To start our new unit, my students and I watched Daughtry’s “What About Now” video. It has absolutely nothing to do with Language Arts, but I figured having visual literacy standards in the curriculum meant I could swing it. I used it as the “emotional hook” to get my students engaged in an upcoming lesson about the reasons to read. Well, I did have some that did not take the bait, but others who gave me some new insight into just how profound 12-14 year-olds can be. Before you read these, take a look at the video.
They had the choice to answer one of the two following questions: “How does the content of the video relate to you” or “what impression did the video have on you?”
“It is telling us what we can do to help all these people out. Plus, that we should be grateful that this isn’t us…we should try to help because if we were them we would want help from other people.”
“People want to change the world and I want to be one of those people.”
“People want to make ends meet and my family is struggling to do so.”
“The video relates to me because I want to change the world too and I don’t want to be a statistic like he was saying.”
“What I think it was about helping and trying to do so together. Willing to try your best in everything that you do. I want to cry.”
“What stuck out to me was that many people can change so many things in anything or anybody’s life.”
“I can help people.”
Simple. True. Perspectives that should remind us how important the idea of “I can” can change a world. Soon, I will work on engaging these students in some change-making of their own. Any suggestions on role models they can look to?
By the way, if you are looking to make an impact in my classroom (or others like it) check out DonorsChoose. I have two proposals up right now…and they are easy opportunities for you to make a difference and be a change-maker in my students’ lives! Donate today! (shameless plug, I know)
“We Absolutely Need This Part-Time Diary”
~MJ