Multimodal Composing; Blog Post #4

  

Multimodal Composing

 I wish I could say I have so much experience. I don’t. I have the ideas in my head, yet no execution of it. For past projects, I have worked with an artist and drew large posters for trans rights and depicted many visual elements of the struggles of being queer for my classes. I made a dress out of queer banned books for my YA Queer Literature class. I have sung for projects, and I have written and acted out scripts. (I promise it is not as cheesy as it sounds, hopefully). I have two new media genres that spark something in me as a creator and writer. I have never made a music video before, but the image I have in my mind for one fuel this creative part in me. Also, digital storytelling, though with poetry instead of vlogging. In my wildest dreams I would put everything I write and have in my head out to the world. Alas, I don’t have the time, money, experience, or self-esteem to do that. I wish different media genres were offered to me when I was in high school. I may have more confidence to put my art out there.

Not a Smiling Friends picture, am I doing, okay? (I think Inside from Bo Burnham is what plays in my head when I want to make anything)

I'm lying, I totally know how to use Tik Tok. I was a dancer/singer/actor. I ran the sound board; I know what I am doing. I just don't think it is good enough. A ton of my work for class was having to sing, even during Covid. Recording my projects, one could say that it is multimodal. Even though we were forced to do it. Maybe, I am creative, I'm just liar who has no energy. Oh well, trust me there are things out there from projects. I am not going to ever show you. (unless you ask very nicely) I guess I can show a little bit. One of my jobs in college was working at the Women's Resource Center on campus. (12/10) They have free mensutral hygeine products, safe sex supplies, a libarary, free coffee, and so much more. An amazing space, and I am so lucky I got to work there. The social media coordinator would nufge me a lot to take pictures and make Tik Toks (that would never get posted because they were not great). 

Notice my long hair and lack of tattoos. This was almost three years ago?

     As an educator in an age where technology basically runs the world, offering students an outlet to be creative on a platform they are comfortable with may better increase their engagement. Although straying from comfortability ensure critical thinking, and deeper thinking. I like the idea of using comics and drawings in classrooms. In the reading, “Comics, Collage, and Other Things,” the use of images changed the students, and helped them identity with themselves, “images have power” (Thomsen, pg 55). Students have the ability to connect with themselves and their peers. Images, whether that be from drawings or collages, are able to construct their view of themselves. They don’t have to listen to external factors of who they should be or how they should look/act. This reading goes on to describe how images help build agency. Though intellectual engagement is important as well. I feel like agency is ripped away for a lot of children or adults who speak for them. Everyone deserves to have their voice heard. Everyone deserves to feel like they are their own person and not walking in someone else’s shoes. I want that for my students, when you have confidence, especially in the classroom. You are more likely to answer questions, make mistakes, and engage with materials. Not only does it help with a student's confidence, but it also allows for students to actively be a part of a bigger conversation. They can see their peers identities and recognize the differences between themselves and others. This engagement in society allows students to understand that everyone has a different lived reality. This connection will help them outside of the classroom when working with others. Instead of always having a mirror with reading or writing, it offers a sliding door where they can step out and view other identities and be able to see connections and their own privilege. This is something we need to start doing at a young age, so we don’t repeat history. Our future depends on this generation we need to give them the opportunity for them to grow as individuals with recognition of others and build their own confidence.

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    Another form that I see youth connecting to the most out of the new media genres is book trailers. It allows students to engage with the reading and take out the important parts they would want to make in a video. It can be a cheesy, fun action trailer that describes the book. Students have this creative outlet that they wouldn't be able to express if I were just assigning a written book report. Working with technology for a project, “provides students with multiple tools that they can use to mediate their thinking about concepts” (Chrisholm and Trent, pg 314). Having this ability to connect to the readings because they know they get to do something fun afterwards allows for deeper thinking about concepts in the book. They are engaged because they may want to make the best book trailer. It allows for those images to come onto the screen and voice overs, they can play around with it. Which, in the end, makes students learn from the readings because they will be putting what they read into that trailer. It may seem simple, yet it engages and connects students to a myriad of tools to develop more reading comprehension skills. Building their confidence with images and their critical thinking skills with trailers is something I would like to practice in my classroom. Open up the floor to see what students would want. I don’t want to have an authoritarian stance; students have a voice and should be able to share what they think is best for their learning. Not only does it help them better engage, but it is also more accessible to students who may struggle with writing. Giving more outlets allows all students to grow and complete projects to the best of their abilities.

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    I want to empower my students. I may not always know what I am doing. I probably fail a lot, and I think I am ready for it. I won’t change the world. Yet, if I can have one student walk away with more confidence, growth, and engagement with others, then I did something right. I won’t stop even when I fail, if I do. Why go into the classroom? You can’t be good at everything, all of the time. One step forward every day, that is all I can do. Even though I prefer pen to paper. Why would you deprive your students of accessibility and engagement because you enjoy something more? They are the ones showing up every day and learning. As educators, we need to do our best to help students.