Reynolds Institute participant Teresa Gallegos, above, looks like a real reporter, looking for a story on a tour of the Arizona Republic. Learning to think like a journalist has been a big part of this week for us.
Kye, Denise and I went to see The Soloist Saturday morning, and there is definitely plenty to be taken from that film for the newspaper class. Steve Lopez, the columnist played by Robert Downey Jr., seemed to really pay attention to the world around him to find his stories. This is something I have a hard time conveying to my students, so I'm hoping showing the film will help do that.
Lopez's eyes and ears were always open; that's how he found Nathaniel Ayers, the homeless musician played by Jamie Foxx. When Lopez heard violin music, he went in search of the music. When he found an oddly dressed homeless man playing the violin, he didn't turn away. He went after a story. When he began talking to Ayers and found that he was obviously mentally ill, Lopez didn't walk away then, either. Nathaniel Ayers mentioned Julliard, and you could see the journalist wheels turning in Robert Downey Jr.'s head. The audience sees him in his office, calling Julliard to investigate. You see him seek out family members and old teachers to get the story.
It was a lesson on reporting to see him find an idea for a column and not let go of that idea. Students who watch this film can't help but see the persistence and the constant curiosity that a good journalist needs. This film is PG-13, so some teachers may need to jump through some hoops to show the film. I thought for most of the movie that I was not going to have anything to worry about, until Downey Jr. dropped the F-bomb once. I still think it is something I can show with parental permission and an obvious educational justification for showing the film.
After seeing the film, I decided to run a few errands to the drugstore and other places on the light rail. Because I had just seen the movie, and because we are acting like reporters right now, I found myself looking and listening with a reporter's eyes and ears. There were definitely some stories there! The kilt store I saw on the ride, for example. Is there a market for kilts? And who IS that market? There was the young lady getting signatures on a petition to legalize medicinal cannabis, and even the elderly man who seemed to have all his belongings on his bicycle. A good reporter can find a story anywhere, right?
After today's experience, I plan to show this film and then "steal" a lesson from Allen, and have the newspaper staff individually go to a good people watching place, like the local shopping center or even a busy spot on campus, and record all the questions and ideas that come to mind. I want them to start thinking like a reporter, too.
Lynne Schneider
Murrah High School
Jackson, Miss.
Posts
First, I was shocked to see both my chins show up on the blog! I hate photos of myself, and hadn't even noticed you got me.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I can't wait to see The Soloist now, and I enjoyed all of your observations about how there are stories everywhere. It really is counter-intuitive in today's me-obsessed society, but there is always something to learn if we just put down our cell phones and look at the world around us.
One activity that I've used, in both journalism and my english classes, is an observation exercise that really taps into students' ability to notice things.
ReplyDeleteI give them a fairly vague assignment---find a good place to sit and watch, somewhere where there is a decent amount of activity. Then, I have them go through each of their senses and write down what the see, hear, feel, etc.
From there, they are supposed to simply observe for 20 minutes. They have to write down as much as they can about what is going on. Then, they come back to class and write it up as a feature.
I guess that might sound a little convaluded, but the kids enjoy the activity. It teaches them to focus on something other than themselves, which is challenging for high school kids.
Jessica Young
Orange Glen High School
Escondido, Calif.