Halloween

Have I mentioned how much I love Halloween? Any holiday that celebrates the macabre is a holiday that speaks to my heart :)
I understand that many people shun away from Halloween because they believe (falsely) that the holiday has a strong connection to the devil. But, in all honesty, most people today do not even know or understand the origins of Halloween. Today the holiday is about candy, costumes, and mischief. It is about becoming someone or something else for one day out of the year. It is about imagination, ingenuity (especially is you have little money for an expensive costume), and reinvention. Is this so bad?

I am all for people doing what they feel is right. But, for just a minute, I am going to get on my soap box and say that Halloween is harmless. It is about frightening fun and ghastly ghouls and the creation of cavities. And, let's not forget about the pumpkins! Oh, those wonderful orange spheres of yumminess! This alone should be enough to convince the halloween phobic.

So, share your Halloween plans with us. Are you dressing up? Will you be handing out candy to the little ones?

To see some of those fantastic pumpkins, click here.

Film as Reality?

As I am sure many of you know (by looking around my classroom) I am a huge fan of films. I enjoy watching all kinds of films - even the occasional horror flick. With films, viewers can lose themselves in another world. They can travel back in time or see a glimpse of the future. For two hours you can become a pirate or a cartoon character or even an alien life form.

But, no matter how often I lose myself in a film, I always have enough brain power to realize that what I am seeing is fiction. Sure, there are films that are based on facts, but the very essence of filmmaking dictates that the viewer is seeing a biased, perception driven version of the story. The camera can only show you so much. The special effects can only make things look somewhat real. In the end though, no film shows the complete truth - even documentary films.

Apparently the "film as fiction" reality is something that many viewers forget. According to an article that I read recently, "Students Recall More Hollywood Than History", young viewers "tend to substitute Hollywood fiction for historical fact in their minds." Although viewers tend to retain information better from watching a film, the information that is retained is often not the previously learned factual information but the newly acquired "movie facts." So, this leaves me to ask, do young people believe anything they see? Or better yet, how often do educators need to remind students to read or view everything in an analytic manner?

I enjoy using films in my classes. I have seen, first hand, how films can reinforce information and present a new way of seeing of the world. I have also seen how films can be great tools for teaching metaphor, symbolism, and deep analysis techniques. But, after reading articles like the one cited above, I am more hesitant to show films in class. I know that no matter how many times I state that a given film is a representation of reality, there will always be those few students that believe they just watched the truth. These same people will then pass along these "truths" to others and begin a terrible cycle similar to the telephone game.

A New Semester

As this semester winds down, I find myself becoming excited to start anew on Monday. The beginning of the school year was unpleasant for most teachers at the Bay. Rather than starting the year off with new hopes and goals, we started with feeling dejected and already run down. The new semester gives everyone another chance to create a more positive outlook on the rest of the school year.

Here are some ways that we call can make the rest of the year a successful one:

1. Approach every day with positivity. I know I sound like a caffeine infused self-help guru, but our mindsets have a huge impact upon how we perceive everything.

2. Come to school ready to learn. You are all getting a free education. And, it is a pretty great one. This is not the case for many people around the world. Take advantage of the benefits that are handed to you on a silver platter (Oh, wait, this is Wes-ton, the platter is probably gold :).

3. Bring a sweater to school. No, really, I am serious. We are rolling around to that time of year when it will start to get chilly. Not cold, but chilly. It never ceases to amaze me when a kid walks in to class in shorts and a t-shirt on a day when it is 55-60 degrees outside. How am I supposed to teach walking icicles?

4. Laugh at yourself. It took me a long time to learn to do this, but when I did, my life improved tremendously. Humans are essentially funny. You may not think you do anything at all that is humorous, but odds are, you do. Laugh at these eccentricities and you will be all the better for it.

5. Work beyond your potential. I can't tell you how many kids I have watched become complete imbeciles because they were lazy. It seemed that with each lazy act, a little bit of their intelligence slipped further and further away until they were just an empty shell. Don't let me watch you do the same. It kills me a little bit every time I see this - and to be honest - I don't know how much more I can take!

I think this is a fine beginning. I could probably go on and on but I know after a while you will stop reading (see I understand my audience). If I have forgotten any tips, add some in your comments.

A Big Welcome

I want to take this opportunity to welcome all of my new readers. I am excited to read your future posts and learn more about your view points. This blog is just one way that I use to communicate with students. It is estimated that roughly 350 million people worldwide read or have their own blogs. This past year about 65% of the global online population visited blogs and social networks. As these numbers increase BY THE DAY it is only logical that schools start to address this "new" form of communication. As an English teacher, whose job it is to prepare my students for a world beyond my classroom, it is imperative that I expose students to thought provoking online networking practices.

I most often use my blog to share information about my classes, my ideas, and the world. Sometimes I preach, sometimes I rant, and sometimes I rave - but I always have fun doing it. And that is all I ask of you...have fun with your blog. Share information about your chosen topic in a fun way. Incorporate images, videos, quotes, and links. This is your chance to share your ideas with the world. Don't disappoint your readers!