Better Late Than Never, Right?

So, it's kinda late in the semester, but I really would like more people to take the opportunity to add to the Fantasy Lands Wiki, since it is growing exponentially.

--Special thank you to Nat, who was the first one (besides me) to add a title and information that is SO helpful.

Btw, Harry Potter isn't up yet for all of you H.P. fans. Go for it! (Or, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe; The Hobbit; LOTR; etc. etc. etc.)

Jump on board! It's LOTS of fun!!

And, back by popular demand, the link to Fantasy Lands. (There you go, Karen!)

Project: Pixels or Pixies?

Pixel Poetry: Using Visual Literacies to Stimulate a Passion for Romantic Poetry

19th century Romantic Poetry has never been more accessible when combined with text, pictures, music, and transitions in motion. Using iMovie, I created three different poems that depict distinct readings of Keats' "La Belle Dame Sans Merci," and Shelley's "Mutability" and "To a Skylark." Not only do the images provide stimulation for visual learners, but they are evocative of my own views on the text and how they can speak to modern readers.

Because iMovie compresses into Quicktime, which is cross-platform, I can be in either lab.

Hodgepodge

iMovie: Looking back on all of that frustration, I think it was definitely well worth it. My efforts seemed to have paid off, and it was interesting to put a new spin on "seeing" my town. The use of poetry in addition to the visuals was able to create an intriguing mood/tone that I think quite clearly reflects one of the many ways in which I see my home. *Sigh* It was hard work, though.

Website: Professional? Maybe. Completed? No way. Looking way better than last week? Yes, sir! So, I added a couple of pages to my pro website, my resume, student teaching, blurbs about books, etc. Now I just need to get a pic of my lovely self to go with it! Maybe later...

Flash Poetry: Well. I think I've changed what I'm going for. I think I want to contrast the different uses of programs, such as iMovie with a less stellar PowerPoint, and if I can get my hands on it, Flash. I think the comparison would work well, and I'm thinking of highlighting my presentation with some REALLY GOOD examples I've found. And no, I'm not giving them away now.

Blog: Creative Writings: Sure. Look here. I'm BLOGGING! Task accomplished.

Wiki: I think I'm wiki-ed out for this week. I just need to get my hands on some more Fantasy YA Lit and I'll be set to add some more fat to my awesome wiki pages. I figure if I keep adding titles I've read (and will read) my students will have lots to choose from.

* Note to Self: Need more rest. *

Wiki Crazy :)

I think I've found out why Dave likes Wikis so much!

I'm not sure how long I've been at it (an hour, maybe two) working on my wiki about my seminar at the NYSEC conference: Fantasy Lands. I am absolutely LOVING IT!

I'm thinking now that I should have done a huge wiki project involving fantasy YA lit for my final project...I was so into it! That way I could have built a monster resource for myself and my students. Oh well. Flash poetry will work.

Y'all should check out my monster wiki Fantasy Lands because it is quite a feat. I've added stuff that wasn't on my handout, so it is the new and improved version! Fantasy Lands 2.0, the interactive version! YAH!

Website Start

So I've decided I should probably get started on my website. Rather than using iWeb on a Mac, I thought it would be easier, more convenient, and more easily accessible if I tried out freewebs.com. And, low and behold, it is easier.

The only trouble I'm having is, alas, figuring out how to go about "selling" myself as a professional. Go figure, I can write reams of papers, but marketing myself is the difficult part! I'm sure I'm not the only one.

As per Karen, here's my site (definitely under construction...): Dawn's Professional Teacher Site

No real info on it yet...just messing with form, I guess, and trying to get my blog up there as well. The music is great, though, huh?

Linguistic Memory

I think I can accurately classify myself, in regard to Pink's six different types of people, as a shining example of "STORY."

A recent example will explain my conclusion better than anything else.

I do most of my thinking, the serious kind where I plan papers, make lists for what I have to do, think about weighty philosophical questions, and basically organize my life, in the car. Driving to Cortland for classes and workshops, driving to Vestal for work and (gasp) shopping allocates just enough time for me to think about everything.

Last night on the way home in the snow (which conspicuously stopped after Richford...to find this town think small, and then discover that Rockafeller was born there), I was thinking about one of three courses I'm planning on teaching with Jacqueline in January: short stories. There are just some stories, themes, moments, ideas, that truly stick out in my memory, and planning on which stories to teach, I knew I needed to access years of college material, both in literature classes and in creative writing. I think I remember the creative writing stories better because we were always mimicking form and style, but that's a whole other story.

I came up with quite a few stories from college study, and it seemed that one story I LOVED eluded my grasp. I very distinctly remember it being about an Irish sniper who takes aim to kill an enemy over rooftops in Dublin, shoots the man, and discovers it is his brother he has killed. Not bad of a synopsis. I even recall something of the author's name...Liam Flaherty. The story, of course, I remembered the name "The Sniper." Just to make sure, when I got home, I looked up the story and the author. The only thing I didn't remember was the "O" in the author's last name (O'Flaherty). I was very proud of myself.

And then, it came to me...this story had been stuck in my memory for much longer than my stay at Binghamton. We read this story (only once) in high school. NINTH GRADE, to be specific. I guess the whole point of this brief story is to show how, as a linguistic learner and student of literature (even before I knew that's what I was), literature had a hold on me, and I guess it just keeps on holding, even past a span of 10 years. I shared this with my husband last night, and we were (honestly) fascinated by the idea. Of course, there are stories and books that I've read, and can only vaguely remember, but it is the ones that hold emotional ties or represent my own fascination with the idea of "story" that stick with me.

I thought sharing this revelation poingant, since we are all going to be teaching "English." I think that teaching is an amazing endeavor. Even when preparing lessons and content, I am still learning...not only about the subject, but about my own intricate relationship with the written word.

It's a little scary to think how much literature my mind holds on to (images, ideas, characters), refusing to let go...what is it that you have held on to from literature that makes you strive to be a passionate teacher?