Agents Of Change
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The art room sink is where students congregate to spill the tea. To spark inquiry the words "Under Reported" was placed above the sink.
Social Justice
An Act of Social Justice is facilitating opportunities for students to inquire about "underreported stories" and formulate their own questions around underreported stories. That in itself is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, something that I was not empowered to do as a student at any level of education.
Who is Invisible and What does it feel like to be invisible?
Kerry James Marshall
Art is a vehicle for Students to deepen their
understanding of visibility and invisibility
through the works of Kerry James Marshall.
When specific groups of people or individuals are not accurately portrayed in the stories we hear and see, then those people are not going to have authentic and accurate representation to inform societies' ideas about them. This can contribute to historical trauma, strengthening of constructs that promote bias and inequities, and internal conflict of who we are in the world around us.
Pulitzer Center Marina Walker Guevara (Executive Editor and Participating Journalist for the Panama Papers) and Jaya Mukerjee (K-12 Chicago Education Coordinator) virtually guided students through the inquiry process of how to identify underreported stories that are significant to who they are in the world around them.
The most important aspect of the visit for Ms. Haddad was how empowered the students were to reckon with what they needed changed and the possibility for educators, our community and the adults in their lives to learn what those needs are.
Who Am I?
Identity Journal
Identity Journal
10 Adjectives with symbols
Identity Symbols
Identity: Angel
Medium: Ceramic
"I chose an angel because it is my mom and she is important, she is in heaven."
Identity
Symbols to Represent Identity in Various Media
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What connection does storytelling have when communicating identity?
Identity Question Prompts:
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What is Identity?
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What connection does storytelling have to communicating identity?
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How can stories told about us affect our identity?
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In what ways do artists employ their craft to communicate their authentic identity and story?
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How can we tell our own stories?
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Why is it important to tell the stories of those around us?
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How can authentic individual storytelling empower marginalized communities?
UNMUTE Hover Here
Turning the question asking over to the students...
When students ask profound questions as their teacher I get so excited for them!
UNMUTE Hover Here
Dialectical Journal Entry: Identity
The significant work of facilitating opportunities for my students to investigate the Pulitzer Center Resources was an opportunity for wondering which ignites growth and empowerment. Student discovered, uncovered, inquired, contemplated, reckoned with, questioned, empathized, and deepened their ideas of who they are in the world around them deepening their ideas of what matters to them. The bright light that turns on in our brains from the stories we tell, read, and listen to ignites solutions, empathy, agency, hope, and power. As their teacher I am effective when I see students learn, grow, and become empowered collectively. Facilitating learning opportunities that provide this is vital to our chance of living an equitable, humane life among intentional people.
What is an underreported story and why are they underreported?
When reading a story what emotions are provoked and what emotions are underreported?
In small groups students discussed feelings, possible causes, and reactions.
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After reviewing underreported stories on the Pulitzer Center website; students identified possible feelings those affected in the story might feel, why they might feel that way, and the possible causes for the feelings. They circled from their list what they thought they might feel if the same thing happened to them.
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How do I tell the stories that are important to my identity?
When does disruption have a positive impact?
"When you're in a stressful, painful or emotional situation and need a distraction and protests, standing up"
Why are some cultures less visible than others in storytelling?
"Because in some eyes they may not be known and/or important"
How can data make people visible?
"Because it makes them more known and then respected"
What do you want to disrupt?
"Gated neighborhoods, privilege, exclusion"
Educator Note: In this exercise with the students it brought to light the inner struggles that the students harbor. Giving them an opportunity to disrupt and reckon with what creates turmoil within them is necessary and pertinent to their survival, empowerment and sense of belonging in the world.
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What is an underreported story relevant to my life?
Underreported Stories Wonder Wall
A Wonder Wall is a place accessible to students (in the classroom or online) that shows students’ thinking and provides students a place to record questions and wonders as they occur. It is an interactive wall that encourages curiosity, inquiry, and openness. Questions can be recorded, shared, encouraged and answered. Most questions will not be answered and this is acceptable and expected.
WOW Wonders:
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I wonder who post these?
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Do people create these types of posters in mondern day?
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I wonder if these posters can change the way someone thinks about something?
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I wonder who these posters belong to?
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I wonder if one of these posters ever made a difference in the world?
WOW Wonders:
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I wonder if information is credible?
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I wonder if there is infomation out there that I don't know about?
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I wonder how words can affect people around us and how that makes it significant?
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I wonder how infomation on the news influences people's perspective of world events?
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I wonder how it is decided what is important for people to know?
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I wonder what information is being used to influence people?
Where am I in this process?
Assessment:
In Whole Group students create a rubric to guide their process. They self-assess using their rubric to identify where they need to focus their learning, research and art making to meet the goals of the project.
We begin the process with listing the performance tasks. We chunk performance tasks together and list the critera necessary to show mastery. Students fill out their rubric using the information identified in whole group.
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Self-Assessment and Process Documentation
Where am I in this process?
Formative Assessment
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How can civic engagement efforts tell global and communal stories to build and develop a sense of belonging and advocacy, expose authentic stories in an effort to dispel bias amongst members of the community, deepen visual literacy skills, tell civically engaging stories igniting inquiry, and deepen the capacity for experiencing empathy with art and journalism as the vehicles?
To help students grow their knowledge about how art plays a critical role in telling stories; we had a virtual visit from Claire Voon (Pulitzer Center Grantee) and Jaya Mukerjee (K-12 Chicago Education Coordinator). Students had the opportunity to discuss the power of their artwork and the artwork of others to tell underreported stories, make an impact, and inform others of who they are, what is important to them, and provide a more equitable perspective of people and their experiences. The students were given the opportunity to think about the responsibility of storytelling and contemplate their own ethics.
Ms. Voon's work told the stories of diverse communities and artists and the role civic engagement plays in viewing, participating in and contributing to the process of art making and storytelling.
Ms. Voon was an enlightening storyteller inspiring students to use imagination as a revolutionary tool.