"A Tale of Two Retail Spaces" Module Project

I live close to a Town Center, so I had to think carefully about my choices for this particular project. Once I decided that I wanted to focus on restaurants, I wished to select two that were very different in nature and design. This project compelled me to view these familiar settings in a very new way.

My first selection was one that I knew well, Red Robin. I have visited this location before, but never took the time to actually study the entire space. My experience was that of a typical chain restaurant, maybe slightly better. Right from the start I could not stop looking at the pictures, artifacts, and signs that were literally everywhere. There was a lot to see, but it was not overwhelming for me. There was anything you could imagine from an American flag made of baseballs, to a large neon sign advertising different flavors of shakes. The warm color choices coordinated well between the ceiling, floor, and walls. After looking at the menu once, it was clear that visitors primarily come here for the burgers. Still, I did not feel rushed to make an immediate choice. I was able to select from healthy options if I was feeling in the mood for that type of food. While deciding, I noticed that the open windows let in natural light. The dim hanging fixture above my booth provided more, if needed. The seats were firm and comfortable after a long day of work. It was clear that the staff cared about the appearance of the interior. My experience here leads me to want to come back again... and again. 

DuClaw was next on the list. As I entered I knew that the atmosphere suited me well. My experience was different than that of Red Robin because I knew I could enjoy a long evening of relaxation and conversation in the bar area. The layout was conducive to this. The varied choices for seating let me select whatever happen to fit my mood at the time. The colors were dark browns and reds. This combination contributed to an overall darker feel, a sensation of being hidden away. I did not mind this though because I could look outside if I wanted to. In doing so this made me remember that I am still part of the outside world. There was not a lot of artwork, other than the advertisements for various craft beers. The selection of beer was vast and the food options were not bad either. I could settle for basic pub fare, or get a dinner with a little more class. This place made me feel at home and settled. I could see DuClaw being my new meeting spot with coworkers or close friends. The design led to a superb experience which was just right for me.

Thoughts on Architecture & Interior Design (Part II)

Listening to Susanka's radio interviews on design provided me with a new outlook on how the layout of a particular space influences how the individual experiences that space. There are many important elements that go into making a design successful. I started thinking about the layout and design of my own elementary school building. The school that I teach at is very old, and the building is situated within an apartment complex. The outside is not visually appealing, but everyone knows this is a place of learning. My thoughts then drifted to my own classroom setup. For this entry I will discuss an imaginative bridge between Susanka's ideas and the classroom arrangement that is part of my everyday work area. 

I am aware that my classroom is not a "home". Nevertheless, my students and I spend so much time here, that in a way it becomes like a second home to us. Susanka mentions that "it's how we feel in a space" which is really key. My classroom is an open environment. There are no walls on one side, just a large hallway that leads to a stairwell. Initially, I did not favor this type of room. From the start, I said that if I had it my way I would have walls with a door I could close. Once I became more comfortable, I realized that I could work to create a feeling of intimacy and personal space without the confinement of the walls. 

Devising a plan took some time and effort on my end. I had to think about the the overall feeling I wished to create in my classroom. After several rounds of trial and error my room was finally complete. I started by blocking off the hallway with three large chalkboards. My desks were then set up in collaborative learning clusters. I did this to help foster a sense of community among students. Furthermore, I have a collection of cushions and pillows that set off my classroom library area. Each reading center has it's own private spot in the room. I hope that my students have  "a feeling of being wrapped by a space" in my room. A strong sense of place and space in the classroom is important to me. I want my students to feel comfortable in the learning space I have created for them.

Susanka said to focus on "quality" and not the "quantity" of the space. Basically, I am working to the best of my ability within my means. I would say that my classroom is set up in the most favorable way possible under the circumstances.  Overall, I believe the layout is conducive to student learning. As a teacher, classroom design is something that is crucial and must be thought out as well as planned in advance. Just like a homeowner can work to create a specific "tailoring of space", the teacher can work to set up their room in a way which supports student growth and learning. I realize that my thoughts here are somewhat related to this week's Facebook discussion. These ideas are leading me to formulate my opinions for the workplace as cubicles vs open space debate. I can't wait to read everyone's responses on this topic!

 Borrowed from Google Images

Thoughts on Architecture & Interior Design (Part I)

While reviewing the readings for this week I am having some curious thoughts relating to how architects create compelling spaces for their audiences. I suppose I never thought so in depth on this subject. I never had a reason to do so! All of the elements of design that go into creating homes and other buildings in society is vast and impressive. Then, taking the time to consider how the layout and designs relate to the everyday experiences of living must be quite a job. According to Susanka's Home by Design the "qualities of a space" are key. This point stood out to me in my reading as I found myself examining my own living space of my small apartment. There is so much more to consider besides the basic floor plan!

Now, a little more on relating this art to the domain of education. Like teachers, architects use specific tools to craft their works of art. As a teacher I use data, objectives, and a specific text to design my lessons in a way which fit my unique learners. Architects use space, light, and order as tools to design their creations. Just like in teaching, this approach does not always work out for the best. Susanka uses some modified photos to further prove her point in her piece. These examples brought me closer to understanding how a space can be less than compelling in nature. Just like in an architects' work, order allows teachers to understand what we are looking at in a more concise way too. This is an important point that was made in  Susanka's piece. I feel I can directly apply this to the field of education. I will have more thoughts next week as I delve deeper into the readings and participate in the Facebook discussions with my colleagues. 

Revised Two Minute Moment Project 1

I am exploring basic print vs. digital text in my video. This is a topic that is important to me as a language arts teacher. I use Scholastic News in my classroom as a learning tool to expose my students to informational texts. Up until recently I only had access to the print edition. As a subscriber I am now able to log on and use a digital issue while teaching the skill lesson in my classroom. 

This digital experience is more compelling for both me as a teacher, and my students as learners for several reasons. When I am using the basic print edition teaching is ordinary. This is nothing new from what my student's experience using their anthology books or other printed articles/texts in the classroom. When using the online issue the experience becomes more compelling as students are able to explore the articles in greater depth. The visuals are vital to enhancing the topics we are learning about. Students even use these digital issues at home and in the computer lab with the media specialist. 

Some key features of this enhanced issue include videos, vocabulary, maps, photographs, and questions aligned with the Common Core Standards. My teaching becomes more stimulating for students as I use these additional resources at hand. The experience becomes more compelling for both parties as a whole. I work to implement these learning tools and students interact with the technology in order to gain greater knowledge of the subjects we are studying in class.

Television & Film Module Project

South River Stroll

Director's Commentary:

I was aiming to create an overall feeling of shock and surprise in my viewer. I worked on several key aspects of my video to develop this idea. As part of the creative process I ran through many ideas before settling on a final choice. I ended up choosing an experience that is typically relaxing in nature- walking by the water. In order to create the surprise I changed direction with my subject by adding a curve ball at the end of the video. Initially, my subject appears relaxed and calm while walking down the pier. He is whistling a simple tune and taking a short stroll. This gives the viewer an overall calm feeling.  He stops at the edge to examine the pilings and check out his surroundings, still all is well. Finally, the subject leans in to a get a closer look and falls into the water. It is at this point where the mood changes as the subject yells out in shock and runs to the dry land in a dramatic escape from the coldness of the wintry water. The design of adding in an element of surprise to this otherwise tranquil experience is what I think makes my work a success. 

I think this project turned out better than I had hoped. I am a beginner filmmaker and found this frustrating. I had to take a step back and realize that I needed to start at a basic level. I was tempted to do some editing, but opted out of it in order to preserve the originality of the work. I learned a couple of lessons on NDCE while creating this project. One key learning point I discovered is that it is more difficult to chose a topic and center it around a feeling than I thought. For example, I felt that many of my ideas were too basic. From the start I had an idea about my subject walking through the woods on a beautiful sunny day. Sure, this would be visually appealing, but what would be the overall experience and mood behind the scene? Then, after coming up with several more ideas I realized I was getting too personal. This revelation made me realize that not everyone would get my vision. I actually took several rounds of thirty second clips on various topics before finally heading down to the marina and capturing this action with a more specific idea in mind. I hope you appreciate the hard work and thought I put into my creation. Enjoy!

Thoughts on Television & Film (Part II)

As I finished up the readings for the module this week I found myself contemplating deeper connections between my classroom practices and the arts of TV/film. At first, it was challenging for me to come up with more "imaginative bridges" between these arts. This seems to be a common trend! Once again, I sat down to write my entry and had to seriously consider all that I have learned. I worked over a period of several days to brainstorm as I tried to stretch my train of thought. As teachers, we often design our lessons with hopes of getting our students on the path to thinking more abstractly. With this in mind, I found myself having trouble doing the same thing while interacting with the lessons and ideas in the readings this week. Once I finally found a reasonable way to relate the realm of these arts with the field of education, things became clearer. Then I had my "AH HA!" moment. At this point I felt a sense of relief  I am attributing my minor "writer's block" to part of the overall learning process. I find it important to record my thoughts on certain areas of my learning progress throughout this seminar as a way to gauge my personal growth. 

One article in particular stood out to me this week as the ideas within proved to be very compelling for me. I spent a great chunk of time reading through the main points on tvjournalist.net. I discovered that reporters work much like teachers. I was able to pull key ideas from their field of work while relating it to my own. For example, educators must be very knowledgeable on the specific needs of our audience as we decide what objectives and skills to cover each day. Furthermore, I found the parts of the news story to be very similar to the components of a solid lesson plan. Capturing "interest" is the first step and using appropriate "visuals"/"statistics" is key to enhancing the presentation. Students and viewers alike both want to know the "why", or the reason this information is being presented to them. This explanation reinforces the overall "focus" of the goal in mind. "Conflicting viewpoints" open up the possibility for great discussions related to the topic on the table.

Teachers are like reporters in the sense that they are avid researchers. The work is based on facts and concrete evidence. Everything is data driven and in the best interest of our students. Just as a news story is created for a target audience, teachers must keep in mind the most important audience of all- their students! Communication is crucial in all areas of this line of work and in both fields. I will continue to think about these ideas and more as I finalize my module project for this week.

Thoughts on Television & Film (Part I)

Television and film are compelling in the sense that they both posses the ability to transport you to another world. If the film is done correctly, it has the ability to bring forth many emotions that captivate your attention and make you feel a series of strong emotions stemming from the unfolding story line. For example, over winter break I saw Skyfall in theaters. This latest Bond action movie captured my attention as I found my palms sweating and my heart beating faster at certain points. While watching I couldn't stop my mind from racing as the next scene unfolded on the big screen. After the movie I was certain that the filmmaker and all parties involved had done an excellent job in the creation of this movie. How can I relate the art of film making to the art of teaching?

ceasefiremagazine.co.uk

After studying the course readings for this module, several thoughts came to mind as I sat down to write my first entry. First, I considered the feedback on my most recent blogs. Initially, I had difficulty thinking of how to apply my craft to the work of filmmakers. I first read over the article that focused on film making and research, and this brought to light some key points. As teachers, we are driven by data and statistics. We must find ways to make sense of this information as we strive to teach learning objectives to our students. A big part of teaching is doing the research to prepare for lessons, but how can we make deeper connections with our students as we find where they fall short in their learning? Using graphs to analyze and plot test score data could make this experience more compelling for students. This activity could serve as a visual for their progress and a reminder of where they need to be with a clear goal of that vision in mind. 

As I carefully studied the other articles for this module, another parallel became clear to me. The "Film-Maker as Storyteller" piece explains that "story telling is about emotion". Teaching is also about emotion. In order for a teacher to make an experience more compelling, he or she must present the lesson in a way that makes students really feel and connect with the material. How can I do this in my language arts classroom? Offering contrasting viewpoints in our rich discussions may be one way. In a discussion of his work, Walter Murch states that "My job as an editor is to gently prod the attention of the audience to look at various parts of the frame,". Continuing on he explains, "And I do that by manipulating, by how and where I cut and what succession of images I work with." This technique can be compared to my lessons that are formed in a specific way. I take time editing lessons and cutting out the less than desirable parts before students even get a chance to experience them. As I teach I take different approaches as I modify my presentation. If I see that students are not comprehending I adjust the lens of my lesson in order to present a clearer view for my audience. 

In all, I consider these thoughts to be my "imaginative bridges". My understanding of these articles is personal to me. I chose select ideas in my teaching to explore in relation to these pieces. My next goal is to take part in our Facebook discussion on film. More to come next week!