A Tale of Two Rooms...

After visiting two retail locations, both selling shoes, I began to look at how two classrooms can be the same but also very different.

The classrooms at my school are all the same. We all have the same basic items in it--a sink, windows, tv, teacher desk, student tables, furniture, etc. But even with the same basic things, the way those things are arranged make the rooms feel different.

Teacher personalities are reflected in the room arrangement but also the purpose of the teacher's teaching. I teach in a multiage classroom of 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students. My room looks quite different than the room of a teacher teaching a straight grade level. I need to have my tables arranged to host small groups of students who are focused on learning together in a cooperative manner rather than individual spaces for students to work independently. I also need to have spaces set up for children to work at when I'm meeting with small groups. These spaces need to provide a place for kids to work on their own...such as a writing station or reading corner. They are like little departments within my "store." I need to make them attractive to the patrons...so they will use them...and I can "sell" them on my ideas for learning.

It was interesting to note the way the store interacts with the customer...whether I needed their help or if I could service myself. The shoe store chain was more focused on self service where the independent store was more focused on customer service and personal attention. This again made me think about classrooms and how they are set up to more customer service oriented but also have self service aspects as well...like independent work centers, personal cubbies to manage their own supplies, mailboxes and lockers to store their stuff. Classrooms need to have both of these styles in order to meet the needs of all students.

Variety is the key in a classroom but basic routine is priceless.

A Little Bit About Classroom Lighting...

Over the last week, I have taken a closer look at lighting in the classroom. I have two sets of long hanging fixtures in my room. The traditional fluroescent lightbulbs quietly keep the room bright. I also have large windows on one wall that let natural light into the classroom. On the opposite wall, there is a window that leads into the hallway, which is filled with a combination of fluorescent lights in panels and also natural lighting from a tall ceiling sky light.

I have noticed that some teachers have floor lamps and use them to set a more intimate mood for reading or relaxing in the classroom. It definitely gives the classroom a more "homey" feel. As I looked at the lighting, I naturally began to focus on other elements in the classroom such as added furniture and rugs. It seems like teachers try to make their rooms inviting spaces and places where kids can feel at home. Afterall, they do spend quite a bit of time with us. We can't do much about the paint color on the walls but we tend to cover them up or "blanket" them with colors and posters.

People always comment on how nice my room looks. I think it is because I'm highly organized and like things to be put away. There is a space or container for everything. Seeing neat and organized materials helps people to feel order in the classroom. I hope that my classroom is place where they want to be.

A Cool Classroom...

When I think about what makes a classroom inviting, I picture bright colors and textures everywhere. There is a place for everything and all of the supplies are neatly organized. Bulletin boards are decorated, the blinds are open, and the lights are on. The classroom sink is sparkling and there is fun hand soap, just waiting to be used.

You want to make it so that kids feel comfortable in your classroom or learning space.

Much of what makes a home inviting, makes a classroom inviting, too. I think my classroom might be even more inviting than my house. It might be because I care about what other people think and anyone, at any given moment, can see my classroom. But at my house, I actually have to invite them in to see it. When I have time, I enjoy decorating and making my house as welcoming as I can. I'm sure this will continue, as my boys get older. I'll want all of the kids to be at MY house, where I can keep an eye on them! I'll have to make my house appeal to high school kids.

Still Determined...

The nature of this short film is to convey a sense of determination; the kind of determination and drive that an 11 year old boy has. It was Super Bowl Sunday and the sun was shining bright. With a house full of relatives, Brock and his cousin, decided to go outside to play. You might think they’d get their snow gear on and play football or make a snow fort, possibly even shovel the driveway. But what they did, shows just how exactly an 11 year old thinks. It isn’t until I glance out the kitchen window, into the backyard, to see that they are shoveling off the basketball court. They are determined to get the snow off of it so that they can shoot baskets and work on “their game.” The second half of the video is something that I created to show how this determination might pay off. It is a look at the competitive nature in sports. It has been my experience, raising three boys that they often go from one thing to the next. I thought it would be a great idea to go from Basketball and a Hoop Shoot Contest into the next season’s sport of Baseball…leading into the idea of a Homerun Derby Contest.

The desired effect I was going for was to show the hard work and practice that goes into playing basketball. I wanted to let the viewer inside the day of an 11 year old, who dreams about playing in the NBA. Without crushing his innocent dreams, the opportunity for a Hoop Shoot Contest was aimed to provide a small victory and give encouragement to sustain the determination and hard work. I introduced a time element with the Hoop Shoot Contest to provide some immediate explanation for why kids practice sports all the time.

The reality of two boys shooting baskets means that many shots are missed. The tricky part of my photography was that they were outside in the freezing cold and I didn’t want to stay outside forever. The boys would come inside to warm up and then go back out. The sun was out and the natural lighting was beautiful. However, this created a bit of a challenge for me, as an editor, because I took many photos and then piecing them together was tougher if the sun was in a different spot or if someone no longer had a hat on. I tried to make sure my shots were consistent but it wasn’t easy.

The readings from Rabiger tell us that there is an emotional investment in film. We should think small or local and that we should be able to “sell it” without sound or speech. As I created this film, I wanted to show the faces of the boys, so that viewers would get a personal feeling. It was sometimes difficult because they were constantly shooting the ball and their arms would be up in front of their faces. I also took a few photos from behind the shooter, hoping to look through their eyes and capture the same moments that they were having. A few of my still shots are farther away and then I zoom in closer to show their determination or concentration on their face. While I think that the idea behind my film could certainly sell itself, I’m not sure if my filming and editing skills proved worthy.

While I was in the editing process, I first weeded through my photos. I had a video that was almost 3 minutes long. It was difficult to decide which photos felt more compelling than others and which were necessary to tell the story. I needed to walk away several times to gain perspective in order to not put EVERYTHING in the video. I needed to show enough pictures to create the sense that there was a lot of practice but wasn’t sure how to do that with my limited technology skills. It would have been nice to show some video in fast forward, with shot after shot after shot. I decided to keep my transitions slower, hoping that the viewer would understand that practice takes time.

I put all of the photos together first. Then, added a few slides with words, to subtly express the idea I wanted the viewer to have…Determination. I also felt that I needed to have the Hoop Shoot Contest slide to help transition the next set of pictures taken inside the gym.

Groh said that storytelling is interactive. She also mentions that it shouldn’t go in chronological order. The practice came first and then I introduced the idea of the contest, leading to more practice.

Larry Prusak suggests that the sooner the audience responds and feels something, the better. I think the music ends up getting the viewer involved with the video right away…getting you fired up!

Overall, I wanted to create an emotional investment into the film. I took the idea of practicing a sport, leading up to finding success to eventually applying that same determination to the next thing in life. It is my hope that people can apply this to their own lives; “Runnin’ Down A Dream.”

I'm Determined To Make This Happen...

Film Frustration

While I enjoy watching films and even like playing around with movie maker, I am so sick of editing and don't even care if I EVER make another video. (Even though I LOVE watching the final product over and over again!)

I have a new found appreciation for editors and film directors. I have spent the last two weeks, thinking about how to make something compelling and neat ways that I could get that point across...but then when it gets right down to it, I'm not happy with the picture I took or don't know how to get the video to do exactly what I want it to do.

I might be able to create effective transitions and get the pictures in the right order, but when it comes to adding music or narration...I suck. Timing...timing is everything.

I have spent the better part of the last two days, straining over my computer. Staring at photos and trying to figure out which ones to keep and which ones to cut. While one reading from Walter Murch told us that sound is a "huge influence on people's attention," I was trying to make my video compelling without it. I think it was...to me, anyway. I have a close connection to the subject in my video...so naturally, most of it would be compelling to me. I was taking the stance of Rabiger who suggested that we can sell film without sound or speech. I may have arrived at this decision because I don't fully understand my movie maker program...and don't want to get my heart set on adding something that I can't make happen.

As I try to relate all of my experience with Teaching and Education in this module, I'm sure this is how my students feel about writing. Write as much as you can...then we'll go back and edit and revise. Often times leaving half of their original work on the "cutting room floor." I promise to be more understanding in the whole writing process and considerate when students don't want to eliminate certain parts in their writing. I will be patient.

Snow Day...

A day that both students and teachers look forward to is a SNOW DAY! It's so fun to get that wake-up call and find out that you don't have to go to school. Why is it that you can't ever seem to go back to sleep, once you find out there's no school? It's a free day. I find myself planning out my day with all of the fun things I want to do. And then, I don't end up doing anything on that list!

Wednesday was a snow day. My three boys and I spent the day watching movies. I found myself watching these movies in a different light. I began looking at them through a director's eye...paying attention to lighting, music, backgrounds, subject focus, etc. One of the best features I like is watching the out-takes at the end. Taking a look at the funny stuff that didn't make it into the movie. It let's you see how the actors had fun making the movie and enjoying their jobs.

One of my favorite kinds of movies are those that are based on a true story. I like connecting to the characters and finding bits of my own life, in their story. That is why I think movies and film can be so compelling. A bridge to education is finding those personal moments for kids...so that they can identify with others and apply them to their own lives. Making personal connections for kids helps them feel real and teaches them to find empathy for others.

The other day, I commented on funny commercials. People LOVE to laugh. It is a great feeling. It also got me thinking about the other genres of movies and I believe that people simply LOVE to feel. Whether it's enjoying a drama, scary horror film, or a romantic comedy...it's all about the feelings that it evokes in people. Great movies create great feelings.