As I began reading the first section of the text, Subjects Matter: Exceeding Standards Through Content-Area Reading, I expected a different text. I assumed that the example of the students parading through McDonald’s would be more directly related to the customers reading the flyers left at the register rather than the impact that close reading had on the students. I remember watching a video in middle school about how fast food chicken nuggets were made and I haven’t eaten them since. My aversion was spurred by the graphic images of the processing plant, but I was not pushed to act beyond the decision to avoid chicken nuggets. These students were moved enough by the text to be asked to leave a restaurant while completing an assignment.
What kind of world would we live in if every student responded to coursework with such enthusiasm?
The day-to-day school atmosphere would certainly be more energized. If I had been presented with a book rather than a graphic video in middle school, I would most likely have read the content, given it a thoughtful nod, and quickly moved on. Why would a text elicit a more powerful response than an image? While I was passively absorbing the information, the students in the example were encouraged to actively participate in their reading through various techniques and additional assignments provided by many of their teachers in multiple subjects. This active and all-encompassing role allowed the students to take away a more in-depth and personal opinion about many aspects of the fast food industry than simply a distaste for chicken nuggets.
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Your view on the reading was so insightful and I couldn't agree with you more! It is amazing at the level of boredom students associate with reading. This is such a negative outlook for our students to have. We want them engaged and filled with emotions and motivation from the reading, something the students can connect with to help build their interest with the subject context as well as learning. Thank you for the powerful vision! Love the gifs.
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ReplyDeleteHi Maddie. This sentence really struck me: "Why would a text elicit a more powerful response than an image?" I think you're getting at something really important there. To what extent, I wonder, does one's choice in reading create conditions that would allow one to respond equally powerfully to a text vs. image. I tend to like the idea of subverting the distinction between text and image, though, just as you've done in your blog. Thx!
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