Foot: Cleveland Film Festival "Rubber" Review

The movie that I went to see was called "Rubber". It is about a care tire that comes to life and can blow up things with its mind. It may sound like a weird science fiction movie, and that it is weird is not being disputed. I found the movie to be one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. The beginning scene set up all the silliness that was to come in the movie. A police officer gets out of a car, and comes up to the camera. He looks into the camera and says, "In Spielberg's E.T. why is the alien brown? No reason" he goes on into a list of other movies that have no reason, and ends up saying that this story too has an element of no reason. Which makes this movie one of the funniest ones that I have seen. Personally, I found that it was just a movie to enjoy. The technique used was simplistic and very fun. Cinematography wise there were a lot of close up shots of the tire and the people that it was killing. It was definitely gory, and I don't much of a blood person so I closed my eyes at some parts. 

The acting was amazing. I don't think I would be able to hold a straight face while filming this movie, but the characters were not well developed enough to care about them. The audience that was in the film, watching the tire had some of the best actor's and actresses. Most of them were little know actors but they definitely played the part of film critics and had a very humorous air about them. The plot of the movie is hard to figure out. After thinking about it for a few days, I don't think that there really is a plot. That is what makes it so funny. The plot of the movie could be to stop the tire from killing people, but that never happens. It is just one ridiculous scenario after the other. As for themes in the movie, the major theme is "no reason". Mostly all the action that happens in the story has no reason to it. The tire never explains why it is killing these people, or why it is so fascinated with one of the young women in the movie. It just goes around killing everyone. The genre of the film is very much a mystery to me. I think that it could be classified as a horror/comedy movie. Definitely could fall into the science fiction category as well, but it's not very clear. Overall, I really enjoyed my film. It made me laugh, and it made me think twice about a tire on the side of the road. I know that inanimate objects can't come to life, but it is fun to think about it.

Foot: Cleveland Film Festival Experience Reaction

 Since I am an avid movie goer, the Cleveland Film Festival is just my cup of tea. I love movies, and these were really unique. I went to see "Rubber" a film about a homicidal tire. Yes, I said tire. I will get into the movie itself in it's own post, but it was definitely surprising. As for the festival itself, being there made me feel like I was in Disney World. There were so many people there that I couldn't really appreciate the atmosphere. A lot of people were standing in line waiting to see their movies. There were carts of merchandise to be bought, and there were refreshment stands all over the place. I had never been to the Tower City Cinemas, and I was extremely surprised to see so many people. We had to park in a completely different lot from the Tower City one, because there were that many cars and people there.

I brought a couple friends with me, and getting there wasn't very hard. I've been to Tower City mall plenty of times in the past few years, and it was a beautiful sunday afternoon to be seeing a movie. I really enjoyed seeing that a lot of the movie goers had been there all day. It surprised me because I thought $12 for a ticket was expensive, but seeing multiple movies would break my bank account. The people in the theater were extremely nice and helpful. It was organized and there wasn't really that long of a wait. I was surprised, but it was really a lot of fun. I would definitely go back, and I think the festival itself really helps Cleveland's economy. When I went to see my movie, the person working it told us that they had over 100,000 people there the day before. That is a lot of people and revenue coming in. Overall, the experience was enjoyable and I would definitely go next year.

Foot: Pleasure reading

So recently, I have gotten into the world of romance novels. Not just any romance novels, historical romance novels. I don't know why but I'm just so fascinated by the 1800s England, and of course the romance involved. One would think that would mean that I'm really into Jane Austen as well, but that is not the case. Though I think it is important to read what my students may be reading, I think that it is also important that I read what I like to read. With class work piling up, blogs to be posted, and friend drama to deal with, escaping to the world of Regency England has taken some of the stress off me. My favorite author for right now is Gaelen Foley. I have read every book she had written in the span of two months. Starting with her Knight Miscellany series and ending with her latest book My Irresistible Earl I just can't put them down. I don't think I'll be using these in my classroom, but they are good books to help me relax.

I have also been reading YA literature as well. I know, reading takes up most my life, but it's something that I just love. Recently, I got into the Vampire Diaries books by LJ Smith. The newest one Midnight was just released. After only reading two chapters of it, I already know that I love it.

It picks up right where the last one left off, but I won't ruin it for anyone who is reading it. I am such a fan of vampire novels as well, that this keeps me very interested. Though, I'm heard the most terrible news about this. According to reviews that I have read and LJ Smith's website this will be the last Vampire Diaries book she will write. There is some conflict between her and the publisher so she will not be writing the books anymore, a different author will be writing them. I'm not sure that this is legal, considering that the books are her ideas, so wouldn't the work belong to her? Apparently she wanted to go in a different direction with the book than the publisher wanted her to go. It's just rumor, but it would be really sad if she didn't finish the Vampire Diaries series. I would love to use these books in comparison to Dracula in my classroom, because I think that a lot of students boys included can relate to the Vampire Diaries

Foot: Firestone Experience

  Working with my student at Firestone High school was a challenge at times. Because I hadn't taken the OGT test in so long, I wasn't really acquainted with the sort of questions they would be asking on it. My student is a good student, who was just afraid of taking the test. I could tell that by just sitting there watching her take the practice test that she was finding it difficult to get through. Test taking in particular seems to be hard for the teenagers that I know. When I was in high school, and even now, standardized tests have always been a problem. I was a honors student, I got good grades, and I was involved in a lot during my time in high school, but when it came to taking standardized tests, I just wasn't good at them. I feel like, before there were standardized tests, schools actually taught especially urban and suburban schools. I think that standardized tests have so drastically brought down our level of learning, that it is hard for students to keep up once they are in the real world. 

Do I think that students are going to need to know the classic literature of the world to be able to function in their respective careers? No, but it will help with life skills, and literacy that will help with their respective jobs. Too many times I find that teachers have now started to teach the test only, and I feel like the students don't retain the information. They only remember it for the purpose of the test, and then it leaves their mind. I know that is the case with me. So, the problem that is posed concerning my Firestone student is how to ensure that she will retain the information long after the test has been taken? I think a good tool that is multi-modal to use to help the students retain the information would be music. I remember as a child, schoolhouse rock. We watched the conjunction video, and if you are not familiar with the name, the video used songs to help remember the function of different parts of the sentence. To this day, I know what a conjunction is by singing that song. It we teach things that will be on test by using music, it may help the students retain the information better.

I find that using multi-modal techniques actually could help my student with the test. In today's age, texting, instant messaging, skype, facebook, and other social networking sites, teenagers are exposed to more information than even I was privy too when I was their age. I think that the problem with the test is that students do not see how it relates to them. When they are reading a story and have to answer questions, I don't think that students comprehend why it is important that they know this. I think through wikis, and open forums about the standardized tests we will be able to get testing materials out to them easier and have their questions answered by each other. I also find using social media like music, books, television shows, and even magazines, showing students that they read this much in their leisure time will make it easier to get through the reading part of the test. As for the writing, I found that it was easier for my student to answer the prompts when it dealt with her life personally. Though I know that the prompts they will be given will not all be directed to their own personal experiences, I think that using magazines and other literature can help show them how to answer the prompts that aren't just about their personal lives. I frequently told my student that they are looking more for quality and not quantity. To put their minds at ease about this test. 

I think using all types of literature in the classroom is a must. In talking with my student, I found she did better when we were talking in terms they understand. Even now, before I have become a teacher I find that when I am trying to explain something that is difficult I make up scenarios that help my friends understand what I'm talking about. I would use this in my classroom. I love films and television shows, and I find that when teachers are explaining a book, it is easier if they explain it in terms of real time. For instance, when I was talking to my student about a particular story passage and she was asked a question about a vocabulary word, I remembered that the word was used in an episode of Jimmy Neutron, a show on Nickelodeon. When I quoted it, she instantly understood the word, and got the correct answer. I think using this in my classroom would be easy enough. If I just relate the question to something they are familiar with, or the story itself, then it seems to be easier for the students to comprehend. 

I think it is sad that in today's society standardized tests have become the norm. It has taken over all other aspects of school. A well-rounded student may not be a good test taker. To judge them on a test they took one time is not right. And really, how can you say what standards are right for each student to have accomplished? Nothing is standard. There are variations between everything. Each student is unique and learns at different times during different circumstances. Though I agree that students should be learning the same thing, we must take into account that as individuals we teach and learn differently. The gap is really between private and public schools. Private institutions teach rigorous course work, far tougher than public schools. I know this from experience. I went to a private school before transferring to a public school. My private school taught harder material, and I think that public schools need to evaluate what they are teaching, and the kids will pass the test. Less about teaching to the test and more about teaching them so they are prepared to take the test. Pushing the standards lower does not help our children.

Foot: Extra Credit

I think that in order to teach effectively you have to be open to every person's options and teaching styles. Assignments for students to produce is one of the areas that I myself am a little worried about. By doing the Multigenre Autobiography I have learned that certain assessments or assignments don't necessarily have the same outcome. All of my classmates had a different style to their presentations, who put books first or television, the shows and books they feel most impacted them and so on. I think it is a good activity to give students, because not only is it something fun for them to do it really helps me as a teacher assess where they are literacy wise. I think this assignment as well as the texts that inspired me will play a major role in what I teach and how I teach my class. I noted in my autobiography that I was obsessed with Pirates for the longest time. I think every student should read a book or watch a movie with a little adventure in it. Those types of books have influenced how I write my short stories and hopefully one day my novel. They also helped me escape from the mundane or stressful life as a teenager. Though I probably won't show my classes Pirates of the Caribbean, (though who can resist Johnny Depp as a pirate?), I would like to give my students the opportunity to read books like Treasure Island with a bit of adventure in them.


Other assignments or activities that I think would definitely impact how I teach my class would be the book we are reading now, "Great Films and How to Teach Them." I am an avid movie goer. Every movie in that book I have either seen or heard about. I think that having film in the classroom could be a good idea is used properly. I don't think just sitting your class down to "reward" them with a movie is the answer. Using it as a companion to the book though is something I would use. Some students are visual learners, some don't even like to read at all. Showing little clips from the movie version to go along with the text we are reading may sway students to want to see what happens in the book. Because I really like movies, and I believe I have learned a lot from them, I want my students to see movies as more than just entertainment, but as a stepping stone to find more literature they may enjoy.

Pytash: How Poems Work (chapter 5)

So, I have to say I really don't like to TEACH poetry. I love to read it for enjoyment, but the thought of teaching poetry scares and frustrates me. It's not because I don't think that poetry has meaning. I think that a lot of poems have multiple meanings and it is hard to nail down just one. I think that when I was in high school, we talked about poetry, but it was always just one interpretation. I never liked this. Especially when it comes to my favorite poem, "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost.

"Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice."

Robert Frost "Fire and Ice"

What I really liked about this chapter is that it showed me how to teach poetry in a enlightening way. I always think of my teachers standing in front of the classroom talking about the poem's background, the author's biography, and how scholars interpret it. I really liked the think aloud approach. I think that sometimes we as teachers forget that students don't know what we are giving them. Especially when it comes to British Literature. Students don't know half the phrases and words that are used back in the 1800s and I think it is good to give them time to 1) read aloud the text, and 2) make their own interpretations. This way they feel like they are more of an active participant in the poetry instead of just a by-stander.

Pytash: Choosing Which Books to Teach (Chapter 3)

I think choosing the right books to present to your students is the most important part of the teaching process. I remember being in high school and I couldn't stand half of the books my teacher's were making me read. Not only did I despise the books, I didn't care to understand why I needed to read them .I think this chapter makes a very good point about how to choose books, and which ones you should choose.

The part of this chapter that I really enjoyed was reading Jago's criteria for choosing books. As a pre-service teacher, I have no idea who to choose a book for my students to read. I know that I would probably pick the books that I enjoy now instead of thinking about books that I had to read in high school. This leads to a dangerous pattern, because I believe that as an adult I can comprehend and enjoy classics more than I did when I was in high school. When Jago writes, "Great Literature deepens our experience, heightens our sensibilities, and matures our judgment," (Jago 47), I completely agree. Choosing the right for for students is more important that what the most popular classic literature is. She also talk about how teenagers don't know that these books can give them that experience. I agree with this statement because I think that when I was a teenager I didn't look at the grand scheme of things. When a book was explained to me in terms that I would understand, though not changing the text itself, I found that I really enjoyed reading the book.

Pytash: Seven Guiding Principles for Literature Teachers (chapter 1)

In every class room I have been in, in my entire life, teachers always taught me about the "classics" of literature. I was one of the bright ones. I would read through books as easily as a thirsty man drinks a glass of water. My friends thought that I was crazy, and too smart for my own good, but even the classics hold something dear to my imagination. While reading this chapter, that was what was going through my mind. I think it is very important for students to read the classics. The push by teachers to be able to teach more mainstream literature is founded in good faith, but writing has changed over the years. It we give students easier books to read, they will never experience the classics and gain vast amounts of knowledge, which this book has pointed out.

One of the really good things I liked about this chapter was under number 5 "Reading Literature Builds Background Knowledge." Mrs. Jago explains how she got the students to gain little bits of the background to "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." She shows the first few minutes of the 1939 film version of the book. The reason why I liked this so much is the fact that it is multimodal teaching. Not only was she using the book, but also using the movie to help the students understand the book. I also liked that she didn't have them watch the whole movie. I think that a lot of teachers, not only in the Language Arts department but elsewhere abuse the use of movies in the classroom. Reading the book helps build their literacy and vocabulary, while watching the movie doesn't. I think it is also effective to get students thinking. I think showing the first few minutes of the movie intrigued the students towards the book. I know that when I see a movie trailer, I instantly can't wait to see the movie, and make up all these scenarios about how it will play out. Though most students may find this to be teasing them of some sort it also helps students to visualize setting and the time period the book was written in.