Group presentations & facilitations: 4 groups Media resources for teachers Cyberbullying: the role of teachers Media ethics: what to show and not to show in your classroom

Resources for teaching Social Justice Issues through Media Literacy lab/bcame/publications/Resources_for_SJ_Ne wsletter.htm

In Your Face: The Culture of Beauty and You by Shari Graydon, published by Annick Press. This is not strictly a textbook, but is intended to be read as a general interest book. However, it is readily adaptable as a text by most teachers. As its title suggests the book examines the way our culture has shaped our understanding of what it means to be beautiful. It includes an overview and analysis both male and female notions of beauty. Author, Shari Graydon, is a past president of MediaWatch, a feminist organization that monitors the portrayal of women in the media.

Made You Look: How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know by Shari Graydon, Annick Press. Again, not strictly a textbook, but intended to be read for general interest. It includes some excellent background material on the history of advertising. It is designed to be read by students at the grade 6-9 level, but readily adaptable for other grade levels.

Note to elementary teachers Many of the new Language Arts series that the major publishers brought out to coincide with the new IRPs in 1996 have useful lesson material on media literacy related topics. Nelson Language Arts for grades 4, 5 and 6 divided their readers into Personal Literacy, Informational Literacy, and Media Literacy. Harcourt Brace published a dedicated text at the grade 4, 5 and 6 levels called Media Sense. They are listed as components of the Meadowbooks series.

This site is an absolute must for the busy teacher. It has ready to download lessons for different grade levels on a range of social justice issues.

The National Film Board (NFB) has many more videos on media literacy and related topics. Visit their website ( for more details.

resources/find-lesson resources/find-lesson – Select grade, subject, and province

Cyberbullying The Role of the School? Schools should develop a comprehensive approach to address cyberbullying that includes: engaging in participatory planning that involves current school-based programs (such as safe schools initiatives) and non-school participants - police, parents and community groups and social agencies conducting a needs assessment ensuring that an effective anti-bullying program is in place reviewing existing policies and procedures (update bullying policy to include harassment perpetrated with mobile and Internet technology, and computer Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) to specifically prohibit using the Internet for bullying) conducting professional development providing parent education (organize parent education nights and workshops) providing student education (integrate anti-bullying and cyberbullying education into existing curriculum, so it is not another ‘add on’) evaluating the program to determine its effectiveness

The role of classroom teachers In the classroom, teachers can create an environment of inclusiveness in which every student is valued. Teachers should: Examine their own attitudes and demonstrate a respectful attitude towards all students and other staff. Intervene whenever a child is being bullied – this includes speaking out if they see other teachers exhibiting aggressive or demeaning behaviour towards a student. Seek out shy, marginalized students and encourage their involvement in the classroom by promoting any special talents they have. Encourage healthy relationships by integrating strategies for discouraging bullying into classroom activities. Developing a sense of control - a belief in one’s ability to take charge of the controllable aspects of a situation and influence a more positive outcome - can make a difference in helping young people build resiliency toward and take control of bullying situations. [ The Canadian Teachers’ Federation has developed a CyberTips guide for teachers that can be viewed at: fce.ca/publications/pd_newsletter/PD2008_Volume7- 2English_Article9.pdf. fce.ca/publications/pd_newsletter/PD2008_Volume7- 2English_Article9.pdf

Media and ethics Right vs right choices Who remembers Philippe Trahan? – A 29 year old history teacher in Montreal – Fired after showing the horrific murder clip linked to alleged body-parts killer Luka Magnotta. Lessons from Trahan’s choice – Appropriateness of media materials – The importance of a mentor

“teaching professionalism is regarded as an integration of skills and knowledge as well as an awareness of moral responsibilities for and obligations to the individuals who are dependent on the teacher – the pupils. (Colnerud, 1997, 629)”

Handling ethical conflicts No one right way Ethical conduct has to be situated and cannot be standardised Depending on your awareness and ability to discriminate between alternatives and reasons justifying your actions You need a professional language articulating the ethical element in your practice in order to be able to recognize the issues and solutions Summer, 2014: EDST 404: Ethics and teaching