Beyond Bullying: Integrating the Teaching of Media Literacy and Classic Texts

Angie Beumer Johnson & Christa Preston AgiroWright State University

Dayton, OH

Introducing the Impact of Media• --based on “American Alphabet” by Heidi Cody

What we notice in our everyday lives . . . or not

• http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/ml/index.html• Brooklyn area plants by Carrie McLaren

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Socratic Seminar Group One

Salena: One of my questions was why do people use violence for entertainment . . . like cool things to post on YouTube?

[male]: it’s funny Jo: I don’t think it’s like meant for people to look at them and laugh and think it’s funny.

Maybe it’s just an embarrassment type of thing, like you’re mad at somebody you beat them up and put it on YouTube so they’re embarrassed that everybody else . . . . It’s not really, like I’ll put it up there so thousands of people can laugh.

Later . . .

Jo: Is violence always influenced by bad media? All: No. [silence] Jo: Okay, good. [all—laughter]

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Socratic Seminar Group Two

David: Iago . . . why? Promotion . . . , but why not just stop at not getting the promotion? Why did he have to turn it into something that’s a lot bigger? All he wanted to do was get a good promotion.

Ava: Just look how easily people are influenced. [male: Ava, what’s your question?] Why are people so

influenced by media? What tie does it have on us? Why is acceptance so important in our society? David: ’Cause with media it shows what you want, and once you have it, you just want more, and media

helps feed greed. It’s like you’re not really grateful for what you have, but . . . people say they are, but they’re not. Media just feeds off of that.

[Male disagrees; female agrees] David: Yeah, you want to be what’s on that TV. You like compare yourself to what’s on TV. Daniel: Has media ever affected you? Because after like, I watch a karate movie . . . my brother and I

fight. [laughter]

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Socratic Seminar Group Two

David: Every once in a while I’ll see a McDonald’s commercial, and it makes me hungry for McDonald’s. It totally doesn’t influence me if I like see a clothes commercial. I’m not going to go buy this and this and this.

Daniel: If I watch Food Network, it makes me hungry. Ava: But that’s not media influence, that’s just food. Male: [why let media influence us? [silence--“Dang!” ] David: Well, a lot of times it’s your subconscience—you don’t realize until it happens. Later . . . David: I kind of compare it to like falling asleep on an airplane. Like at first you’re at one point, and then all of the

sudden you’re there. With the media sometimes, you like take a stance against it, but over time it’s like at one point you look back and realize this isn’t where I was—this isn’t who I was. . . .

[male argues this is why we can’t let it have an effect on us] David: Media is not an instant thing—it’s never been intended to be an instant thing. It’s supposed to be a slow,

constant . . . [cut off]

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Freewrite

If you were in Othello’s situation, with Iago as your “best friend,” how might you have protected yourself and those you love? What would you have done differently?

Abby: I would have told Othello to actually think about what he was doing before he did it. Then make sure he knows what he was losing.

Megan: I wouldn’t have been so rash. I would have confronted Cassio and Desdemona separately to find out what’s going on. I understand that he was paranoid about the subject, but you should trust your spouse and talk to them to find out what is really occurring, not kill them. That’s crazy

Daniel: I would have confronted Iago. I would have told my family to stay away from him so he does not harm them in anyway. I would have gotten to the bottom of the whole situation so that no one innocent would get hurt.

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Freewrite

What are some similarities and differences between Iago’s type of persuasion and the media’s? Do you think there might ever be a link between violent words or actions and media influence?

Juliet: Some similarities . . . is that it targets your heart and makes it seem as if that is the only voice you her. Differences would be that they are about different things that they try and “sell” to you. Yes [there is a link], because of images we’ve seen on the media we’ve been more acquainted with violence have more violent actions.

Ava: Violent words and actions for some reason pull peoples focus in very tight and very quick. The same way Iago pulled others in tightly and quickly into his ‘master’ plan.

Ron: Iago acted as the media in this because he never gave up on convincing othello. On the other hand it was different from media because he Just left it between them and didnt make it public

Jo: I definatley do not think Iago is like the media. Iago is just a character and I doubt the media really tries to influence bad decisions, they’re usually good ones. Or harmless ones.

Kiara: I’m not sure [if there is a link], I really never think of how things are related.

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Concluding Surveys

What, if anything, did you learn from analyzing ads? Juliet: That white men and women are still subtly put first. Normally a caucasian can dominate the add.

What, if anything, did you learn from creating a positive media message that attempted to solve a problem?Juliet: Sometimes you really have to dig for a solution, even though it is always there.

What, if anything, did you learn from the Socratic Seminar?Megan: Never bring up YOUTUBE fights because the issue gets nowhere. We should slow down. Ava: I learned that old plays and stories like that can have an impact on our life today. Jo: There are many ways to interpret things and I learned to not make bad choices without thinking first. Sarah: People may have a different out take on something than others but it still affects them. (media)

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Concluding Surveys

What, if anything, did you learn from viewing film clips and reading scenes from Othello? Juliet: I learn that I really do like Shakespeare. Alyssa: I learned people that you trust, might betray you. Camden: How things are portrayed by different people [directors]Jo: Shakespeare has a way of pulling two extremes and making them one amazing piece.

What, if any, similarities did you see in studying Othello and media literacy? Juliet: Just how much rumors can destroy a person’s life. Megan: media & Iago can be deceivingJo: Media literacy has a lot of fallacies especially with different issues.

Did our work on media literacy and Othello help you consider and/or reinforce solutions for dealing with conflict, and if so, how? Juliet: Yes, because it shows how important the timing of everything is and how there are many solutions to things. Megan: Yes, talk to people in person not on facebook & suchJo: No, not really. I have always been a thinker so these stories make me want to help others deal with conflict

Media Literacy, Othello, R&J, Real Life, and Conflict: Concluding Surveys

What do you think media literacy is? Alyssa: What the media is putting out thereJuliet: Songs, articles . . . how things/people are affected by the news and others.

What comments do you have for me about this study? Jo: None. Well, maybe that . . . You will find it hard to make a perfect piece of media literacy because someone can almost ALWAYS find something wrong. Ava: It was very informative and interesting!J.D.: It was nice to do something different for a change. Kiara: Thank you for taking time to teach me what media literacy is.

Media Literacy, Of Mice and Men, Conflict, and Real Life

Voices

• I don’t understand why people don’t stick up for themselves or other people when bullying occurs. When it comes down to it people who get bullied want to fit in and don’t say anything.

• I get bullied for the stupidest things by people who don’t even know me. What right do they think they have? Because they’re bigger than me? Older? I’ve been called horrible things, like fag, twig, skank, lesbo, gay, ugly, and others. I’ve been tortured by my own last name and picked on for a certain part of my body. I have no self esteem, and I’m scared to come to school because there’s always a bully.

Media Literacy, Of Mice and Men, Conflict, and Real Life

• Survey (pre- and post-)• Scavenger hunts: bullying in classic literature• Real life scavenger hunt• Statements, distilled

Statements, Distilled

• Collective Wisdom• Francis Galton (1907)

• Guess how many.– The average was always nearly accurate– The average was almost always closer than any

one guess

Scavenger HuntsClassic Literature – examples of bullyingReal Life – examples of bullying– Interveners get into trouble–Victims get punished– Teachers bully– Telling an adult makes it worse

Student Responses

• it seems like there is a lot of themes and messages conveyed in this book, and it really relates to bullying more than I thought it would.

• Some statements were very good that reflected the bullying in the book. Overall this was a great way to view the bullying that was going on in the book and in reality.

• I felt our class learned the true meaning of bullying from this book and observing.

• I thought that the discussion about bullying went well. It definitely made me think of examples in Of Mice and Men and also in real life. It opened my eyes and I understood the power of words and actions in a different way.

Producing Media: Conflict and Real Life

• Scenarios – Live improv, Xtranormal, Storybird

• Statements, distilled– LetterJames, Animoto

• Panel Discussion, planned questions• Formal Letters

Writing for Recorded Publication

• Students write text & select characters & setting.• Xtranormal generates a movie.

Storybird.com – create picture books

Producing Media: Conflict and Real Life

• Scenarios – Live improv, Xtranormal, Storybird

• Statements, distilled– LetterJames, Animoto

• Panel Discussion, planned questions• Formal Letters

Writing for Recorded Publication

• Animoto.com allows students to upload photos, videos, typed words, and music

• Animoto uses characteristics of music and compilation of photos/vidoes

• Generates a customized video

Producing Media: Conflict and Real Life

• Scenarios – Live improv, Xtranormal, Storybird

• Statements, distilled– LetterJames, Animoto

• Panel Discussion, planned questions• Formal Letters

Critical Questions: What causes bullying?

• Joseph: A lack of knowledge about a person. Someone who judges people without knowing the full story. They might also be bullied or abused by a parent or sibling at home, and it might be the only way they know how to act.

• Asher: I think that insecure people cause bullying. They feel so insecure they decide to bully others to make them feel better. They think that if they bully someone else no one will bully them.

• Lashanda: Bullying is caused by insecurities. Many people feel insecure and they make others feel worse about themselves so they feel better.

• Sandra: I think people bully because they’re jealous of the other person, to make people laugh, or they have their own insecurity.

New glasses: Have you bullied someone/have you seen someone being

bullied?

Sal, pre. No, because I don’t feel it’s right to pick on someone. No one is perfect and we shouldn’t make fun of someone if they don’t have the right clothes.

Sal, post. I have bullied someone but I did not realize it. I realize now that some of my comments can hurt people and it can be considered bullying.

Jay, pre. No, there was no need to. Jay, post. Yes, just because I didn’t want to feel out of place. Everyone else was doing it and it was funny. I didn’t see it as bullying.

Gina, pre. NoGina, post. Yes, I laughed. Most people laughed and others threw stuff at him.

Zeke, pre. I have never bullied someone just because you don’t know what happens in their life outside of school.Zeke, post. I have bullied someone because it made me feel better because I was picked on because of my height.

Shan, pre. Not that I know of, but we all are kind of guilty of it even if we don’t know it. Shan, post. Yes, because everyone else was doing it and I didn’t want to be a loser.

Ping, pre. Yes, because they were being annoying.Ping, post. Yes, because I felt bad about myself, and I felt I needed to belittle someone else to make myself feel better.

Lucy, pre. Yes, it was funny.Luch, post. Yes, I have bullied people to make myself look cool in front of peers because I have been bullied before and it makes

me feel better.

Complicating Bullying:Does it help to tell an adult?

• Sarah, pre. 70% of the time telling an adult makes matters worse, Most of the time, the adult will have a talk with the individual and make him/her mad.

• Sarah, post. I think it does help to tell an adult because the “bullied” feels like they have someone to talk to.

• Abe, pre. Yes, they can stop it• Abe, post. No, sometimes adults make the situation worse

• Juana, pre. I think that sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t because if you do the bully might get talked to and then might want to bully you more.

• Juana, post. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. It does because it might stop the bullying but that also might make the bullying increase.

• Gilian, pre. I don’t really think it helps to tell a parent because if the bully finds out that you told on him/her it could make the situation worse.

• Gilian, post. It helps to a certain point but adults aren’t always around.

Does it help when peers intervene?• Tom, pre. For the most part. Sometimes other peers make the problem worse by

not dealing with the situation correctly. • Tom, post. Not unless you have tough friends. I honestly think that putting friends

in the middle of fights or issues with other peers is a bad idea because assign more people of the same age to fight, won’t solve anything.

• Beth, pre. Yes, they can help stop it. • Beth, post. Yes, it helps when peers intervene because it makes the bully less

powerful.

• Keri, pre. I think it does help when peers intervene because if friends stand up for you, you don’t feel so alone and eventually the bullying will stop.

• Keri, post. Yes, because when others intervene the bully eventually stops. Peers help give you support.

• Shingo I do not think it helps when peers intervene because what would happen when they are not around?

• Jane Peers just bully the bully back so there is no way to stop bullying.

Comparing before and after: How can adults help stop bullying?

• Tyrone, pre. They can’t• Tyrone, post. I don’t think they can. If they tried it would only

make it worse.

• Shawna, pre. I don’t think adults can help because they don’t witness what happens when they aren’t around.

• Shawna, post. They can teach kids to walk away from the incident.

• Felicia, pre. They can punish the bully.• Felicia, post. They can talk to the bully and find out their

insecurities and help them out.

We welcome questions or comments

Beyond Bullying: Integrating the Teaching of Media Literacy and Classic Texts

Angie Beumer Johnson & Christa Preston AgiroWright State University

Dayton, OH