Case 3 Fairy tales and Myths of films By Tyler Miller, Francisco Loera 4th September, 2013

What was found in case #3? We read a case where a teacher, Ms. Christensen, challenged her students to dissect different child-hood fairy tales and identify different values, gender roles, colored people and their roles, etc. In doing so, it has opened the students’ eyes to more that surrounds them in their everyday lives. A lot of reflection on self values, goals, and tradition/culture practices.

Questions for reflections Effectiveness of Ms. Christensen’s use of literature and movies to teach values and character development. Addressing society's perceptions of beauty, age, and personal goals with students… Determine the degree to which Ms. Christensen class believes that stereotypes in media are: harmful or instructive in their own ability to think critically… Should teachers challenge the beliefs of their students on their own social and concept roles? How could a teacher help students come to a clearer and healthier understanding of issues related to sexual activity in school-age youth?

Values and character development Using Familiar movies and cartoons that the students seen before to critique and find the underlying lesson in either viewing. Having the students critique not only the lesson being taught but who was doing the teaching by roles of the people, by color, as well as men or woman. Along with the relationships amongst the characters, use of “loaded” words, and self-image effect of the story. Speaking the students views to other listeners out side of the class room and not just classmates. Finally the grading of the cartoons based on their moral stories and lessons.

Society’s perceptions Beauty should not be decided by those how would stake claim on someone just by their looks, every person is unique in their own individual way and no one person should decide what is “normal”. I would teach my students that everyone is a beauty with their own personality and that they should not change who they are just to fit in. Wisdom comes with age some would say yet there are others that would say that the student must surpass the master if they are to carry on the knowledge of an art of order. How old someone is shouldn’t matter to the society many great minds could come from the youngest or oldest of us all not from the society deciding who is unique and wise. Thus I would teach my students that wisdom doesn’t come from how old you are but how far you want to push yourself to learn. Personal goals are just that personal and the only time those goals should ever be talked about is to someone that the student trusts or needs guidance. Therefore I would teach my students to set your eyes high on a goal and fight for you what you want and never settle for something beneath those goals and help will come to those who seek it out. There is a phase that I live by that describes just this lesson and that is Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum, if you want peace prepare for war, meaning fight for what you want not what is given to you.

How well did the class understand? What Ms. Christensen can do is give more assignments for the students in which they must breakdown the fairy tales that are given to them within the options and be able to identify whether the media is harmful or un-harmful, as well as making sure that these fairy tales they critique are more challenging. By also being able to define many different key aspects throughout the fairy tales other than just gender roles, people of color, etc.

Students’ Social and Concept Roles This could possibly be a great approach, for many different reasons, though the challenge should only be presented to the student at an older age, such as late middle school/early high school. The method(s) that should be used will have to do a lot with social studies, history, study of cultures around the world, the evolution throughout different times and what affected it, and more. This is something that should be presented to the student at a correct age, as mentioned above. Hear, students can learn about different obstacles, struggles, advantages, and more about different cultures throughout the times. Students learn to become bridges in a more diverse world while learning different values, morals, etc.

Issues dealing with sexual activity in school-age youth Explain the consequences that could result when becoming involved with these activities. Identify how times and cultures have gone through obstacles and situations that we in the present have the fortune of having had overcome by others before us. Always lead students in a positive and clear example. Everything the teacher says and does affects the student. Remind students that their focus should be on more important things, such as family that they have now, work, school, and their future. That all these things can be in jeopardy if such sexual actions are taken.

Conclusion Many things that our students’ are around and are exposed to can have such a powerful impact on their mindset and how they choose to deal with hardships, relationships, responsibilities, and more. As teachers, we must educate them on what is around them and also how it can affect them. Teach them how to think for themselves and stick to what a universal thought of morals is given to us by others.