like the one you posted because it requires thinking and reflecting. Teachers often teach content and material, but self expression is one of those things that teachers "don't have full time for." We teach books, writing techniques, and reading stratgies because we have to "get through the curriculum." A lot of the material is worksheets, passages, and paper sensitive. I love lessons that require students to go the extra mile and talk about themselves. Reflecting is important in an english classroom. Students should be able to relate to the content they are learning, students should be able to understand why they are learning something, or what the purpose is. This video captures something very beautiful in that it is very personal. Empowering video diaries helps students understand their similarities and differences. Thank you for your post, I may have students create their own videos with where they may be in 10 years and mail them back to them. I think it'd be a really fun project.