Literacy

What does it mean to be literate in schools? I've been working on my skills in ALL the content areas (and it IS hard). But one of the things that bothers me is how easy it is to say "literacy" and mean only one thing. I propose we think about how Dan Brown wrote his characters and the story The Lost Symbol. What was his intention? What literacies do we have to navigate, harness, and/or master to negotiate this text? What challenges to our own ways of thinking arise? Can we criticize his text? If so, how? If not, why not? What makes us literate beings, and how does being "literate" (with all that word can entail) make us better people? Can it? Does it? What literacy do we admire in others? Where does it shine in our own lives?

It's a Tough Job...Who wants to do it?

Lately, I've been finding myself watching many t.v. shows...trying to escape reality when I'm also trying to know it better. High quality acting in well-written shows make me think about education and the choices a teacher makes. For years, inane reality shows and a lack of notable actors took me away from television...from narrative and the visual engagement. Television can be educational and escapism, but it can also be empowering. So, if putting high quality actors on television helps support viewership by increasing the level of performances, maybe we can consider the quality of teacher and how that can help support the instructional level in a classroom. What makes a good teacher? All kinds of research exists to describe the value of good teachers and what contributes to good teaching. But I think you can "see" the difference...like on t.v. When you see poor quality (reality?) shows, you KNOW they are not good. An informed educator and/or evaluator (and STUDENT) knows when he/she sees a bad teacher--or rather, bad teaching. How can we ensure that we are developing high quality teachers and high quality instruction? What can we do (as educational systems) to make that happen?