Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Why Heather Can Write
The article Why Heather Can Write would be a fair enough article if it simply focused on the positive effects technology has on amateur writers, but it weaves in many opportunities to bash public education—teachers in particular. This is where I have a problem with it. Henry Jenkins focuses on young writers who write non-original pieces On Line and have grammatically adept writers to edit their work and call that better than public education. Because I am a public teacher, I feel highly offended. Jenkins claims that Heather Lawyer uses such techniques in her Web-based “school newspaper.” Public school teachers use these strategies on the web and in the classroom. The only difference is that whereas Heather operates under the comforts of anonymity, teachers instruct under a cloud of accountability. Jenkins implies that Heather is a better teacher than the traditional public educator. But how do you know if she is doing a better job, if no measurement of her students’ knowledge is not assessed? To sum it up, I found the article to be offensive to the traditional classroom teacher. Sure Heather Lawyer was homeschooled, perhaps in an ideal, uninterrupted, with the least amount of restrictions and distractions. But let us not forget that the world is a classroom either via the internet or one-on-one under a tree, as we have learned from the great philosopher Socrates. Let us also not forget this—all students don’t like Harry Potter. What then??? Unfortunately for me, the article Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century (Part One)” seemed to also focus on the obsoleteness and ineffectiveness of the classroom teacher by stating that many students who learn from participating in On Line writing associations would have otherwise “dropped out of school”. No wonder, it was written by the same author. davjosh
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I think you raise some good questions here about Jenkins' attitudes toward public education, which should be brought up in any discussion of this article. He often depicts public education as hopelessly conformist when I think we'll agree that it's a lot more complicated than that.
ReplyDeleteIt's worth pointing out that Heather isn't writing anonymously, though, as far as I understand. The issues of public and private, though, are also worth talking about.
First off let me say I am pretty surprised that she was able to implement a newspaper web based or otherwise called "The Daily Prophet." That is a title that is conrtroversial in the education setting. Also with the rememberance of the Columbine incident and relating this newspaper to the "Hogwarts" is another controversial issue that I would not as an educator dabble in. I am a little set back at the statement of "Smart kids have long known not to let schooling get in the way of their education!" That almost sounds like downing the educational system and it's teachers! This statement helps me to see why she would be a "home schooler" and probably should remain as one! Teachers do not complain that pop culture competes for the attention of their students. It's more the lack of morality or respect for which the media and pop culture presents itself with! Online communities for teens I feel as though parents should take more accountability as to what and how it's being used and the context of it. I believe that student's can be enlightened to the doors that can open through writing without readings of Harry Potters or other controversial writings. Why could an educator not give a list of readings to choose from to create a comfortable medium of student interests? Heather appeared to have a specific interest in controversial fantasy readings ie. The X Files. I do agree that social skills and outside experiences do weigh in with their writings and opinions tremendously. That goes without saying! In today's society nontraditional writings are important as well. With the use of texting, im's, blogging, emails etc. it is important that student's are versed in these types of technology in order to prepare for their career path as an adult. There are alot of issues all the way around the board where teens are involved, but parents have to step up and accept accountability.
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