"...the education that matters today..."

Thoughts on Tooning In: Essays on Popular Culture and Education
Chapters 1-3

What is it? The book jacket indicates therein is a collection of essays which "examine and interpret" the meaning of popular culture. Further, the essays center around the fundamental belief that popular culture is an integral tool in teaching and learning.

Reaction to Chapter 1: Tooning In
The first chapter appears to focus on a justification for the inclusion of popular culture into the traditional curriculum. As a classroom teacher, my initial reaction to the first part the chapter is a healthy skepticism. It is difficult not to feel defensive in the face of the authors' characterization of contemporary classrooms as places where there is no "hope for critical thinking or problem solving development" (2). All this aside, though I make countless attempts to include meaningful student-centered activities and lessons, I know I am MILES away from where I would like to be. I also agree that some in education downplay the possibilities of integrating more popular culture in their classrooms. Still, I am looking for more strategies and tactics to move away from teacher-centered models of content delivery and skill building, and this does not happen for several pages. Perhaps as a digital native, I have no reservations about a student-centered curriculum, and do not require as much justification as the authors' provide.

Another main idea outlined in the chapter is the power of music when appropriately implemented into the classroom. Music as the archetypal reflection of past, present, and future societal trends may allow students more opportunity for engagement. As a Social Studies teacher, I agree with the point the authors make about music as much more than a reflection of societal trends--they can actually act as a "catalyst for critical social efficacy and societal change" (10). For example, in my own class we discuss the implications of early Bob Dylan on American society rather than simply pointing out that this is one man's observation.

Reaction to Chapter 2: The Spiderman Curriculum
With great interest I was happy to see the focus of this chapter is popular culture in the Social Studies. Under "Popular Culture as Pedagogy,"I agree about the utility of emotion in the classroom to allow learners to attach themselves to content. Sesame Street appears as a ready rebuttal to any doubters of the positive influence of popular culture in a learner's development. Later in the chapter, the discussion of hidden messages within SEMs and other commercial materials appears to be a learning opportunity in and of itself. We can use these materials to teach students the importance of healthy skepticism and identifying bias, hopefully reverting back to a postmodernist belief in active citizenship.

The discussion of the Disney issue fits in with part of my curriculum about the search for historical "fact". Students are often given (teacher-centered, I know) several primary and secondary sources dealing with a controversial issue. This week, it's the treatment of Christopher Columbus as hero or villain. We may look at historical sources such as Columbus' journal or the work of a later detractor, Bartolome De las Casas. This chapter has prompted me to include more contemporary perspectives on the issue as the next logical step. For years, I believed the inclusion of film clips such as those in 1492 or The Discovery would cloud my students' judgment of the issue. However, contemporary characterizations of Columbus tell us much more about values and prejudices in our own time than they may about the man himself.

Reaction to Chapter 3: Critical Media Literacy
The third chapter's introduction makes an interesting point regarding the negative view many have about today's culture. Certainly, narcissism and questionable value determinations pervade much of popular culture, especially in terms of gender, racial, and class issues. Still, it is short-sighted to disregard today's culture as a whole as completely valueless (31). Moreover, to adequately prepare young adults for value crossroads they may face in later life, they must deal with real world issues throughout their schooling. Popular culture is not a monolith--we must be confident to pass down the ability to make value judgments--not just values themselves.

Also notable is the handling of "multiculturalism," an educational buzzword that is increasingly on the lips of many education professionals. I was impressed with the depth the authors provided on what this term means to different groups. I have been uncomfortable with those who define multiculturalism as the inclusion of "heroes and holidays." While their attempts may be in good faith, we are missing countless opportunities to move "away from the old ideas and towards [a] new attitude" where "conflicts build cultures and democracies" (34). This is my vision of a complete Social Studies curriculum, one where the focus is controversies which are always directed by content.