Staying Grounded, Revisiting history and Reflecting: week 4

El Vendedor De Alcatraces, Diego Rivera 1941

It is important that from time to time we stop and remind ourselves what it is that we are seeking, what is it that we hope to contribute and obtain in our daily interactions with the world that we live in. In reaching the mid point of this digital story class, I found my self looking back to the beginning of my new career, the choice that I have made and the promises that I made to my self as an educator. 

Cargador de Flores, Diego Rivera 1935

Looking at Murals, Graffiti and public art, it would be nearly a cardinal sin not to mention the fore fathers, or 'Los Tres Grandes".  As one of the three, Rivera help to create a social and artistic movement that gave way to the public murals and works that we enjoy today. His work reminds me that here, in the every day, and in this class, there is a heavy burden to carry. We can not forget that the we as a society are still not much further than we were in Rivera's day. In conversations this week I am reminded of that burden, not as something that pains me, but something that I am proud to be apart of. Social awareness was the goal of Rivera, with each mural and fresco completed he brought more attention the the working class Chicano and Latino peoples of the United States and Mexico, their fight for equity and better life, and a continuance of culture without bias and prejudice. In every thing there is a chance to be critical and question that that has been done. During the Chicano mural movement, women were oppressed and depicted as sex symbols and house wives rather than strong contributors to society. Women then did not just acknowledge that there was an injustice, they spoke up, got involved and started creating their own murals.They took action, and that is what we need to continue to do today in digital affinity spaces. 

Throughout conversations, I believe that I have stayed true to my commitment for social justice, but it is apparent that I may need to speak even louder. Though it was bell hooks that said' We judge on the basis of what somebody looks like, skin color, whether we think they're beautiful or not. That space on the Internet allows you to converse with somebody with none of those things involved. " we still need to realize that this digital affinity is a majoritarian space, harbored by a hegmonic ideals and class biases.I love the idea that this digital affinity space does allow for a multitude of people to become connected without bias, but we have to also be reminded who is using the spaces. We talk about digital literacies that are only obtainable by those afforded the ability to participate. Working in a title one, low income 78% Free and reduced lunch school, I can tell you from being on the front lines that my students have no idea, have no access, and are struggling to be literate in the every day, let alone some affinity space. So as you hear 'platitude', ask your self what you are doing, or are you even aware that there is an issue.

Liberating education consists in acts of cognition, not transferrals of information.Paulo Friere

Hands of Dr. Moore, Diego Rivera 1940

As I continue to carve my ideals and practises of digital literacy, this week I started a plight to not use any pre-made gif's. Teaching myself the practise and re-learning Ps has given me a new light, reassurance in my own creativity and confidence that I can than interweave messages of social justice as I see needed.Through the insight of a fellow scholar I have become a little more critical of the daily creates, and hope to complete one every day, using my interest in both art and social justice as a platform to be more outspoken.

Annotating publicly, this week felt a little uneasy, as you read through the scholarly posts, one begins to question their own articulation and verbal expression, it is a lot easier to blog a post that is only commented on in the after. As I continue to shape an online persona, that is still authentic and doesn't stray to far from my real self, I try to not be intimidated, and remind my self of my own education, and experience that shape my conversations. 

Though art and a visit to the DAM, I have learned to use a stop motion app that is incredible, easy and quite possible to master and create professional quality work.  There are so many things that I have learned that I would love to transfer to to my classroom, but how, when the technology is not there to support it and the ever present gap in education based on social economics continues to keep my students in poverty. It is a little frustrating...

Still wondering...

I am not really sure that I am annotating correctly, I mean in my group, really I just try to find  a link that works, and that is done, and easy to find... I try to not comment on the same peoples work week after week, maybe this is best practice, perhaps not? I think that I have figured out hypothesis.is, but then again, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of feedback on anything, I love that we have broken down that barrier between teacher and student, but... so I would also rate myself at the end of the course as the teacher/student?

The readings continue to challenge my previous notions and create a lot of thought and emotion, which is good, but I am still unsure about the suggested readings, it seems like the group is directed to one, or that we all are just choosing the same one?