Friday, 27 May 2011
I am a lucky bugger......
.....my exam question is "EFL teaching with visual media" - being teaching English with film and music videos.....hope I can do well enough!!
Sunday, 22 May 2011
It's been a while....
....but here I am again.
I justed watched the new Lady Gaga video "Judas" and I'm convinced that the video would do very well in teaching semiotics in religion. There are so many obvious signifiers on Jesus and the disciples, and on religious customs that it would be natural to use it in my classes on religion with the upper secondary.
Oh how I wish my exam question will be on teaching EFL with film and video. I have so much to tell about that area.....but I'll know Tuesday morning at 9.
I justed watched the new Lady Gaga video "Judas" and I'm convinced that the video would do very well in teaching semiotics in religion. There are so many obvious signifiers on Jesus and the disciples, and on religious customs that it would be natural to use it in my classes on religion with the upper secondary.
Oh how I wish my exam question will be on teaching EFL with film and video. I have so much to tell about that area.....but I'll know Tuesday morning at 9.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Another challenge
Today I presented my Salaam teaching materials for the 1st year international class. It was a challenge, but also a very good experience and I got to practice my English which I haven't spoken much for the last three months. Somehow I fear the day when I don't have English classes anymore....will I loose my English again?
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Why don't they dare.....?
I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to do loads of teaching materials for Salaam Filmfestival. During April I've done 6 sets of materials and I believe I've done a good job.
Yesterday we had a meeting at Salaam about my production and they didn't quite agree on the level of expectations I had for the pupils and especially not for the teachers.....!!
What I mean is that I expect the teachers to be engaged and curious when they are to teach a subject, that they want to have a solid base to teach on. E.g. that if they use a film to teach about Peru, the inca indians and finding your identity when you are adopted to Europe, they shoul also be provided with basic knowledge about the history of the incas and the country, the politics of the country and basic facts about the traditions and the people. But the experienced teachers at Salaam don't believe that you can expect that kind of engagement from neither the teachers nor the pupils!!! and I fear that this attitude is not their's alone.... sadly enough!
Salaam believe that the level of some of my tasks is to high for pupils, but I'm of the opinion that if the material is for the teacher's inpsiration it should be aimed at a high level. I don't want to regard the teachers as dumb, lazy and ignorant - to my experience they are very eager to pass on knowledge. If you don't expect anything from them they become lazy and less interested......this goes for both the teachers and the pupils!! From my karate training I know that if you are challanged you sharpen your sences - if I at my karate lessons trained with somebody higher gratuated than myself I had to keep focus and I experienced that I learned more and felt a strange kind of satisfaction that I was able to "survive".....a kind of "YES! I did it!"-feeling... challanged within your ZPD (Vygotsky) that's when you're learning.
Another thing is that Salaam don't expect the teachers to use more than two hours on a film....WHY ON EARTH NOT!? If the material they are presented with is interesting and thoroughly created it will in my opinion inspire to work a lot more with the themes the film represents, and at the same time cover the governmental requirements. Inspiration, engagement and reflection is what should drive the teachers and the pupils. If not, I definitely feel that it's a major problem for the Danish Public Schools not to expect that kind of engagement and interest for learning.
It's a problem that a lot of teachers only want to work their way through the day as easy as possible...it rubs off on the pupils.....and the society (their future employers) will not accept that - they expect interest in what the employee is working with...and it all starts in school that's where they should learn to be interested and reflective...The teachers have a huge responsibility - I wish they all were aware of that!
....
Maybe it's just me - but this kind of attitude disappoints me...and I really have no idea what to do about it?!
....
Yesterday we had a meeting at Salaam about my production and they didn't quite agree on the level of expectations I had for the pupils and especially not for the teachers.....!!
What I mean is that I expect the teachers to be engaged and curious when they are to teach a subject, that they want to have a solid base to teach on. E.g. that if they use a film to teach about Peru, the inca indians and finding your identity when you are adopted to Europe, they shoul also be provided with basic knowledge about the history of the incas and the country, the politics of the country and basic facts about the traditions and the people. But the experienced teachers at Salaam don't believe that you can expect that kind of engagement from neither the teachers nor the pupils!!! and I fear that this attitude is not their's alone.... sadly enough!
Salaam believe that the level of some of my tasks is to high for pupils, but I'm of the opinion that if the material is for the teacher's inpsiration it should be aimed at a high level. I don't want to regard the teachers as dumb, lazy and ignorant - to my experience they are very eager to pass on knowledge. If you don't expect anything from them they become lazy and less interested......this goes for both the teachers and the pupils!! From my karate training I know that if you are challanged you sharpen your sences - if I at my karate lessons trained with somebody higher gratuated than myself I had to keep focus and I experienced that I learned more and felt a strange kind of satisfaction that I was able to "survive".....a kind of "YES! I did it!"-feeling... challanged within your ZPD (Vygotsky) that's when you're learning.
Another thing is that Salaam don't expect the teachers to use more than two hours on a film....WHY ON EARTH NOT!? If the material they are presented with is interesting and thoroughly created it will in my opinion inspire to work a lot more with the themes the film represents, and at the same time cover the governmental requirements. Inspiration, engagement and reflection is what should drive the teachers and the pupils. If not, I definitely feel that it's a major problem for the Danish Public Schools not to expect that kind of engagement and interest for learning.
It's a problem that a lot of teachers only want to work their way through the day as easy as possible...it rubs off on the pupils.....and the society (their future employers) will not accept that - they expect interest in what the employee is working with...and it all starts in school that's where they should learn to be interested and reflective...The teachers have a huge responsibility - I wish they all were aware of that!
....
Maybe it's just me - but this kind of attitude disappoints me...and I really have no idea what to do about it?!
....
Saturday, 16 April 2011
A very useful link
If you're at all interested in language and especially English as a second language you should have alook at the link below. It's in Danish though .....
http://www.sproglaererforeningen.dk/cms/uploads/SL_Engelskhefte.pdf
Definitely some useful information for English teachers to be....
http://www.sproglaererforeningen.dk/cms/uploads/SL_Engelskhefte.pdf
Definitely some useful information for English teachers to be....
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Gettin' started with Salaam
Today I had the final meeting with Salaam. We decided on me producing teaching material for 8 films, 5-6 pages of my text for each movie including instructions and activities for the whole range of age groups. Two sets for 1st to 3rd grade, one for 3rd to 6th grade, one set of materials for 5th to 9th grade, and four for the upper secondary. All to be ready by the end of April, because in May I start exams and I need to be ready for that.
I just watched the first film. "The Indian" - about an approximately 8 year old Peruvian boy who has been adopted by a Dutch couple because they couldn't have a child "of their own". The woman becomes pregnant and the story developes. Really an adorable story about identity, belonging, family and especially friendship. I already have some ideas for activities and I look so much forward to working with the film and to cooperate with Salaam.
It'll be a perfect April - spring and an interesting job to do....what more could I ask?
I just watched the first film. "The Indian" - about an approximately 8 year old Peruvian boy who has been adopted by a Dutch couple because they couldn't have a child "of their own". The woman becomes pregnant and the story developes. Really an adorable story about identity, belonging, family and especially friendship. I already have some ideas for activities and I look so much forward to working with the film and to cooperate with Salaam.
It'll be a perfect April - spring and an interesting job to do....what more could I ask?
Friday, 25 March 2011
The tourist gaze and representation of Paradise
Paradise. What is Paradise like to us? What is our conception of Paradise? Is it the same all over the world? Do the Burmese/the people of Myanmar dream of the same kind of Paradise as I do or is our perception of Paradise vitally different? And is what we consider Paradise really Paradise when we dig deep into or behind the scene?
Does Paradise in fact exist outside our imagination?
The advertisers tell us that Paradise is somewhere out there, showing us pictures to make us dream of a nice, warm, sunny, and cozy place when we are covered in snow to our knees. But is it only the façade they show us, what about the things behind the curtain that we ought to see?
Let’s have a closer look at how Paradise is represented in advertising and the two images provided.
What do I see
- when I look at the images with my objective glasses?
To the right I see two young, white, suntanned people playing / resting in the shadow of a palm tree on a white sandy beach. They are both wearing bathing suits. The sea is light green and the sky is “heavenly” blue. There is a fisherman’s boat placed in the water to the left. The sea is calm and there are only a few clouds far in the horizon (no signs of a devastating tsunami approaching).
(There is a badge stuck to the upper left corner of the image, but I will disregard it in this text as I think the visual signifiers are more important – the sticker doesn’t really say much)
- and when I look with my “feelings”?
I see Paradise! I see white sand, I feel the heat and yet the shadow is there to protect me. I see original / local culture and living (the fisherman’s boat) alongside me relaxing as a tourist. I am shown that this is the place where I can have the most precious of all gifts – Time!
I can relax and enjoy myself and have no worries, but a lot of time to spend as I want. This could easily be the western perception of Paradise.
When we are presented to visual texts, this could be either film or photography, we immediately produce a narrative to go with it, to be able to construct meaning. We seek meaning in all the text we are surrounded with and when I look at the picture I quickly imagine my own story about the scenery.
Being who I am, carrying my cultural inheritance with me in everything I do, I look for signifiers and their signification to support my narrative, my life story. I look at the sand and imagine long hot childhood summer days at the beach, no worries and everything provided for. I imagine my skin being suntanned and my image in the mirror being so much nicer.
My curiosity for foreign cultures is being awoken by the fisherman’s boat, which to me is a signification of old mysterious cultures to be explored. The light green sea, the heavenly blue sky and just a vague line on the horizon shows ultimate freedom and undreamt of possibilities.
My narration of the picture could go on and on, and I would tell my story of the Paradise in my imagination.
But reality bites! The façade will crackle when I leave the golden, sandy beach and take a closer look at the other text / image you have provided us with.
When analyzing the image I still have to bear in mind that I am a middle aged white female living in the center of a Scandinavian capital. This is very important – especially the age and the fact that I belong to the white race.
But what does the other picture show me?
I see four pictures of what the advertisers consider important for the tourist gaze. Leisure, food and cultural inheritance.
Image 1: Leisure – long sandy beach, palm trees and no other people than the photographer. A real “Bounty Land”.
Image 2: Food - A woman carrying bananas to the market, in two obviously very heavy baskets.
Image 3: Food – The market place. All vegetables lined up in neat and orderly rows for the customers to be attracted to buy.
Image 4: Culture – A beautiful house or pagoda built in the original oriental style with roof corners where the evil spirits, when falling from the sky, will subsequently on hitting the roof, be swung or glide up into the sky again. A beautiful yellow coloured house which matches the green palm leaves in the upper left corner perfectly.
When I look at the pictures in the second text I come to think of the image of Paradise being the longing for the original. That in our industrial society we are so far from the “original” life of human beings that we can be. We are under a lot of pressure to perform, to develop physically, mentally and proceed financially upwards in society. We are striving for financial security, because a healthy and stable economic situation is vital to survive in our western hemisphere. There is a lot of self applied public pressure in our part of the world. I wonder if we just want to let go of this responsibility and dream of a place where we can live and be male / female as we were originally thought to be.
The pictures signify to me the tourist gaze. We don’t want to know what is behind the scene. We don’t want to know that the people in the pictures are striving as hard as we (or even more) to survive. We don’t want to know that they work for a minimum of salary and they are only earning just enough to have their family survive – either as a fisherman or by selling vegetables in the market place.
We don’t want to know that their government constantly violates the Human Rights Act by not allowing freedom of speech. Remember the Buddhist monks who in 2007 protested against the dictatorship I Myanmar? Maybe not – because we don’t want to remember. We need to have our perception of Paradise intact to survive ourselves. We are not concerned with politics when we are tourist gazing into Paradise…….
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Analysing representation
Introduction
On surfing the internet to find an area in contemporary media which appeals to especially teenagers I came to think of how strong an impact visual art seems to have on pupils’ memory. Last autumn we did a trial exam on South Africa with a Danish 9th grade and I found that the images which had been printed into their minds through the film “Goodbye Bafana” were far stronger than the knowledge they had achieved from reading various textbooks.
Music also has a major influence on all of us (quite a few of us have a song linked to major events in our lives). So a combination of music and video seemed to be the ultimate area to investigate.
I made a choice to focus on the Canadian/American teenage music phenomenon Justin Bieber whose career has exploded within the last two years. From being a 14 year old boy singing to his mother's camera in their living room, to being a mega start with so much hype around him that it makes you dizzy.
Media around the world are talking about “Bieber Fever” and I would like to investigate how he uses media (especially the internet and social networks) to promote his music and especially himself.
Furthermore I would like to look into what kind of culture he represents (the American Dream?), what narrative he wants to tell, and how his representation of gender roles is displayed in his music video to the song “Baby”.
The real narrative so far
You might say that the story of Justin Bieber is a fulfillment of the American dream.
His great grandparents were German and French immigrants to Canada. His mother was pregnant with him when she was 18 and the father had run away and married another woman. As a single mother she had to make a living taking low paid office jobs.
Four years ago Justin Bieber (in the following mostly named JB) was just an average teenage boy who was fond of singing and playing his guitar at home. In his hometown Stratford, Ontario, Canada he had participated in a local singing competition and came second. His mother had recorded his singing and put the video clip on YouTube, primarily for the family to see.
Many teenagers today make use of YouTube to expose various kinds of their performances (singing, playing, sports etc), so there was nothing extraordinary about this. What was extraordinary was that the clips attracted much attention on the sight and was fairly quickly viewed thousands of time. Justin Bieber was becoming a product of the YouTube-era. His life was taking a drastic turn.
His video clips had also attracted the attention of a man named Scooter Braun who set up a meeting with famous R&B artist Usher for him to see JB perform. So he did and events snowballed.
This 17 year old Canadian boy is now:
• the mentee of one of the biggest contemporary R&B performers, Usher
• the owner of a million dollar record contract with Island Records
• the beholder of more than 23,7 mill Facebook “friends”
• being followed by more than 8 mill people on Twitter
• the most viewed artist on YouTube - ever
• the owner of an internet store for his merchandise and concert tickets
• the proud receiver of 19 music awards in 2010
• ...and much, much more.
This truly amazed me. That he, in less than two years, had come that far in his musical career (his first single One Time was released 17th July 2009). This had to be investigated.
Research question and basic info
The Canadian/American music phenomenon Justin Bieber - how may we read him?
Semiotics, signifiers and signified in his music video for the song “Baby”.
• How is the representation of gender roles?
• What culture does he represent?
• His use of Facebook and Twitter to promote himself.
A phenomenon like this must have a tremendous impact on the forming of identities with the teenagers who are “Beliebers” (a fan-expression for being a JB fan).
With such an influence it’s vital to investigate what culture he represents and what representation of gender roles are in his videos.
As a teacher to be I find it interesting to see if I can use his music videos in my EFL teaching. Especially when teaching culture and identity, but also teaching observation on semiotics and text, and on analysis of representation.
For a subject as awareness of exposure to visual advertising it would be natural to analyze his “Baby”-video. There is so much hidden advertising in it, which affects especially the young people watching it.
Also from a teacher's point of view I think I may learn from his use of ICT (the internet and social networks). An analysis of his intensive twitting, chatting and use of Facebook and YouTube to profile himself, will also give me an insight into a teenage world where adults are not usually admitted.
Analysis of the 2010 music video Baby (streamed 18th January 2010)
Video genre and summary
It's a traditional homodiegetic (1st person is telling/singing the story, Lennart Hoebjerg, 2000) narrative music video. A performance video where the subject (the star) integrates sound and picture. This means that the singer is also the actor, and while singing he tells the story.
In all visual media the viewer will always try to construct some kind of meaning in the narrative told. In this video the spectator will try to predict if the singer wins back the love of his life.
The narrative is constructed in a very easy going fashion, so that the hero (JB) does not have too many obstacles in his way. From the start it is obvious in which direction the narrative takes us. E.g. in the beginning there is a giant illuminated figure of King Kong displayed in the background, and to me this signifier signifies a male’s struggle with multiple dangers trying to deserve the affection of a beautiful woman – he is victorious. King Kong? – No, not at the end…but that’s another story.
If we have a look at the text - JB lost his first love and will now try to win her back.
First verse - JB surrounded by city lights pulls his jacket around him. He is waiting for his friends to pick him up and they are heading for the bowling alley. Accidentally his former girlfriend happens to be there and they immediately notice each other. JB starts singing that he knows she loves him and wants him back. He goes to her, drags her to him, but she pushes him away. This goes on for the first verse and chorus. In between are clips of him singing in the street, arms out, unprotected.
Second verse – JB heartshapes his hands, makes a beating heart and the girl seems to give in a bit. Gender dance battle starts.
During the dance battle - Ludacris sings about his first love and how he lost her.
Dance battle continues and ends with JB embracing the girl in front of their friends. They leave alone together, hand in hand and surrounded by the city lights – and with King Kong in the background.
Gender roles at display
When analyzing the video I found it interesting how gender roles were displayed in a very traditional way. Boy hunting girl – girl playing hard to get (morally she has to even though she would want otherwise) – boy trying harder (displaying himself as vulnerable and with no defenses) – girl giving in – boy got his way and is now taking care of girl! Very traditional and in some respect old fashioned.
On the other hand girls are not only represented as the weaker gender. During bowling JB first has a strike and then the girl does the same. This attracts JB and he walks to her.
A situation like this signifies to me that it is okay for the sexes to be equally skilled, and it sends an impression of modernity to the viewer.
But then again – after the “strike episode” we see the male hunting his prey and the girl acting hard to get. This is a common scene in visual art. In 1992 Schwichtenberg expressed it like “Action in the story is dominated by males who do things and females who passively react or wait for something to happen”. Traditionally women are the weaker part in a relationship – publicly.
It struck me that gender roles displayed in an old fashioned way attract so many young girls. The women’s movement has for two generations tried to equalize genders in society. Is the next generation attracted to previous time’s gender roles where the male was the provider and protector of the female? If so – what in our society would cause such a change, or lack of change? Haven’t we really come further than our grandmothers?
Or has the many challenges for females today (having a career, being a perfect mother and an adorable wife) become too much? Do we need to let go of some of the responsibility? Do we need to let the man take over and just follow and let him be the sole provider again?
When I come to think of it – Justin Bieber is very popular in the US, Ireland and Great Britain. In those countries it is still vital for a girl to get married and have a husband to support her. Maybe there’s a connection between his popularity and traditional values in those countries.
It is a difficult situation for girls today. They are in an ambivalent position. At school they are expected to do at least as good as their fellow male peers and in work life they are expected to both have a career job and do well, and to take care of their family and home. Are the girls in their longing to be an object for the male hunt striving to let go of some of the responsibilities in their lives? Are the girls longing to get back to old fashion values and traditions where gender roles were clear and fixed from birth?
The representation of culture
We must face that almost all of the 495 million viewings of the video has probably been done by teenage girls, and no matter for what reason the girls are viewing the video time and time again, there is a narrative of longing for something better. A wish for a happy life filled with love for the object of his/her choice.
If we take a closer look at the narrative we may see that the producers display the traditional gender roles and the viewers immediately accept and feel comfortable with the story. What is it in the video narrative that they recognize? Is it the longing to be adored by the handsome boy next door? Is there something in the representation of culture that we recognize?
In my opinion we should take a closer look at The American Dream and the cultural signifiers in the video.
The American Dream tells you that if you work hard and are dedicated enough you will succeed in life. No matter where you come from.
Justin Bieber is the boy next door who is dedicated to music and who is now working terribly hard to succeed in life.
He is a good Christian, brought up by a mother who goes to church regularly and who still takes care of raising her child, even though he is now a celebrity.
He shows compassion towards the lesser fortunate – he has established a company which produces and sells nail lacquers for the awareness of charity. On his Twitter account he asks his readers to pray for the victims in the recent Japan earthquake and to donate whatever they can afford to helping the Japanese people. On his Facebook profile he has uploaded a video to support the same charity.
We shouldn’t diminish the effect this kind of twitting and facebooking has on a vast number of people. With his appeals he reaches millions of people, he “provokes” other celebrities to do the same appeals and he creates an awareness of the disaster with people who might not notice if he hadn’t told them. This I think is very important – the word spreads very fast and help will be provided faster, for the benefit of the victims.
He is the “boy next door”, a good boy, every mother’s dream and the kind of boy the American girls are allowed to go out with. He is innocent and absolutely not dangerous. He keeps to the Western (American/English) standard rules in young relationships – Look, but don’t touch!
Critics (Bill Lamb, about.com) have also claimed that he is an outstanding musical role model for children. He has also been compared to Michael Jackson in especially his stage performances and his videos (MJ’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”). Billboard reviewed a video, saying, "Those new dance moves he's showing off can only mean one thing: all over the world, tweens' hearts are melting right now."
If you have a closer look at his performance at a recent Music Award show his dance steps are similar to Michael Jackson’s dancing and his clothes make you think of that late musician too.
I found the following on his Twitter today (here a copy past of the page is missing).
I can’t help thinking if the producers want Justin Bieber to take the place of Michael Jackson and make him the icon of admiration for millions and millions of people around the globe. It would come in handy now that the American darling of pop music is well away in whatever heaven he might want to be in.
His use of YouTube, Twitter and Facebook
Justin Bieber is incredibly active on social networks. He’s on Twitter several times every day and twits about anything from world affairs to normal teen problems and teen chatting. He expresses gratitude towards his millions of fans who retweet him whenever he makes a remark.
A fan had counted that he is retweeted 10 times every minute! It makes a total of more than 5 mill notes a year! There’s a lot of activity in there.
His profile on the social networks is that of an innocent young boy who is always happy and who has a lot of friends. His Twitter and Facebook profiles give the impression that he is popular in Hollywood and the music business.
When releasing his music film “Never Say Never” in Europe, the film company live streamed the event on his Facebook profile. The whole evening was broadcast time and time again over at least the week where I observed his account.
The broadcast showed several famous people being interviewed in connection with attending the movie premiere. The whole scene seemed to me very much like the hype there is when a major Hollywood movie is premiered. Total glamour!
He also uses his FB profile to promote and profile himself.
As you can see to the right he both says thank you to his fans for an incredible concert in Manchester, promotes the release of his movie “Never Say Never”, and takes the opportunity to profile himself as a compassionate human being by asking his 23,7 mio followers to pray for the victims in the Japan earthquake. To me this is intensive use of social networks, what more could you ask?
But for Justin Bieber it all started on YouTube and I even found a link directly to his activities and videos (www.youtube.com/justinbieber). Here you can find the first videos of his performances 3 years ago. A very young boy brilliantly singing at a song contest in his home town, and in the background you can here just a few people clapping. Things have changes – today you might not be able to hear him sing because of the screaming fans.
In my search for the boy’s relations to various more or less famous people I found a video clip by Mike Tyson (the boxer) where he sends his regards to Justin Bieber.
To me it seems like media people who have lost some of their fame, are trying to hook up on Justin Bieber to get some publicity. Like they are trying to have some of the JB hype and popularity rub off on them. And he is already so popular that he can easily share.
Reflections
And he is constantly professionally moving upwards. During writing this assignment I constantly had to update the figures in the text. And it doesn’t seem to stop.
This spring he will do a concert in Denmark and all teenage magazines have been filled with pictures, interviews, articles, and you name it of Justin Bieber for weeks! I look forward to seeing how the media, both the tabloid and TV, handles his appearance in Denmark.
He is popular with the tweenies in Denmark but when I watch MTV he really doesn’t appear that much. I wonder if he is not cultural enough for them. Has he come up too fast for the trendsetters to follow?
There might be another explanation – MTV is aimed at the 18-35 year old and Justin Bieber is popular with a much younger target group. He is a product of YouTube and maybe we see a trend here – that to find the music stars of tomorrow we need to look at the social networks and media.
To me this thought or reflection you might say is very important when I want to become a teacher. It is vital for me to be well acquainted with the social media, because it’s there my future pupils start their adult lives. A process which I as a teacher and role model have great influence on. I need to know and understand the media to be able to help the youngsters well on their way into adult life.
Among my daughter’s FB friends there is an ongoing conversation about who has concert tickets for his DK performance and who has not been fortunate or quick enough to be a proud participator. Some love him and some hate him – but everyone knows who he is…
List of literature
David Gauntlett, Media, Gender and Identity, (2009) ISBN 0 415 39661 1
Brian Longhurst, Introducing Cultural Studies,(2008) ISBN 978 1 4058 5843 4
Gillespie & Toynbee, Analysing Media Text, (2009) ISBN 0 335 21886
Rybacki and Rybacki, Transcultural Music Review, (1999) ISSN:1697-0101
John Fiske, Madonna article 1 & 2, from the course articles
Justin Bieber’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace profiles
Wikipedia, English version
Various articles on music videos found on the internet
On surfing the internet to find an area in contemporary media which appeals to especially teenagers I came to think of how strong an impact visual art seems to have on pupils’ memory. Last autumn we did a trial exam on South Africa with a Danish 9th grade and I found that the images which had been printed into their minds through the film “Goodbye Bafana” were far stronger than the knowledge they had achieved from reading various textbooks.
Music also has a major influence on all of us (quite a few of us have a song linked to major events in our lives). So a combination of music and video seemed to be the ultimate area to investigate.
I made a choice to focus on the Canadian/American teenage music phenomenon Justin Bieber whose career has exploded within the last two years. From being a 14 year old boy singing to his mother's camera in their living room, to being a mega start with so much hype around him that it makes you dizzy.
Media around the world are talking about “Bieber Fever” and I would like to investigate how he uses media (especially the internet and social networks) to promote his music and especially himself.
Furthermore I would like to look into what kind of culture he represents (the American Dream?), what narrative he wants to tell, and how his representation of gender roles is displayed in his music video to the song “Baby”.
The real narrative so far
You might say that the story of Justin Bieber is a fulfillment of the American dream.
His great grandparents were German and French immigrants to Canada. His mother was pregnant with him when she was 18 and the father had run away and married another woman. As a single mother she had to make a living taking low paid office jobs.
Four years ago Justin Bieber (in the following mostly named JB) was just an average teenage boy who was fond of singing and playing his guitar at home. In his hometown Stratford, Ontario, Canada he had participated in a local singing competition and came second. His mother had recorded his singing and put the video clip on YouTube, primarily for the family to see.
Many teenagers today make use of YouTube to expose various kinds of their performances (singing, playing, sports etc), so there was nothing extraordinary about this. What was extraordinary was that the clips attracted much attention on the sight and was fairly quickly viewed thousands of time. Justin Bieber was becoming a product of the YouTube-era. His life was taking a drastic turn.
His video clips had also attracted the attention of a man named Scooter Braun who set up a meeting with famous R&B artist Usher for him to see JB perform. So he did and events snowballed.
This 17 year old Canadian boy is now:
• the mentee of one of the biggest contemporary R&B performers, Usher
• the owner of a million dollar record contract with Island Records
• the beholder of more than 23,7 mill Facebook “friends”
• being followed by more than 8 mill people on Twitter
• the most viewed artist on YouTube - ever
• the owner of an internet store for his merchandise and concert tickets
• the proud receiver of 19 music awards in 2010
• ...and much, much more.
This truly amazed me. That he, in less than two years, had come that far in his musical career (his first single One Time was released 17th July 2009). This had to be investigated.
Research question and basic info
The Canadian/American music phenomenon Justin Bieber - how may we read him?
Semiotics, signifiers and signified in his music video for the song “Baby”.
• How is the representation of gender roles?
• What culture does he represent?
• His use of Facebook and Twitter to promote himself.
A phenomenon like this must have a tremendous impact on the forming of identities with the teenagers who are “Beliebers” (a fan-expression for being a JB fan).
With such an influence it’s vital to investigate what culture he represents and what representation of gender roles are in his videos.
As a teacher to be I find it interesting to see if I can use his music videos in my EFL teaching. Especially when teaching culture and identity, but also teaching observation on semiotics and text, and on analysis of representation.
For a subject as awareness of exposure to visual advertising it would be natural to analyze his “Baby”-video. There is so much hidden advertising in it, which affects especially the young people watching it.
Also from a teacher's point of view I think I may learn from his use of ICT (the internet and social networks). An analysis of his intensive twitting, chatting and use of Facebook and YouTube to profile himself, will also give me an insight into a teenage world where adults are not usually admitted.
Analysis of the 2010 music video Baby (streamed 18th January 2010)
Video genre and summary
It's a traditional homodiegetic (1st person is telling/singing the story, Lennart Hoebjerg, 2000) narrative music video. A performance video where the subject (the star) integrates sound and picture. This means that the singer is also the actor, and while singing he tells the story.
In all visual media the viewer will always try to construct some kind of meaning in the narrative told. In this video the spectator will try to predict if the singer wins back the love of his life.
The narrative is constructed in a very easy going fashion, so that the hero (JB) does not have too many obstacles in his way. From the start it is obvious in which direction the narrative takes us. E.g. in the beginning there is a giant illuminated figure of King Kong displayed in the background, and to me this signifier signifies a male’s struggle with multiple dangers trying to deserve the affection of a beautiful woman – he is victorious. King Kong? – No, not at the end…but that’s another story.
If we have a look at the text - JB lost his first love and will now try to win her back.
First verse - JB surrounded by city lights pulls his jacket around him. He is waiting for his friends to pick him up and they are heading for the bowling alley. Accidentally his former girlfriend happens to be there and they immediately notice each other. JB starts singing that he knows she loves him and wants him back. He goes to her, drags her to him, but she pushes him away. This goes on for the first verse and chorus. In between are clips of him singing in the street, arms out, unprotected.
Second verse – JB heartshapes his hands, makes a beating heart and the girl seems to give in a bit. Gender dance battle starts.
During the dance battle - Ludacris sings about his first love and how he lost her.
Dance battle continues and ends with JB embracing the girl in front of their friends. They leave alone together, hand in hand and surrounded by the city lights – and with King Kong in the background.
Gender roles at display
When analyzing the video I found it interesting how gender roles were displayed in a very traditional way. Boy hunting girl – girl playing hard to get (morally she has to even though she would want otherwise) – boy trying harder (displaying himself as vulnerable and with no defenses) – girl giving in – boy got his way and is now taking care of girl! Very traditional and in some respect old fashioned.
On the other hand girls are not only represented as the weaker gender. During bowling JB first has a strike and then the girl does the same. This attracts JB and he walks to her.
A situation like this signifies to me that it is okay for the sexes to be equally skilled, and it sends an impression of modernity to the viewer.
But then again – after the “strike episode” we see the male hunting his prey and the girl acting hard to get. This is a common scene in visual art. In 1992 Schwichtenberg expressed it like “Action in the story is dominated by males who do things and females who passively react or wait for something to happen”. Traditionally women are the weaker part in a relationship – publicly.
It struck me that gender roles displayed in an old fashioned way attract so many young girls. The women’s movement has for two generations tried to equalize genders in society. Is the next generation attracted to previous time’s gender roles where the male was the provider and protector of the female? If so – what in our society would cause such a change, or lack of change? Haven’t we really come further than our grandmothers?
Or has the many challenges for females today (having a career, being a perfect mother and an adorable wife) become too much? Do we need to let go of some of the responsibility? Do we need to let the man take over and just follow and let him be the sole provider again?
When I come to think of it – Justin Bieber is very popular in the US, Ireland and Great Britain. In those countries it is still vital for a girl to get married and have a husband to support her. Maybe there’s a connection between his popularity and traditional values in those countries.
It is a difficult situation for girls today. They are in an ambivalent position. At school they are expected to do at least as good as their fellow male peers and in work life they are expected to both have a career job and do well, and to take care of their family and home. Are the girls in their longing to be an object for the male hunt striving to let go of some of the responsibilities in their lives? Are the girls longing to get back to old fashion values and traditions where gender roles were clear and fixed from birth?
The representation of culture
We must face that almost all of the 495 million viewings of the video has probably been done by teenage girls, and no matter for what reason the girls are viewing the video time and time again, there is a narrative of longing for something better. A wish for a happy life filled with love for the object of his/her choice.
If we take a closer look at the narrative we may see that the producers display the traditional gender roles and the viewers immediately accept and feel comfortable with the story. What is it in the video narrative that they recognize? Is it the longing to be adored by the handsome boy next door? Is there something in the representation of culture that we recognize?
In my opinion we should take a closer look at The American Dream and the cultural signifiers in the video.
The American Dream tells you that if you work hard and are dedicated enough you will succeed in life. No matter where you come from.
Justin Bieber is the boy next door who is dedicated to music and who is now working terribly hard to succeed in life.
He is a good Christian, brought up by a mother who goes to church regularly and who still takes care of raising her child, even though he is now a celebrity.
He shows compassion towards the lesser fortunate – he has established a company which produces and sells nail lacquers for the awareness of charity. On his Twitter account he asks his readers to pray for the victims in the recent Japan earthquake and to donate whatever they can afford to helping the Japanese people. On his Facebook profile he has uploaded a video to support the same charity.
We shouldn’t diminish the effect this kind of twitting and facebooking has on a vast number of people. With his appeals he reaches millions of people, he “provokes” other celebrities to do the same appeals and he creates an awareness of the disaster with people who might not notice if he hadn’t told them. This I think is very important – the word spreads very fast and help will be provided faster, for the benefit of the victims.
He is the “boy next door”, a good boy, every mother’s dream and the kind of boy the American girls are allowed to go out with. He is innocent and absolutely not dangerous. He keeps to the Western (American/English) standard rules in young relationships – Look, but don’t touch!
Critics (Bill Lamb, about.com) have also claimed that he is an outstanding musical role model for children. He has also been compared to Michael Jackson in especially his stage performances and his videos (MJ’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”). Billboard reviewed a video, saying, "Those new dance moves he's showing off can only mean one thing: all over the world, tweens' hearts are melting right now."
If you have a closer look at his performance at a recent Music Award show his dance steps are similar to Michael Jackson’s dancing and his clothes make you think of that late musician too.
I found the following on his Twitter today (here a copy past of the page is missing).
I can’t help thinking if the producers want Justin Bieber to take the place of Michael Jackson and make him the icon of admiration for millions and millions of people around the globe. It would come in handy now that the American darling of pop music is well away in whatever heaven he might want to be in.
His use of YouTube, Twitter and Facebook
Justin Bieber is incredibly active on social networks. He’s on Twitter several times every day and twits about anything from world affairs to normal teen problems and teen chatting. He expresses gratitude towards his millions of fans who retweet him whenever he makes a remark.
A fan had counted that he is retweeted 10 times every minute! It makes a total of more than 5 mill notes a year! There’s a lot of activity in there.
His profile on the social networks is that of an innocent young boy who is always happy and who has a lot of friends. His Twitter and Facebook profiles give the impression that he is popular in Hollywood and the music business.
When releasing his music film “Never Say Never” in Europe, the film company live streamed the event on his Facebook profile. The whole evening was broadcast time and time again over at least the week where I observed his account.
The broadcast showed several famous people being interviewed in connection with attending the movie premiere. The whole scene seemed to me very much like the hype there is when a major Hollywood movie is premiered. Total glamour!
He also uses his FB profile to promote and profile himself.
As you can see to the right he both says thank you to his fans for an incredible concert in Manchester, promotes the release of his movie “Never Say Never”, and takes the opportunity to profile himself as a compassionate human being by asking his 23,7 mio followers to pray for the victims in the Japan earthquake. To me this is intensive use of social networks, what more could you ask?
But for Justin Bieber it all started on YouTube and I even found a link directly to his activities and videos (www.youtube.com/justinbieber). Here you can find the first videos of his performances 3 years ago. A very young boy brilliantly singing at a song contest in his home town, and in the background you can here just a few people clapping. Things have changes – today you might not be able to hear him sing because of the screaming fans.
In my search for the boy’s relations to various more or less famous people I found a video clip by Mike Tyson (the boxer) where he sends his regards to Justin Bieber.
To me it seems like media people who have lost some of their fame, are trying to hook up on Justin Bieber to get some publicity. Like they are trying to have some of the JB hype and popularity rub off on them. And he is already so popular that he can easily share.
Reflections
And he is constantly professionally moving upwards. During writing this assignment I constantly had to update the figures in the text. And it doesn’t seem to stop.
This spring he will do a concert in Denmark and all teenage magazines have been filled with pictures, interviews, articles, and you name it of Justin Bieber for weeks! I look forward to seeing how the media, both the tabloid and TV, handles his appearance in Denmark.
He is popular with the tweenies in Denmark but when I watch MTV he really doesn’t appear that much. I wonder if he is not cultural enough for them. Has he come up too fast for the trendsetters to follow?
There might be another explanation – MTV is aimed at the 18-35 year old and Justin Bieber is popular with a much younger target group. He is a product of YouTube and maybe we see a trend here – that to find the music stars of tomorrow we need to look at the social networks and media.
To me this thought or reflection you might say is very important when I want to become a teacher. It is vital for me to be well acquainted with the social media, because it’s there my future pupils start their adult lives. A process which I as a teacher and role model have great influence on. I need to know and understand the media to be able to help the youngsters well on their way into adult life.
Among my daughter’s FB friends there is an ongoing conversation about who has concert tickets for his DK performance and who has not been fortunate or quick enough to be a proud participator. Some love him and some hate him – but everyone knows who he is…
and it takes a guy like Ozzy Osbourn to not know who Justin Bieber is
- have a look for yourself -
- have a look for yourself -
List of literature
David Gauntlett, Media, Gender and Identity, (2009) ISBN 0 415 39661 1
Brian Longhurst, Introducing Cultural Studies,(2008) ISBN 978 1 4058 5843 4
Gillespie & Toynbee, Analysing Media Text, (2009) ISBN 0 335 21886
Rybacki and Rybacki, Transcultural Music Review, (1999) ISSN:1697-0101
John Fiske, Madonna article 1 & 2, from the course articles
Justin Bieber’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace profiles
Wikipedia, English version
Various articles on music videos found on the internet
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Teaching text through music videos
Just handed in my teaching material for teaching text, signifiers/signified, and gender roles in visual media. Now I'm looking forward to doing my 20 minutes of teaching on the text.
I'm really excited about the idea of teaching text and representation through music videos. I couldn't imagine a more relevant and authentic material for the upper secondary pupils. MTV and music being a major part of their lives.
I tried to post the material to this blog, but I couldn't find out how to, so here are the headlines:
- The Hollywood Model
Apply Justin Bieber's music video "Baby feat. Ludacris" to the Hollywood Model
- Focus on hidden advertising
Notice display of labels in the video
Why do you think they use hidden advertising?
How do you think it affects what you buy?
- Focus on gender roles in the video
Do you see any similarities to "modern" gender roles?
Does the dance battle remind you of some kind of "ancient" gender roles?
Why do you think that King Kong is shown at the beginning and at the end of the video?
Learning outcome for teacher and pupils could e.g. be:
- To show that instead of using a whole movie you might use a music video to teach film and observation on texts.
- If you have a limited number of lessons for this subject I find music videos relevant to work with. They are short and easily handled in a few lessons.
- Films are a big mouthful to start with for the less experienced pupils. Movies are filled with signifiers and signified and demand a good portion of background knowledge before working qualified with the text.
- Music videos are authentic material for the children to work with. MTV is an integrated part of the pupil’s lives and I find it relevant to teach them critical observation.
- To teach them to be observant when they watch music videos and to be aware of various signs that might affect the forming of their choice as consumers.
- Critical analysis of visual input.
- Awareness of representation of gender roles in the visual media and on the influence it has on forming of the young people’s identity.
....and now on to the essay...
I'm really excited about the idea of teaching text and representation through music videos. I couldn't imagine a more relevant and authentic material for the upper secondary pupils. MTV and music being a major part of their lives.
I tried to post the material to this blog, but I couldn't find out how to, so here are the headlines:
- The Hollywood Model
Apply Justin Bieber's music video "Baby feat. Ludacris" to the Hollywood Model
- Focus on hidden advertising
Notice display of labels in the video
Why do you think they use hidden advertising?
How do you think it affects what you buy?
- Focus on gender roles in the video
Do you see any similarities to "modern" gender roles?
Does the dance battle remind you of some kind of "ancient" gender roles?
Why do you think that King Kong is shown at the beginning and at the end of the video?
Learning outcome for teacher and pupils could e.g. be:
- To show that instead of using a whole movie you might use a music video to teach film and observation on texts.
- If you have a limited number of lessons for this subject I find music videos relevant to work with. They are short and easily handled in a few lessons.
- Films are a big mouthful to start with for the less experienced pupils. Movies are filled with signifiers and signified and demand a good portion of background knowledge before working qualified with the text.
- Music videos are authentic material for the children to work with. MTV is an integrated part of the pupil’s lives and I find it relevant to teach them critical observation.
- To teach them to be observant when they watch music videos and to be aware of various signs that might affect the forming of their choice as consumers.
- Critical analysis of visual input.
- Awareness of representation of gender roles in the visual media and on the influence it has on forming of the young people’s identity.
....and now on to the essay...
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
Oh dear, oh dear....
...I have really given myself a challenge by wanting to do my MAH exam assignment on a narrative analysis of Justin Bieber. It's awfully difficult to minimize it to a 6-8 pages essay because the text is so HUGE! He's not just an upcoming teenage phenomenon - he's already a major industry.
In Denmark he is a minor star though. I looked him up in the Danish Wikipedia and there are only 4 lines written about him.
But in the English Wikipedia.....several pages and loads and loads of links. Even pages on his songs, with interviews, reviews and narrative on the text/video. It's amazing and at the moment I have a hard time finding out where to start....well I have started, but I'm confused as to which direction I want to go. It doesn't have to be handed in till 23rd March, so I still have some time to go.
But I have started doing the second exam assignment - teaching material for a 15-20 minutes lesson on the text I have chosen - which is Justin Bieber's video for the song "Baby".
This is a much easier task. I have chosen to focus on to different aspects of the text. One group will be focusing on representation of gender roles in the video, and the other group will have their attention on representation of hidden advertising.
I'm really excited about this and I find it hard to only have material and discussion for 15-20 minutes. There is so much to talk about.
Well....I need to get working again - just needed a break and some coffee ;o))
In Denmark he is a minor star though. I looked him up in the Danish Wikipedia and there are only 4 lines written about him.
But in the English Wikipedia.....several pages and loads and loads of links. Even pages on his songs, with interviews, reviews and narrative on the text/video. It's amazing and at the moment I have a hard time finding out where to start....well I have started, but I'm confused as to which direction I want to go. It doesn't have to be handed in till 23rd March, so I still have some time to go.
But I have started doing the second exam assignment - teaching material for a 15-20 minutes lesson on the text I have chosen - which is Justin Bieber's video for the song "Baby".
This is a much easier task. I have chosen to focus on to different aspects of the text. One group will be focusing on representation of gender roles in the video, and the other group will have their attention on representation of hidden advertising.
I'm really excited about this and I find it hard to only have material and discussion for 15-20 minutes. There is so much to talk about.
Well....I need to get working again - just needed a break and some coffee ;o))
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
He's definitely got something right....
Have a look - the speach is in English...
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DnPB-41q97zg&h=5964a
How about our children being educated to a future nobody knows what will be like?
Or finding out what the children are good at instead of stuffing them with chemicals for various "dysfunctions"?
Have a look and judge for yourselves...
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DnPB-41q97zg&h=5964a
How about our children being educated to a future nobody knows what will be like?
Or finding out what the children are good at instead of stuffing them with chemicals for various "dysfunctions"?
Have a look and judge for yourselves...
Monday, 28 February 2011
Synopsis on semiotics and text
Justin Bieber
A narrative analysis of a teenage phenomenon and his representation
Introduction:
I have chosen to focus on the American teenage music phenomenon Justin Bieber whose career has exploded within the last two years. From being a 14 year old boy singing to his mother's camera in their living room to being a mega start with so much hype around him that it makes you dizzy.
Media around the world are talking about “Bieber Fever” and I would like to investigate how he uses media (ICT, television and social networks) to promote his music and especially himself.
Furthermore I would like to look into what kind of culture he represents (the American dream), what narrative he wants to tell and if at all possible find out how it affects the young teenagers (especially girls) today and their ideas of a happy life and view on gender roles.
Research question:
The American music phenomenon Justin Bieber – how may we read him? Semiotics, signifiers and signified (signs and what they mean) in his videos. His use of Facebook and Twitter to promote himself.
Teaching session:
My lesson plan for the 20 minutes of teaching culture and semiotics will include
· showing the music video by Justin Bieber “Baby feat. Ludacris”
· a pre-teaching activity where the “pupils” will be asked to focus their attention on the representation of gender roles in the video
· an after viewing activity where we discuss what they have found
· and finally they will be asked to compare representation of gender roles exposed in the video with representation of gender roles as we know them in the Scandinavian countries
Why is he so big in the English speaking countries and not in the Nordic countries? The cultural differences and expectations to relationships and life.
Theory:
John Fiske and the Madonna articles - to get inspiration.
Gillespie - for the narrative analysis of the phenomenon.
Gauntlett and Longhurst - for representaion of gender in his videos.
Key words / sentences for inspiration:
What culture does he represent?
What is the representation of gender roles in his videos?
Why does he appeal more to the English speaking audience than to the Nordic?
His use of Youtube, Twitter and Facebook
The launch af his first movie ”Never say never” in Europe. Live streaming of the event (U2 were to my knowledge the first to live stream a major event)
It's a traditional homodiegetic (1st person is telling/singing the story, Lennart Højbjerg, 2000) narrative music video. A performance video where the subject (the star) integrates sound and picture. The viewer will always try to construct some kind of meaning in the narrative told.
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I might twist this essay a bit and write my article about using music videos in teaching text, culture, gender roles and language in the TEFL classroom....unless Lilian tells me otherwise :o))
You might ask....
...why I haven't been blogging for ages? And I might answer because I have had a lot of things on my mind. Really a lot! About the present and about the future in particular.
I finished my practice placement in Humfryskolan in a rather odd way two weeks. All three of us had turned up for the last lesson at the school. Their 8th graders should finish their work on "The Shawshank Redemption". During their second lesson they had been watching 2/3 of the movie and expected to finish the viewing and homework during this final session.
Ulrik set up the projector and prepared for the screening of the film, but when he found out they hadn't done their homework and that they didn't respond to his answers he told them off and left the scene....with the DVD!!
This left Nicolas and I in a situation where we hadn't seen the movie but we had to carry on teaching about it!! Odd situation, but I think we found our way out of the situation. Indeed an interesting situation.
But a situation like that made me rethink my role as a teacher. Do I really want to become a teacher? For sure I want a bachelor in the profession, but do I want to work under the conditions I experienced in my recent placement? At the moment my answer will definitely be no! I expect a lot more from my colleagues, from the pupils, from the school and from the school's management.
At Humfryskolan I missed dynamics, visions and efficiency - and I don't really think that they are much different from the Danish schools. Neither the colleagues, the pupils nor the management. Teaching and learning is so important and so awfully interesting and inspiring that I find it terrifying that pupils and teachers don't take it seriously, and life wise inspiring to absorb and infuse learning. Their passive attitude sucks the energy out of me and drags me to a place I don't want to be. I want to be inspired, I want to absorb new knowledge, I want to reflect and inspire others. I want to develop and find new ways, and I cannot do that if my surroundings are passive.
I need to find the energy I need somewhere else, but I don't yet know where to look.
That is I have an idea....I think my practice placement like work with Salaam in April will help me in the right direction.
The past few weeks I have realized how important music and film is for me in my teaching. How strong an impact these media has in the learning process of young people...and this goes for the older ones too. When I think about my past I very often connect experiences with either a song or a movie clip. Think about it yourself - don't you put music to your inner film?
For my final assignment at Malmö Högskola I have decided to write about an American music phenomenon. I will write about him in a cultural perspective, I will look at semiotics, signifiers and signified, and I will have a look at the huge influence he has on the forming of identity with young people (especially girls) today or right now.
I came across him in search of semiotics / texts which were important for young people today. I looked him up on Youtube.com - Justin Bieber - and was astonished when I found out that his first real video had been viewed 475.120.159 times!!! After this information I simply had to find out why. I had to know what he wants to say and how he says it. With so many viewings and his massive use of the internet and social networks I simply had to find out what I was "up against".
The media around the world are talking about "Bieber Fever" and I just have to find out what virus has started this...
If it becomes a good assignment I might want to twist it a bit and turn it into my article abroad. Something like teaching culture, language, gender roles, forming of identity, comparing to own culture and much more through music videos.
But I'll need to consider that a bit more.....but it could be interesting. I asked my own children if they had ever worked with music videos during English or Danish lessons - they never had.....it made me wonder why, because there are a tremendous number of texts in music videos to be investigated...think I might be able to write a good article about it. I'll post my synopsis on this blog's assignment page.
....to be continued :o))
I finished my practice placement in Humfryskolan in a rather odd way two weeks. All three of us had turned up for the last lesson at the school. Their 8th graders should finish their work on "The Shawshank Redemption". During their second lesson they had been watching 2/3 of the movie and expected to finish the viewing and homework during this final session.
Ulrik set up the projector and prepared for the screening of the film, but when he found out they hadn't done their homework and that they didn't respond to his answers he told them off and left the scene....with the DVD!!
This left Nicolas and I in a situation where we hadn't seen the movie but we had to carry on teaching about it!! Odd situation, but I think we found our way out of the situation. Indeed an interesting situation.
But a situation like that made me rethink my role as a teacher. Do I really want to become a teacher? For sure I want a bachelor in the profession, but do I want to work under the conditions I experienced in my recent placement? At the moment my answer will definitely be no! I expect a lot more from my colleagues, from the pupils, from the school and from the school's management.
At Humfryskolan I missed dynamics, visions and efficiency - and I don't really think that they are much different from the Danish schools. Neither the colleagues, the pupils nor the management. Teaching and learning is so important and so awfully interesting and inspiring that I find it terrifying that pupils and teachers don't take it seriously, and life wise inspiring to absorb and infuse learning. Their passive attitude sucks the energy out of me and drags me to a place I don't want to be. I want to be inspired, I want to absorb new knowledge, I want to reflect and inspire others. I want to develop and find new ways, and I cannot do that if my surroundings are passive.
I need to find the energy I need somewhere else, but I don't yet know where to look.
That is I have an idea....I think my practice placement like work with Salaam in April will help me in the right direction.
The past few weeks I have realized how important music and film is for me in my teaching. How strong an impact these media has in the learning process of young people...and this goes for the older ones too. When I think about my past I very often connect experiences with either a song or a movie clip. Think about it yourself - don't you put music to your inner film?
For my final assignment at Malmö Högskola I have decided to write about an American music phenomenon. I will write about him in a cultural perspective, I will look at semiotics, signifiers and signified, and I will have a look at the huge influence he has on the forming of identity with young people (especially girls) today or right now.
I came across him in search of semiotics / texts which were important for young people today. I looked him up on Youtube.com - Justin Bieber - and was astonished when I found out that his first real video had been viewed 475.120.159 times!!! After this information I simply had to find out why. I had to know what he wants to say and how he says it. With so many viewings and his massive use of the internet and social networks I simply had to find out what I was "up against".
The media around the world are talking about "Bieber Fever" and I just have to find out what virus has started this...
If it becomes a good assignment I might want to twist it a bit and turn it into my article abroad. Something like teaching culture, language, gender roles, forming of identity, comparing to own culture and much more through music videos.
But I'll need to consider that a bit more.....but it could be interesting. I asked my own children if they had ever worked with music videos during English or Danish lessons - they never had.....it made me wonder why, because there are a tremendous number of texts in music videos to be investigated...think I might be able to write a good article about it. I'll post my synopsis on this blog's assignment page.
....to be continued :o))
Thursday, 10 February 2011
This is getting ridiculous
....was just told that my 6th grade at Humfryskolan will not be present next Wednesday for the presentation of their posters (however little they have prepared). They are doing something else.
I only had 3 Wednesdays to work with them (at first I had been promised to work with a 7th grade, but that was changed when I arrived for the first lesson).....would have been nice if they had been there....I'm sure it could have been planned.
By now I am pretty dissapointed with my Swedish practice placement....
I only had 3 Wednesdays to work with them (at first I had been promised to work with a 7th grade, but that was changed when I arrived for the first lesson).....would have been nice if they had been there....I'm sure it could have been planned.
By now I am pretty dissapointed with my Swedish practice placement....
Can I really learn from this?
Humfryskolan seemed like the perfect school to me. Incorporating media and art in lessons. Having a strong emphasis on using the right part of your brain when learning. Seemed like a place I would seek to my own children..... Now I am really not sure....
In Sweden this kind of school can be run with public funds and they are obliged to take all who applie into the classes - and Humfryskolan has...
The classes are a mix of children. There are pupils with creative skills, who are there because they want to work creativly now and maybe in the future. They are there because they are kinaesthetic learners and need another kind of teaching to absorbe knowledge.
But....also children who need another kind of teaching than what is usually supplied by the national schools are also accepted at Humfryskolan. Children who should attend some kind of special education are also in the classes - and that is a pitty.
The latter are to an extremely wide extend disturbing during classes. At Engelsborgskolen I had 4 pupils with various diagnoses in my 7th grade and it was no problem including them and making the learning environment a nice place to be. But at Humfryskolan it's really a problem - it's really not a nice place to be, neither for the pupils nor for the teacher (in this case me).
I'm in a 6th grade and I was warned by their teacher that they were 24 pupils who didn't like eachother. She had been using the time since they started in August 2010 to work with social interaction in class....and my impression is that she hasn't come far...
The girls are more or less okay, some are more popular than others (but that's how it's always going to be) and some are more eager to learn than others.
But the boys are absolutely rude. They swear, shout sexually abusing words, talk when they want to, leave the room when they want to and they have no respect what so ever for the teachers authority. If I were to have that class as my own (which I luckily am not - ever) I would have to change my style of teaching drastically....and I'm not prepared for that. Teaching should be done in an atmosphere of mutual respect - and no way I will trade that for authoritative teaching. I have the responsibility for the classroom as a nice place to be, and I will not change myself to be the "evil" teacher to gain the respect I belive everyone deserves.
But not only the pupils bears a responsibility here...the school lacks structure, dynamic and engagement. It's too loose for my liking and there is absolutely no structure as regards to teacher students in placement.
Well - can I really blame the children here? Isn't it when there is something wrong with the leader it shows on the floor?
But I only have one day left at Humfryskolan - so.....
In Sweden this kind of school can be run with public funds and they are obliged to take all who applie into the classes - and Humfryskolan has...
The classes are a mix of children. There are pupils with creative skills, who are there because they want to work creativly now and maybe in the future. They are there because they are kinaesthetic learners and need another kind of teaching to absorbe knowledge.
But....also children who need another kind of teaching than what is usually supplied by the national schools are also accepted at Humfryskolan. Children who should attend some kind of special education are also in the classes - and that is a pitty.
The latter are to an extremely wide extend disturbing during classes. At Engelsborgskolen I had 4 pupils with various diagnoses in my 7th grade and it was no problem including them and making the learning environment a nice place to be. But at Humfryskolan it's really a problem - it's really not a nice place to be, neither for the pupils nor for the teacher (in this case me).
I'm in a 6th grade and I was warned by their teacher that they were 24 pupils who didn't like eachother. She had been using the time since they started in August 2010 to work with social interaction in class....and my impression is that she hasn't come far...
The girls are more or less okay, some are more popular than others (but that's how it's always going to be) and some are more eager to learn than others.
But the boys are absolutely rude. They swear, shout sexually abusing words, talk when they want to, leave the room when they want to and they have no respect what so ever for the teachers authority. If I were to have that class as my own (which I luckily am not - ever) I would have to change my style of teaching drastically....and I'm not prepared for that. Teaching should be done in an atmosphere of mutual respect - and no way I will trade that for authoritative teaching. I have the responsibility for the classroom as a nice place to be, and I will not change myself to be the "evil" teacher to gain the respect I belive everyone deserves.
But not only the pupils bears a responsibility here...the school lacks structure, dynamic and engagement. It's too loose for my liking and there is absolutely no structure as regards to teacher students in placement.
Well - can I really blame the children here? Isn't it when there is something wrong with the leader it shows on the floor?
But I only have one day left at Humfryskolan - so.....
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Salaam School and Dialogue
correction....Salaam School and Dialogue has been running since 2006....sorry!!
Agreement with Salaam
I had my first meeting with Salaam Film and Dialogue today and it might turn out to be very beneficial for me.
We agreed on me doing teaching material for one or more films, but......they had sought fundraising with Tips & Lotto and if they have that money they would rather I worked with them on coordinating material production with external writers, and work with them on coordination of the Salaam School film-project.
They are just starting this project and they have arrangements with schools in Roskilde in April where I'll be with them.....isn't it great?! It'll give me insight in how we as teachers can be better at using film in education and maybe give me ideas as to how we as international students can be better prepared for using semiotics in film to create a globalised cultural understanding in the classroom.
I'm so excited....April come quickly!! Please....
We agreed on me doing teaching material for one or more films, but......they had sought fundraising with Tips & Lotto and if they have that money they would rather I worked with them on coordinating material production with external writers, and work with them on coordination of the Salaam School film-project.
They are just starting this project and they have arrangements with schools in Roskilde in April where I'll be with them.....isn't it great?! It'll give me insight in how we as teachers can be better at using film in education and maybe give me ideas as to how we as international students can be better prepared for using semiotics in film to create a globalised cultural understanding in the classroom.
I'm so excited....April come quickly!! Please....
Friday, 4 February 2011
There might be a change in this
There might be a change in what I want to write my article about.
At our Swedish course we are working a lot on semiotics and youth culture and we are to write and exam essay about an area which interest young people today. I might want to develop that essay into an article for this assignment.
At our Swedish course we are working a lot on semiotics and youth culture and we are to write and exam essay about an area which interest young people today. I might want to develop that essay into an article for this assignment.
The greatest teacher's challange
Oh GOD! Wednesday I had the greatest challange in my practice placement ever....
I was well prepare to teach a 7th grade about the fantasy genre, and I was looking forward to it, because I had taught a Danish 7th grade the same subject in November last year. It would be fun to compare those to classes - especially from a cultural point of view.
But things change when your're a teacher so you have to be flexible and when I arrived at Humfryskolan I was given a 6th grade with severe social problems to teach instead.
At the introduction meeting I was warned about the 6th grade that they were 24 pupils who didn't like eachother and that their teacher at the moment was working hard to have a decent atmosphere in the classroom. Now I can see what she ment.
80% very nice, sweet and clever pupils and 20% very noisy, giggeling, chatting, autonomous bunch of kids. The 20% took up most 80 % of my time, and a few times I found myself reacting in a way that I didn't really like - afterwards. Damn! But I must find out how I handle the situation next Wednesday. The 80% are working fine with the production of their own fantasy univers and a poster for their presentation, but I'll have to find out how to handle the rest of the children in a way so that they learn something about the fantasy genre. I have an idea - I would like them to produce an advert that will make me go and see the Avatar movie which I haven't seen yet.
Finally - just a remark about the practice placement abroad. I wish I didn't have to do it, not because of the children.....especially the above 6th grade is a welcome challange.....but I would have liked to focus on the Language, Culture and Identity course - it's interesting, relevant and quite challanging. It's a full time course of 40 hours a week, plus the little extra that always comes when you work with an interesting subject.
PS Just a small note that made me happy - after class one of the girls came up to me and said it had been fun......it warmed my heart....and I'll do my very best to make it a nice lesson next Wednesday - aswell :o))
I was well prepare to teach a 7th grade about the fantasy genre, and I was looking forward to it, because I had taught a Danish 7th grade the same subject in November last year. It would be fun to compare those to classes - especially from a cultural point of view.
But things change when your're a teacher so you have to be flexible and when I arrived at Humfryskolan I was given a 6th grade with severe social problems to teach instead.
At the introduction meeting I was warned about the 6th grade that they were 24 pupils who didn't like eachother and that their teacher at the moment was working hard to have a decent atmosphere in the classroom. Now I can see what she ment.
80% very nice, sweet and clever pupils and 20% very noisy, giggeling, chatting, autonomous bunch of kids. The 20% took up most 80 % of my time, and a few times I found myself reacting in a way that I didn't really like - afterwards. Damn! But I must find out how I handle the situation next Wednesday. The 80% are working fine with the production of their own fantasy univers and a poster for their presentation, but I'll have to find out how to handle the rest of the children in a way so that they learn something about the fantasy genre. I have an idea - I would like them to produce an advert that will make me go and see the Avatar movie which I haven't seen yet.
Finally - just a remark about the practice placement abroad. I wish I didn't have to do it, not because of the children.....especially the above 6th grade is a welcome challange.....but I would have liked to focus on the Language, Culture and Identity course - it's interesting, relevant and quite challanging. It's a full time course of 40 hours a week, plus the little extra that always comes when you work with an interesting subject.
PS Just a small note that made me happy - after class one of the girls came up to me and said it had been fun......it warmed my heart....and I'll do my very best to make it a nice lesson next Wednesday - aswell :o))
Monday, 31 January 2011
Cultural meeting
I had such a funny experience last Thursday when going to school.
Everything went wrong that morning. Trains were delayed, didn't stop at the usual station and I had to go forth and back and went too far.....I was in such a bad mood when I sat down in the Oeresunds train.
A good looking and "younger-than-me" man came and sat just opposite me. At first he asked a simple question and after half a minute of silence he started talking, telling and chatting - TO ME - who never really liked talking to strangers. He was so friendly, so talkative and so nice that I found myself answering, asking and chatting along. He was a Norwegian paedagog, age 37, half Norwegian and half Brasillian, had his own judo club in Oslo and was on his way to see his girlfriend in Växjö.
This was really a cultural clash between this "ice cold" Danish woman and this openhearted half Brasillian warm hearted male. An experience to remember..... ;o))
Everything went wrong that morning. Trains were delayed, didn't stop at the usual station and I had to go forth and back and went too far.....I was in such a bad mood when I sat down in the Oeresunds train.
A good looking and "younger-than-me" man came and sat just opposite me. At first he asked a simple question and after half a minute of silence he started talking, telling and chatting - TO ME - who never really liked talking to strangers. He was so friendly, so talkative and so nice that I found myself answering, asking and chatting along. He was a Norwegian paedagog, age 37, half Norwegian and half Brasillian, had his own judo club in Oslo and was on his way to see his girlfriend in Växjö.
This was really a cultural clash between this "ice cold" Danish woman and this openhearted half Brasillian warm hearted male. An experience to remember..... ;o))
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Change of plans....
The first real day at Malmö Högskola and Humfryskolan turned out to be too short of time....
Everything went smooth at Högskolan but when transferring to our practice placement school we were indeed short of time. So changes had to be made - and what we found out was much better. Three whole days of English teaching from 8 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. It'll be great to have enough time to go in depth with the subjects.
We're teaching film in a 9th grade and the Fanatsy genre in a 7th grade.
I'm looking especially forward to teaching the Fantasy genre again. We'll re-use my material from Engelsborgskolen slightly adapted to the Swedish pupils. It'll be fun to compare how they work with it.
Today we had some good discussions at Högskolan, about semiotics, culture and discourse. I have been put into a small group of two Swedish guys (Martin and Fredrik) who seem very much into doing a good job at the course. We're meeting up for group work on Monday when we have to be at school to watch "Killing us softly", a movie about advertising. Especially about the gender roles in advertising (read female roles).
At Humfryskolan we followed Erica for two hours teaching English in the 9th grade and in the 7th grade. The pupils work a lot with computers and I will adapt my material to the use of computers. In Denmark the children produced a poster to present, but in Malmö I want the children to make a Power Point or an article to present, about one specific fantasy story they have chosen.
Day off tomorrow and I have around 50 pages to read....but it's about genre so it's not that hard :o))
Everything went smooth at Högskolan but when transferring to our practice placement school we were indeed short of time. So changes had to be made - and what we found out was much better. Three whole days of English teaching from 8 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. It'll be great to have enough time to go in depth with the subjects.
We're teaching film in a 9th grade and the Fanatsy genre in a 7th grade.
I'm looking especially forward to teaching the Fantasy genre again. We'll re-use my material from Engelsborgskolen slightly adapted to the Swedish pupils. It'll be fun to compare how they work with it.
Today we had some good discussions at Högskolan, about semiotics, culture and discourse. I have been put into a small group of two Swedish guys (Martin and Fredrik) who seem very much into doing a good job at the course. We're meeting up for group work on Monday when we have to be at school to watch "Killing us softly", a movie about advertising. Especially about the gender roles in advertising (read female roles).
At Humfryskolan we followed Erica for two hours teaching English in the 9th grade and in the 7th grade. The pupils work a lot with computers and I will adapt my material to the use of computers. In Denmark the children produced a poster to present, but in Malmö I want the children to make a Power Point or an article to present, about one specific fantasy story they have chosen.
Day off tomorrow and I have around 50 pages to read....but it's about genre so it's not that hard :o))
Monday, 24 January 2011
Looks like....
everything is going to turn out fine....I got my first meeting with Salaam on 7th February. Hope they can make use of my assistance.
Teaching materials for the 7th grade now ready - Fantasy theme
I am looking forward to teaching the Fantasy genre to the 7th grade at Humfryskolan. I have adapted my material from Engelsborgskolen to the Swedish pupils and am looking forward to see how they work with the almost identical material.
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Working hard.....
.....to arrange my (that is our) placement with Humfryskolan. Hopefully everything is in place tomorrow.
And.....I'm trying equally hard to arrange some work for Salaam in April. Hope they can find room and activity for me....hope - hope - hope!!! Cross your fingers....please :o)
And.....I'm trying equally hard to arrange some work for Salaam in April. Hope they can find room and activity for me....hope - hope - hope!!! Cross your fingers....please :o)
Thursday, 20 January 2011
My first assignment in Malmö
The task was to take some photos of signs in my ares and upload on the group profile in It's learning (group homepage at mah.se)
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
1st day in Sweden
Just came back from Sweden and I'm sooooo tired. All the impressions have filled up my poor head.
I was at the Humfry Skolan to talk about my placement.
It seems a very interesting school. There's a creative angle to everything they do. They put emphasis on film, music and media and ITC is incorporated in all subjects. Very interesting.
I am to teach English in a 6th grade and this will be interesting. There are 28 pupils in that class and they don't like eachother. Their teacher is currently working with the social atmosphere and I will support her on that. I think I'll do some exercises to strenghten the relations between the pupils. Eg I'll do the hot chair, one pupil sits in front of the class and everyone says something nice about that boy / girl.
I have just written my psychology assignment about social relations in class and about classroom management and if at all possible I'll use elements from that report in my teaching.
After the visit to my practice placement school I went to Malmö Högskola for the Language, Culture & Identity course for the course introduction. There will be a lot of work for this class, but it will be awfully interesting. A primary focus on culture, semiotics and media influence. There will be interviews with teenagers incorporated in the programme, we'll take pictures of signs/text in our environment and we'll do an assignment with an excoursion in Malmö City. Tomorrow I'll have a walk in my surroundings and take some "semiotic pictures" - and upload them to the course homepage.
I'm so excited - this course seems to be very interesting and extremely relevant for me as an international teachers student.....looking forward to Tuesday next week.
I was at the Humfry Skolan to talk about my placement.
It seems a very interesting school. There's a creative angle to everything they do. They put emphasis on film, music and media and ITC is incorporated in all subjects. Very interesting.
I am to teach English in a 6th grade and this will be interesting. There are 28 pupils in that class and they don't like eachother. Their teacher is currently working with the social atmosphere and I will support her on that. I think I'll do some exercises to strenghten the relations between the pupils. Eg I'll do the hot chair, one pupil sits in front of the class and everyone says something nice about that boy / girl.
I have just written my psychology assignment about social relations in class and about classroom management and if at all possible I'll use elements from that report in my teaching.
After the visit to my practice placement school I went to Malmö Högskola for the Language, Culture & Identity course for the course introduction. There will be a lot of work for this class, but it will be awfully interesting. A primary focus on culture, semiotics and media influence. There will be interviews with teenagers incorporated in the programme, we'll take pictures of signs/text in our environment and we'll do an assignment with an excoursion in Malmö City. Tomorrow I'll have a walk in my surroundings and take some "semiotic pictures" - and upload them to the course homepage.
I'm so excited - this course seems to be very interesting and extremely relevant for me as an international teachers student.....looking forward to Tuesday next week.
Monday, 17 January 2011
Starting Wednesday
Finally starting in Sweden. Visiting Humfrey Skolan Wednesday at 10 am. Afterwards going to Malmö University for introduction. Looking so much forward to it.
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