The Video
This is a video made by a boy who shares how he became a cartoonist, and how cartooning helped him become a writer.
I found the video on StoryCenter, a website dedicated to digital storytelling. It’s not just for kids, and it is an incredible resource with a story of its own. I wholeheartedly urge you to check it out, especially if you are teaching high school English and social studies.
Why did I choose this video, and how could it be used in a PD context?
It might not be readily apparent. However, there are a lot of thinking and talking points for educators in this short video.
- It could be used during a workshop on storytelling in language arts and social studies, as an example of student work representing the value of storytelling and authentic literacy tasks.
- It could be included in a workshop on the use of comics and graphic novels in reading and writing instruction.
- It could be a springboard for collaborative discussions and sharing of experiences on the topics of motivation and engagement.
Conversation Sparkers Inspired by the Video
Relevance and authenticity of oral, written, and digital storytelling. There is a link between oral and written history. There is a link between oral, written, and digital storytelling. When we encourage students to share their stories, we are showing them that literacy is about real life, and not just about your latest English assignment. We show them that people nurtured literacy in various ways since the ancient times as a way to communicate important ideas to each other. How can we bring relevance to literacy topics in our classrooms?
Comics and graphic novels are not inferior literacy materials for reluctant readers and writers. The boy tells us about his journey from drawing his first cartoon person to developing more detailed stories and other characters. He shares how others started reading his comics, and how he developed his craft as a writer and established his readership. Many struggling readers have their first rewarding reading experiences reading graphic novels. What can we learn from this?
- Literacy is not just about reading thick books and long, dense paragraphs. Literacy is also reading and creating graphic novels, and interpreting messages in other written materials and in various media, including digital and visual.
- How can we utilize comics and graphic novels in the classroom? We can discuss elements of fiction: setting, characterization, plot development, theme, etc. I draw cartoons in my classroom to teach grammar. What are some other ways we can use cartooning to teach literacy skills?
The role of motivation and engagement in inspiring change. In the beginning, the boy relates how a visit by a cartoonist changed his life (even though he was at first not interested in what the man had to say). This part illustrates the power and influence of sudden inspiration. Deep inside our students want to be motivated to do great and creative things. How can we help them by staging engaging and authentic literacy learning opportunities in our classrooms?
“In order to write, I have to draw.” The boy finished his video with this statement. We can have a whole discussion about what he meant when he said that. How many times have our students tried to tell us something about themselves, but maybe not in so many words? They tried telling us silently, with their body language, their attitude, and behavior. Think whether you have “heard” something like this:
- In order to learn, I need to not feel hungry, tired, worried, etc.
- In order to pay attention, I have to move.
- In order to read out loud, I need to know I won’t be ridiculed.
- In order to understand, I need a visual aid.
- In order to follow your lessons, I need you to know where I come from.
- In order to process, I have to slow down.
- In order to be more confident, I need encouragement.
The Next Step
Ask teachers to fill in the blanks the way they think their individual students would say it.
In order to ________, I need/have to _________.
For this to work, teachers have to think about their students’ diverse needs and literacy development. (To kick it up a notch, break out your poster-size diagram of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and your bullet list of literacy learning goals and outcomes. Or just improvise!)
This exercise can then lead into a meaningful session on any of the topics teachers discover as relevant as they consider their own classroom context and their students as unique individuals with complex needs.
Your Turn
You will need to put yourself in your students’ shoes. How well do you know them?
Fill in the blanks yourself. Try to hear their voice in your head.
In order to _______________, I need/have to ________________.
Please share some statements you came up with in the comments below!
Thanks!
Aleksandra's Literacy Blog 
Aleksandra, This is a FAV, I will not forget–as I like to learn by doing.
It also illustrates how students can found a path to learning via ‘out-side-the box’ thinking. I also like that it was jammed packed in a time span of under three minutes. I think a story can be told in totality with less time, so my kind of video. Many times, my teachers have provided a 30 minute video and the have lost me before I get started. Sure, I listen and conduct the assignment, but all the time I am cursing for such a long-drawn-out video that could be capsuled into fifteen minutes!
The video also emphasizes that students learn by different means and teachers should take this into account especially with different, difficult concepts.
Another aspect that really resonated with me: the student found success. I wish teachers would target this aspect of learning–students need successes, no matter how small. Your student had other students or his peers seek his art and had his cartoons published in his local paper!!!
Thanks for a video, Aleksandra, that said it all!
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I love the fill in the blank exercise! This could be done with so many different age levels too. I am thinking about my developmental reading students in college…this would be perfect! Thanks for the strategies.
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Hi Aleksandra,
I found the video that you shared quite engaging. I would like to share it with others, for I feel the value of oral, written, and digital storytelling. In addition, I have found a few of my reluctant readers have really found a passion for reading through comics and graphic novels. They also like to publish their writing through the Book Creator app. Here they have a choice to create and type their writing in a comic book format or book format. Furthermore, your post also sparked an excitement for me to show my new students other digital story telling apps to publish their writing such as Tellagami, Storybird, and Sock Puppets. My students enjoy sharing their published pieces with others this way as well!
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My students (and my own children) LOVE Storybird! It has really inspired them to write more, to think about how the story elements come together, and how the images they choose to use complement and enhance the story. I was so disappointed when they switched to a paid platform at the end of the school year.
I plan to look into StoryJumper for the fall. It is similar to Storybird, except students can use their own art (which is neat in itself). I will also check out Tellagami and Sock Puppets. I haven’t heard of those yet.
Thanks for the recommendations!
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During my teacher preparation program, one of my assignments was to write a poem and then create a digital storytelling video set to the topic of, ‘”Where am I from?” Prior to this assignment, I was not aware of digital storytelling or the “coined” terminology to describe this work. I would definitely utilize a video “hook” such as this within my classroom, to share with students what reading and writing means to this specific individual, and how they can determine what reading and writing might mean for them, to their current self and future self. I love professional development that opens with allowing me to connect to the material or content being presented because right-off-the-bat, it is encouraging reflection on prior learning and experience, and allowing me to make meaningful and relevant connections. Thank you for sharing this video and originating resource! It will move to the top of my list for resources to look into!
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