Hoorah! Now, Mish, we all know the only REAL way to actually heal is to play the song of healing, on an ocarina. It even makes cut wood get back into place! Just imagine what it would do to you!
I just taught the best class of my entire career so far!
We talked about video games in general, separating the features inherent in the medium from the cultural baggage it's accumulated, and some other issues.. then we talked about their video game 'reading'. Incidentally, it was Passage. (Thanks Mario!!!)
Then I gave a short powerpoint on visual interpretation, and then we discussed the first installment of Salad Fingers. Groovy! All my students were very attentive and every single time I asked a question, someone responded! Woooot!
First we started by defining 'video games'. I asked them to come up with a definition collaboratively, and to debate points they deemed inappropriate. So I made a column and started writing up what they told me. I got 'interactive', 'electronic', 'time waster', and another student protested and said it was 'entertainment', so I kept both of those in tension by leaving them side by side, 'diversion', 'goals and problem solving,' etc. Those were the main ones.
So I stepped back and let them look for a second. Then I launched into a discussion about the difference between genre and medium.
Just so you know, the writing program I'm teaching in is pretty radical. It borrows a lot of its methods and materials from hardcore rhetoric and composition theory, so in our case 'genre' means prescribed ways of doing things within a certain medium. So essays are a genre, fantasy fiction is a genre, email is a genre, etc. Every single form of human expression is influenced by cultural factors that shape it, and there's always room for tension by pushing on the boundaries.
So anyway, I differentiated between genre and medium. Genre is a way of doing things within a medium, a medium is a more concrete form through which information is delivered. So TV, Movies, the written word, and video games are all media. As media, they are relatively pure. They use certain structures to present meaning, but the meaning they present is the result of what is poured into them and the cultural forces that shape it. Medium is like a pitcher. It carries things in a certain way, but it's what's IN that pitcher that determines the value of a particular piece of expression.
So we defined some genres of video games.. 1st person shooter, RPG, sports, and we all agreed that these are the places where the cultural content gets put in.
So I returned to the definition that was still sitting on the board, and I asked them to reevaluate the definition of video game that we had come up with based on their new knowledge of medium. In the end, we had erased everything but 'electronic' and 'interactive' and some people were kinda surprised. It proved my point nicely... the medium of video game is expansive, and a lot is possible with it.
So then I made a new column for all the crap we had erased: 'cultural constructions'. And so I asked how video games were perceived in culture. I got responses like ‘violent’ ‘waste of time’ ‘unproductive’, and so on. We had a few interesting discussions about this, especially about ‘unproductive’. I asked what it means to be productive, and they discussed among themselves for a little while. As you might expect, the more troglodyte students said that being productive is accomplishing something physical, and the video game-friendly students countered that any kind of activity, mental or physical, can be productive. They countered with the example of sports... how are they productive? So the response was ‘you get exercise’ to which the game-friendly ones responded, ‘games give you mental exercise.’ It was pretty sweet to see them going back and forth on this topic.
So I looked at the list they had provided and asked who actually says these things? The unanimous response was ‘parents’. I acknowledged this, but suggested that perhaps they would best be called ‘the out-group’. People who are on the outside of video games. Then we constructed a list of what the in-group says. I pointed out how video games are a very obvious example of what happens to some degree in EVERY form of communication. There’s an in-group and an out-group. Genres are given certain cultural constructions that favor certain types of people, and it can be a struggle for others to get into that form of communication. Then we defined the in-group, for comedic effect... and it worked. But one girl told a story of how she played Halo in a Clan match and actually killed someone.. and she got really excited. So she acknowledged that part of the pride was her infiltrating this private world where, stereotypically, she didn’t belong. I also suggested that perhaps the reason so many people feel disenfranchised from video games is the presence of such a strong exclusive in-group.
Then we started talking about the content in video games, how some are quite violent, like Grand Theft Auto. My English major (she’s my favorite student) responded by saying that much of the content in video games seems to reflect a hypermasculine American stereotype. Lots of violence centered around men, etc. And I mentioned how that’s largely a product of the relatively homogenous mix of developers and consumers.
But then I suggested some alternatives. First, Japanese video games, in which that cultural ethos is shifted, and there is generally a greater emphasis on group cooperation, among other things. Also, I used this as a segway into the reading I had them do, ‘Passage’. Mario actually showed me this game a while ago, and I owe him a great deal of thanks... it REALLY worked well in discussion.
So I had someone come up to play it (this was the day, actually, that I was being observed by two people, the assistant director of the first year writing program and a good friend and fellow teacher). So the assistant director goes up and tries to play passage. Some of my students are coaching her, others are realizing that there’s more you can do in the game than they previously thought, and while she’s playing we’re having a discussion of what everything might mean. At the end, she is a bit flustered and comments, ‘It’s funny, because my 5 year old can do these games SO EASILY, but I have such a hard time doing it!’ So I immediately grabbed onto that, saying we would need to talk about it. But by this time class was halfway over, so I gave them their 10 minute break.
After their break we came back and started discussing a few more issues, like how our brains harden when we’re young and it becomes harder to learn things, like video games, as we get older. Then we moved onto a discussion of Passage. We tried to start getting at the meaning of the game. One student said that they didn’t think it was really a video game, but someone else countered that it was a video game, just not one we’re used to seeing. Granted, it doesn’t have sprawling sidequests and 100+ weapons to discover and use, but it is interactive in that your choices determine what happens in the game. Someone else didn’t see the point, if you’re just going to die anyway, and it sparked this huge existential discussion. That student actually got a bit huffy, I think because she didn’t like the sentiment that nothing really matters in the end, but I think she really did have some sort of epiphany. So we talked for a bit about life, about all our destinations, and that anything we might do won’t stave off death at the end. Some students commented that it seemed like the developer was saying that relationships were unnecessary, but I reminded them that your points do go up faster when you get the partner, but there are obviously some hindrances to having a partner as well.
In the end we tentatively decided that it captures the variety and inevitability of what life entails, but one student still wanted a concrete definition of what the game meant, so I read through the author’s statement on his website, and everyone fell into a hushed silence at the end. I emphasized that video games, through their interactivity, put YOU into the game much more than any other medium, and it is through the interactivity that this game really hits home these concepts to the player.
The last section of the course was just a powerpoint that discussed certain aspects of visual interpretation in preparation for our discussion of graphic novels next week. We also watched Salad Fingers and discussed how those principles added to the creepiness of the video.
Andrew, that is AWESOME. Sounds like an incredibly fun lesson to BE in, let alone teach. Video games and philosophy, pretty much, haha. My favorite! I'm taking a philosophy class next year, and I think I'm really really going to enjoy it. I sure hope so anyway! I hope we end up having discussions similar to what you directed, because I also enjoy being in the presence of someone having some sort of an epiphany (for the good).
This past Wednesday I gave my 3rd lesson to the third grade class I was assigned for the semester, and I can kind of relate to the joy from seeing a class you're teaching get really into the lesson. I mean, I taught 3rd graders, so of course they're going to be excited WAY easier (really-- it's kind of creepy how excited they get over simple stuff), but that joy of thinking "Hey, I'm actually teaching these kids something, and they're enjoying it" is a great feeling. That last lesson went great, I got us through the stupid generic lesson a little faster than usual to give some extra time for my teaching partner to pass out cupcakes she baked for them, and after everyone was finished eating, we got a group picture with the class that was just adorable. When we were walking out of the class, all the kids got up to give us a hug before we left, and were saying "WE'LL MISS YOU!!"
Dunno how much of a success that is, since they're still just 3rd graders, but aww it was so cute! I hope I'll eventually be able to lead a lesson as awesome as that one though, haha, but I doubt it; I'm focusing on math at the moment. Not much room for philosophical discussions when there's math to teach.
But back to you... Andrew, very good job on that lesson. Your students are going to be anxious to go to your next class now, haha, so congratulations; that really is a great accomplishment.
I'm happy that you're so happy with YOUR experience, Mish! If you're planning on going into education, maybe you've found your niche!! And that's always a SUCCESS!
Andrew, that's seriously freaking awesome. You are already becoming that one teacher that everyone will remember long after they finish their education.
Haha, yeah, I totally plagiarized Scott McCloud... he's a FANTASTIC critic, I love 'Understanding Comics'. We're actually going to look at a small segment on Tuesday.
And you seriously hung out with Scott McCloud?
And I think you mean 'Socratic seminars'. Not that I really know what that means... discussion?
Jake, do you teach freshmen? If so just type up your lessons and show them to me, I'll read everything and learn from it, and I'll call you an awesome teacher and you can say "Man fuck all those other guys"
Haha, yeah, I totally plagiarized Scott McCloud... he's a FANTASTIC critic, I love 'Understanding Comics'. We're actually going to look at a small segment on Tuesday.
And you seriously hung out with Scott McCloud?
Well, I guess "hung out" implys that we were like best buddys or some thing. Heres how it happened: I was going to the stumptown comic fest when the guy who was driving me mentioned Scott McCloud was there. My reaction was oh crap because I hadn't brought any of my sketch books, or comics. So when I got there, I walked around and spent up my money on comics, and eventually went to go find McCloud. When I got there he wasn't at his table yet, but he showed up soon enough. He mused that the assistant had spelled his name wrong, something like too many C's. Anyway I asked if since I didn't have any comics for him to sign or a portfolio for him to critique if I could just kind of hang out, and he agreed. We talked to his fans and at one point had a long discussion about the state of news paper comics (at which point I suggested Pearls Before Swine because its Ryan.) Oh, and someone brought a huge stack of vintage Zot!s and made him sign them all; Scott got his revenge by only drawing a self portrait in one of them.
And I think you mean 'Socratic seminars'. Not that I really know what that means... discussion?
I used to have them in middle school, they basicly mean the teacher sits back (or at most participates as a student) and lets the students discuss the topic, issue, or question.
At Thanksgiving dinner at the Radisson last night I met an Indonesian boy, maybe in his late teens. His last name happened to be Obama. He lately has been filled with an overwhelming pride in his name. He was very excited to go to other Americans, tell us his name, and then proudly say "Yes we can!"
Comments
We talked about video games in general, separating the features inherent in the medium from the cultural baggage it's accumulated, and some other issues.. then we talked about their video game 'reading'. Incidentally, it was Passage. (Thanks Mario!!!)
Then I gave a short powerpoint on visual interpretation, and then we discussed the first installment of Salad Fingers. Groovy! All my students were very attentive and every single time I asked a question, someone responded! Woooot!
Edit: Tell the damn story already Andrew.
First we started by defining 'video games'. I asked them to come up with a definition collaboratively, and to debate points they deemed inappropriate. So I made a column and started writing up what they told me. I got 'interactive', 'electronic', 'time waster', and another student protested and said it was 'entertainment', so I kept both of those in tension by leaving them side by side, 'diversion', 'goals and problem solving,' etc. Those were the main ones.
So I stepped back and let them look for a second. Then I launched into a discussion about the difference between genre and medium.
Just so you know, the writing program I'm teaching in is pretty radical. It borrows a lot of its methods and materials from hardcore rhetoric and composition theory, so in our case 'genre' means prescribed ways of doing things within a certain medium. So essays are a genre, fantasy fiction is a genre, email is a genre, etc. Every single form of human expression is influenced by cultural factors that shape it, and there's always room for tension by pushing on the boundaries.
So anyway, I differentiated between genre and medium. Genre is a way of doing things within a medium, a medium is a more concrete form through which information is delivered. So TV, Movies, the written word, and video games are all media. As media, they are relatively pure. They use certain structures to present meaning, but the meaning they present is the result of what is poured into them and the cultural forces that shape it. Medium is like a pitcher. It carries things in a certain way, but it's what's IN that pitcher that determines the value of a particular piece of expression.
So we defined some genres of video games.. 1st person shooter, RPG, sports, and we all agreed that these are the places where the cultural content gets put in.
So I returned to the definition that was still sitting on the board, and I asked them to reevaluate the definition of video game that we had come up with based on their new knowledge of medium. In the end, we had erased everything but 'electronic' and 'interactive' and some people were kinda surprised. It proved my point nicely... the medium of video game is expansive, and a lot is possible with it.
So then I made a new column for all the crap we had erased: 'cultural constructions'. And so I asked how video games were perceived in culture. I got responses like ‘violent’ ‘waste of time’ ‘unproductive’, and so on. We had a few interesting discussions about this, especially about ‘unproductive’. I asked what it means to be productive, and they discussed among themselves for a little while. As you might expect, the more troglodyte students said that being productive is accomplishing something physical, and the video game-friendly students countered that any kind of activity, mental or physical, can be productive. They countered with the example of sports... how are they productive? So the response was ‘you get exercise’ to which the game-friendly ones responded, ‘games give you mental exercise.’ It was pretty sweet to see them going back and forth on this topic.
So I looked at the list they had provided and asked who actually says these things? The unanimous response was ‘parents’. I acknowledged this, but suggested that perhaps they would best be called ‘the out-group’. People who are on the outside of video games. Then we constructed a list of what the in-group says. I pointed out how video games are a very obvious example of what happens to some degree in EVERY form of communication. There’s an in-group and an out-group. Genres are given certain cultural constructions that favor certain types of people, and it can be a struggle for others to get into that form of communication. Then we defined the in-group, for comedic effect... and it worked. But one girl told a story of how she played Halo in a Clan match and actually killed someone.. and she got really excited. So she acknowledged that part of the pride was her infiltrating this private world where, stereotypically, she didn’t belong. I also suggested that perhaps the reason so many people feel disenfranchised from video games is the presence of such a strong exclusive in-group.
Then we started talking about the content in video games, how some are quite violent, like Grand Theft Auto. My English major (she’s my favorite student) responded by saying that much of the content in video games seems to reflect a hypermasculine American stereotype. Lots of violence centered around men, etc. And I mentioned how that’s largely a product of the relatively homogenous mix of developers and consumers.
But then I suggested some alternatives. First, Japanese video games, in which that cultural ethos is shifted, and there is generally a greater emphasis on group cooperation, among other things. Also, I used this as a segway into the reading I had them do, ‘Passage’. Mario actually showed me this game a while ago, and I owe him a great deal of thanks... it REALLY worked well in discussion.
So I had someone come up to play it (this was the day, actually, that I was being observed by two people, the assistant director of the first year writing program and a good friend and fellow teacher). So the assistant director goes up and tries to play passage. Some of my students are coaching her, others are realizing that there’s more you can do in the game than they previously thought, and while she’s playing we’re having a discussion of what everything might mean. At the end, she is a bit flustered and comments, ‘It’s funny, because my 5 year old can do these games SO EASILY, but I have such a hard time doing it!’ So I immediately grabbed onto that, saying we would need to talk about it. But by this time class was halfway over, so I gave them their 10 minute break.
In the end we tentatively decided that it captures the variety and inevitability of what life entails, but one student still wanted a concrete definition of what the game meant, so I read through the author’s statement on his website, and everyone fell into a hushed silence at the end. I emphasized that video games, through their interactivity, put YOU into the game much more than any other medium, and it is through the interactivity that this game really hits home these concepts to the player.
The last section of the course was just a powerpoint that discussed certain aspects of visual interpretation in preparation for our discussion of graphic novels next week. We also watched Salad Fingers and discussed how those principles added to the creepiness of the video.
This past Wednesday I gave my 3rd lesson to the third grade class I was assigned for the semester, and I can kind of relate to the joy from seeing a class you're teaching get really into the lesson. I mean, I taught 3rd graders, so of course they're going to be excited WAY easier (really-- it's kind of creepy how excited they get over simple stuff), but that joy of thinking "Hey, I'm actually teaching these kids something, and they're enjoying it" is a great feeling. That last lesson went great, I got us through the stupid generic lesson a little faster than usual to give some extra time for my teaching partner to pass out cupcakes she baked for them, and after everyone was finished eating, we got a group picture with the class that was just adorable. When we were walking out of the class, all the kids got up to give us a hug before we left, and were saying "WE'LL MISS YOU!!"
Dunno how much of a success that is, since they're still just 3rd graders, but aww it was so cute! I hope I'll eventually be able to lead a lesson as awesome as that one though, haha, but I doubt it; I'm focusing on math at the moment. Not much room for philosophical discussions when there's math to teach.
But back to you... Andrew, very good job on that lesson. Your students are going to be anxious to go to your next class now, haha, so congratulations; that really is a great accomplishment.
Mish, that's adorable. Awwww...
I love how you plagiarized Scott McCloud while discussing video games as a media, which now that I think of it sounds like one of my posts.
Any-hoo, I wish I had you as a teacher, my english teacher thinks secratic seminars are too advanced for high schoolers. |P
Ps. Did I ever tell you about the time I hung out with Scott McCloud, that was cool.
And you seriously hung out with Scott McCloud?
And I think you mean 'Socratic seminars'. Not that I really know what that means... discussion?
I heavily support this proposal.
Well, I guess "hung out" implys that we were like best buddys or some thing. Heres how it happened: I was going to the stumptown comic fest when the guy who was driving me mentioned Scott McCloud was there. My reaction was oh crap because I hadn't brought any of my sketch books, or comics. So when I got there, I walked around and spent up my money on comics, and eventually went to go find McCloud. When I got there he wasn't at his table yet, but he showed up soon enough. He mused that the assistant had spelled his name wrong, something like too many C's. Anyway I asked if since I didn't have any comics for him to sign or a portfolio for him to critique if I could just kind of hang out, and he agreed. We talked to his fans and at one point had a long discussion about the state of news paper comics (at which point I suggested Pearls Before Swine because its Ryan.) Oh, and someone brought a huge stack of vintage Zot!s and made him sign them all; Scott got his revenge by only drawing a self portrait in one of them.
I used to have them in middle school, they basicly mean the teacher sits back (or at most participates as a student) and lets the students discuss the topic, issue, or question.
Also got a Roku box and a George Forman Grill, so, you know, SUCCESS to those as well.
I'm listening to some music to celebrate
My arms do hurt, though. I'll survive