Media Literacy Unit & Mindset

I have recently launched a new unit in my Grade 7 & 8 writing classes on Media Literacy. I'm using an e-book that was purchased and given to me by another English teacher. In it are comprehensive lesson plans that break down different types of media and teach students to deconstruct the messages they are bombarded with on a daily basis. It's exactly the kind of vehicle I need to deliver my lesson on Jerry. If you've read my old posts, you'll know that Jerry is a famous graffiti artist here in Petionville, and that his work is displayed on the walls we drive by every day. It's gratifying to see how excited my students get about making connections between the images they see from behind their tinted, reinforced windows and the lessons they're learning in class.

While it's very helpful to have pre-made lessons to use, I continue to struggle with them. There's always something that doesn't quite suit my needs, could be worded differently, or just scratches the surface when I want to delve deep. There's no doubt that I'm a perfectionist, and anal about the formatting of my handouts, but there has to be some happy medium to be found. I often supplement these lessons with images or videos, but there is so much information out there that I get easily overwhelmed. As I teacher, I feel that it is my job to know what is a good versus mediocre resource and yet, I could spend days combing the Internet, looking for that "just-right" thing I'm missing. It's discouraging. At times like that, I have to remind myself that I have plenty of years ahead of me to change, improve, and perfect the lessons that I will teach.

I am definitely struggling with my mindset, and often think of the book Mindset, written by Carol Dweck. I like being good at things right off the bat, and have very little patience for myself when I flounder. Being a teacher is a study in organization, group-management, self-discipline, and compassion, and the learning curve is steep!