Information Literacy Guide

I did a guide for middle schools students. I created a check list of all the things needed to write a paper on a book (gave them several options)...I gave definitions/explanations next to each item on the check list.  I googled the term literacy information guide and decided to combine all aspects in one...I used information from this website:  http://guides.library.uwm.edu/content.php?pid=121422&sid=1220572

Adolescent Interview

 

I interviewed my eleven (11) year old niece Kayla.  She is a 6th grader in middle school in East Flatbush Brooklyn, NY. Kayla visits me often and at times I feel as if she uses me for my gadgets.  As soon as she walks through the door she says hey auntie and heads for the first electronic device she can get her hands on.  Yesterday during a celebratory lunch (98% average on report card), I asked her what's her fascination with technology?  Why she spends so much time on the internet and instagram.  She stated that she needed to stay in the now.  She said that she researches stuff for her hw (don’t believe her because some way some how she always ends up on YouTube), gets to see new dance moves and chat with her friends. 

My niece doesn’t own a pc, tablet or laptop – so she is constantly on her cellphone. Her cellphone is monitored by me (I installed spyware) so my sister and I are able to track what she does. She's 11….I was 11 once…she cant be trusted. She stated that if she had a tablet she would read books on them. She is proficient with all technology – she takes photos and video wherever we go. She said she just uses Instagram for photos, to comment on her friends pictures – it’s a tiny snapshot of her friends lives when they aren’t available (can you believe her). She is not allowed to have a Facebook account.  She has seen her classmates get bullied, fights started from the comments people have made on Facebook.  She said she isn't interested.

Her school doesn’t offer computer classes for 6th graders so she doesn’t use any technology at school.  She sees it in the classrooms because her teachers have used smart boards and laptops for presentations.  Nothing surprised me with this interview – she said she's 11 and she's not satisfied if she doesn’t go on the internet – at 11 she allowed to say what satisfies her and what doesn’t. Luckily for her, all of my devices have a browser specially designed for her – if she wanders off to a website that isn't child friendly the gadget barks…she keeps saying something's wrong with my stuff…I keep telling her I will look into it .

Essence Magazine Print Media Deconstruction Post

I would like to start off by saying as a child television (TV) was considered a privilege in my household.  We had a strict routine and were lucky to get at least an hour of TV time during the week. After reading the overview for this week - I counted the commercials in between segments while watching Scandal - the actual one hour show is 35 minutes and their were at least 15-20 commercials - some were repeats...apparently I was unaware of how many commercials their were in between takes for the show. To know that children are exposed to at least 40,000 television commercials every year is disturbing....most of those hours spent staring at the television could be used for reading books.   

Ironically, the November issue of Essence Magazine has Kerry Washington on the cover so I decided to deconstruct the digital issue that I have on my ipad.  The ad was natural,  vibrant, attractive,  dazzling and modern.  There are three females, who are Caucasian, Hispanic and light skinned African American - the ad is designed to catch the attention of woman of all races...consumers like seeing someone that looks like them (I happen to be one of them).  In this up close capture - these woman have been photo shopped to look flawless and its very well needed to sell skin tone correction serum. The beginning text are all in low white caps, with the title of the product in a bigger font than the rest. Interestingly enough  minor details at the bottom of the page are all in small caps.

I did not find this DREAMTONE product appealing at all -  those featured in the ad has lighter skin than me and the percentage rate at the bottom of the page in small caps...didn't convince me that its something that I should try. Everything doesn't work for everyone and this product did not jump out at me as something that I could benefit from.

Week 3 - Participatory Culture

As I was reading this article, I started to recall my elementary and middle school days.  Book reports, essays and summaries required research in the encyclopedias, library visits and articles from newspapers. I found it interesting as I was reading the white paper that this was mentioned:

"Beyond core literacy, students need research skills. Among other things, they need to know how to access books and articles through a library; to take notes on and integrate secondary sources; to assess the reliability of data; to read maps and charts; to make sense of scientific visualizations;"(Jenkins, 2006, p19).  Although I am not in the classroom I have done student teaching, individualized/group tutoring and have sat in on classes - I realize that most students do not have the necessary research skills needed to complete certain assignments.


Most students have more resources available to them than I had as a child - some students that I teach/tutor have never stepped into a library before, cant take notes or present comparative arguments to the literature that they have read.  Jenkins also states " Students also need to develop technical skills. They need to know how to log on, to search various programs, to focus a camera, to edit footage, to do some basic programming and so forth" (2006, p20).  I think integrating all the internet, some social media and old traditional research tactics, like the library, can help make students better at not only doing research for school - but research for life skills as well. The reading and the video was interesting....I had to watch the video a few times to ensure that I didn't miss anything important.








  
  

All Reading Is Fundamental

As a child, my love from reading came from ironically being on punishment. I couldn't go outside to play or watch television - so to get back at my parents I would find a book, start reading and laugh really loud  - to the point that they would come back in the room thinking that in some way I defied them by cutting on the TV - but I was reading.... Could they really take that away from me?  I started reading at three (3) years old and books fascinate me - but it wasn't the same for my siblings.

 In todays society, with all of the technology available picking up a book is unheard of (I still buy books that aren't available in e-format) and some kids just don't like to read at all. I've heard a million different excuses about why students don't like to read - and the main one is because its boring.  So, I find things that interest my students - and the reading starts. Whether the article is on the internet, in a newspaper, on a blog or in a comic book, If its something that is of interest to them they will read.  If they come across a word that they cant define -they will look it up so that they can have a better understanding and so that they can relay it properly to their friends.

Reading has changed.  Getting students to read independently is an arduous task. So why not use every outlet that is available to get them to actually read something on their own.  I've created mini-books from short stories and articles that I have found online and given them to students. It has encouraged them to actually to go to the library and find other works related to what they are interested in. I am for any type of reading. I promote literacy all year round by giving out Barnes & Nobles gift cards to students - so that they can take the opportunity to go into the bookstore or order something of interest from the store online.  I

Literacy In the Classroom

The ways in which we read and write, acquire and evaluate knowledge and communicate at all levels are changing .  (Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9). 

 As a student reading and writing always fascinated me so I always looked for new and exciting ways to decipher what I was reading and/or interesting ways to relay what I read in my writings.  With all readings, I tend to highlight and write down key points.  I then try to relate whatever I am reading with something that I have read in the past. I have a passion for comparing literature. I also have a tendency of googling reviews, journals and articles to see how others perceive the readings.   With all of the new technology available I have all of my devices (iPad, Kindle, Mac, PC and IPhone) synced so its easy for me to compare, contrast and add new notes and/or ideas to what I am composing.  I believe all texts open up new worlds - and its up to the reader and the teacher to explore all aspects.

Introduction

Hello Everyone!  My name is Tikeshia Pierre and I am a transfer student from the MAT program. I have never blogged before so this should be interesting....I am an avid reader and have done book reviews. Hopefully blogging will be similar.  Hoping for a great semester.