Me + Comics 6Ever

Is there a certain genre of literature that doesn't really appeal to you?  You might try to enjoy that genre because lots of other people do, but it just doesn't feel right.  Maybe you feel like something's wrong with you because that genre seems so great, but for you, it's just... eh.

I have a confession: For me, that genre is superhero comics.  Several of my friends are really into Marvel and such, which I think is great -- they really enjoy that scene, and I'm happy for them.  But my attempts to enjoy superhero comics have been less than successful.

For example, I tried the new Ms. Marvel series and was impressed, but I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped to.  Kamala Khan is a great and complex character, the artwork is beautiful, and I appreciated exploring the cultural issues within the comics, but the series didn't touch me on a deeper level.

via Marvel

That's OK, though.  After trying Ms. Marvel, I decided to keep an open mind and listen to other suggestions from friends (and the kind and knowledgeable folks at my local bookshop).  That's how I found The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.

via Marvel

SQUIRREL GIRL IS THE BEST.  What really drew me in is the series' laughs and lightheartedness.  Squirrel Girl (aka Doreen Green) has a quirky, absurdist, silly sense of humor that makes me feel good, and she doesn't take herself too seriously.  Plus, she's smart, creative, and empathetic, which makes her a great role model for young comic book fans.  These comics fit me perfectly.  I'm so glad I gave this series a try -- it showed me that there are comic books out there for everyone, even people who aren't huge superhero fans.

So let my experience be a lesson to all of you teacher and parents out there.  If a kid doesn't like a particular type of literature, it might just be because s/he hasn't found the right book yet.  So keep looking and encouraging your students/kids to try different genres and formats.

Also, ultimately, it's OK to not particularly like a genre, and kids need to know that as well.  In life, we're not going to like everything we read, and even if we love one poetry/graphica/nonfiction/etc. book doesn't mean we're going to like ALL poetry/graphica/nonfiction/etc.  But it's still good to expand your mind with different styles of literature, even if they don't rock your world.

TL;DR version: Keep reading!

Another Columbus Day Post

I am The Best Artist.

For a different type of Columbus Day critical literacy activity, take a couple of minutes to look through this infographic from Matthew Inman, creator of The Oatmeal.

Done?  OK.

I love infographics, or visual -- almost comic-like -- representations of data or information.  They're fun, easy to process, and a nice break from reading big chunks of text.  Because of their visual nature, they can be very appealing to kids.  Therefore, analyzing infographics can be an interesting, motivating way for students to engage in critical literacy.

Since Columbus Day is upon us, reading and critiquing Matthew Inman's infographic about Christopher Columbus could be a great activity for middle and/or high school students during the coming week.  Teachers and students can tease apart Inman's argument against celebrating Columbus day and discuss how they agree or disagree with his points.

For example, I definitely agree with his argument that Christopher Columbus is not a person worthy of celebration -- he brought a wave of terror to the Americas that still lingers today, and I refuse to honor him and his legacy.

Jerkface

However, I'm not in agreement with Inman's idea to switch the second Monday in October to "Bartolomé Day."  Yes, we should pay more attention to Bartolomé de las Casas and his deeds in history classes, but why should we shift our focus from one European to another?  

Why not focus on indigenous Americans and their history, current events, accomplishments, and diversity -- not just in October but year-round?  (Inman does reference Seattle's Indigenous People's Day, which is not without its own critics, in an update at the bottom of the page.  But it's an afterthought.)

Teachers, how invigorating it would be for students to explore different perspectives on Columbus Day and share their opinions about the holiday and Inman's piece?  Then they might create their own infographics (digital literacy woooo!) to share with each other, their school, and the internet community.

The kids I work with aren't quite old enough to read The Oatmeal, but I'm looking forward to having a nice dialog about Columbus Day with them this week.  But if you have attempted / want to attempt an infographic critical literacy activity like this with your kids, let me know about it!

Getting Critical with Advertising

Recently, a McDonald's commercial about their coffee started popping up at the beginning of videos on a YouTube channel I'm subscribed to.  At first, I ignored the content of the ad as I impatiently waited for it to finish and the real videos to begin, but eventually, I started paying attention.  What I saw definitely bothered me.

The description of the video says that the ad is "shedding light on the process" of coffee growing and harvesting that leads to each individual cup of McDonald's coffee.  While I didn't really learn much about the process from watching, the ad definitely shed light on something.  Take a look:

Now watch it again with this question in mind: Whose faces do I see in this commercial?

The truth is, we don't see anyone's faces until we're shown the (probably rich) dude tasting the coffee at the end.  But all of the (probably not so rich) workers who grow, harvest, and prepare the coffee beans remain faceless.

We need to ask ourselves why that is.  Does McDonald's want us to think that the people who make our coffee aren't important?  On a broader note, does this commercial reflect our desire -- as affluent, privileged people -- to ignore people living in poverty?

People who work on coffee farms do, in fact, have faces.

If you're a teacher or parent, watching and analyzing this ad with your kids can be a great critical literacy exercise.  As I've mentioned before, critical literacy is more than just reading.  We can turn our critical eyes on anything we consume visually and mentally: television, movies, books, posters, paintings, graffiti, etc.

Companies are constantly barraging us with advertising in our society, and kids need to become critical consumers so they don't fall for every marketing ploy they encounter.  Therefore, it's incredibly important for us to teach our children how to question what they see and hear in the media.

So have you seen this commercial?  How could you work critical analysis of advertising into your lesson plans?  How could you take action to address the problematic elements of commercials?  Let me know what you think!

Related Posts:

Critical Literacy Isn't Just about Books

Farmworker Awareness

Critical Literacy Isn't Just about Books

Well, the controversial Sochi Winter Olympics end tomorrow.  And I don't know about you, but when I think "Winter Olympics," I think "Jamaican bobsled team."

I LOVED this movie when I was a kid.  (Here's a summary if you haven't seen it.  The main gist is that four failed Jamaican sprinters are introduced to bobsledding by a white American coach, and hijinks ensue.)  During class the other day, it came up in conversation, and a friend admitted that she had liked it too, but, "It's probably pretty... problematic."

Truth.  Looking back, I realize that the movie is full of Jamaican stereotypes and caricatures, and it deserves a closer critical inspection.

My friend's comment reminded me that when we teach our kids about critical literacy, we need to teach them to examine everything critically -- not just books.  They need to question, analyze, and evaluate anything and everything they consume: advertising, music, television, and, of course, movies.

And if we don't teach kids these skills, there's a possibility that they can wind up dressing like this for Halloween (warning: extreme example, so absurdly offensive that I'm seriously wondering whether it might be a lame attempt at satire).

So in honor of the Winter Games, here are a couple of articles presenting two writers' differing opinions on Cool Runnings.  The first article points out many American sports films' stereotypical portrayals of black athletes being "rescued" by white people.  Meanwhile, the author of the second article (who is black, just FYI) argues that Cool Runnings contains "one of the best messages ever about race and identity."

What do you think?