Monday, May 17, 2010

Final Draft Slumdog Millionaire

An Examination of Slumdog Millionaire and Globalization
Globalization is defined as “the integration of economic, cultural, political, and social systems across geographical boundaries.” Globalization is the enhanced interconnectedness of cultures and societies that can be contributed to the expansion of technology and the enhancing means of communication and trade. Complete globalization would mean that no country is isolated, but rather Western and Eastern societies would be weaved together. Fernando Coronil, author of “Towards a Critique of Global Centrism—Speculations on Capitalism’s Nature” examines globalization’s potential positive and negative outcomes. Although we know that globalization will affect the lives of individuals, the ultimate debate is whether or not globalization will enhance the lives of individuals and their countries.
Coronil explains an optimistic outlook on globalization by stating that “globalization offers the promise of a unified humanity no longer divided by East and West, North and South, Europe and its Others, the rich and the poor. As if they were underwritten by the desire to erase the scars of a conflictual past or to bring it to a harmonious end, these discourses set in motion the belief that the separate histories, geographies, and cultures that have divided humanity are now being brought together by the warm embrace of the globalization” (Coronil 352). This idea of bringing humanity together, coming to a reconciliation of a “conflictual past” can have both its positive and negative outcomes. For individuals that are struggling, in countries such as India, having the finances to support the Western ideals of education, for example, would have a positive outcome, and lead to opportunities that would enhance the lives of less fortunate people.
Globalization and its positive and negative outcomes can be examined by applying scenes from the movie, “Slumdog Millionaire,” directed by Danny Boyle. “Slumdog Millionaire” won the Best Picture Academy Award for the portrayal of life in the slums of India. For example, two young brothers, Jamal and Salim, live in the rural slums of India, and encounter obstacles in their everyday life, that most Western individuals would never encounter. Both children, Jamil and Salim are uneducated, and due to the need to survive, they must work in order to gain money. One of their jobs included working in a restaurant as servers and dishwashers. Child labor laws in India do not protect children in accordance with the child labor laws of the United States.
According to a Congressional Record, Dan Burton, explains that “Children under the age of 14 are forced to work in glass-blowing, fireworks, and most commonly, carpet-making factories. While the Government of India reports about 20 million children laborers, other non-governmental organizations estimate the number to be closer to 50 million. Most prevalent in the northern part of India, the exploitation of child labor has become an accepted practice, and is viewed by the local population as necessary to overcome the extreme poverty in the region” (The Exploitation of Child labor in India). While laws in India now prohibit the labor of children under fourteen years old, the laws do “nothing to protect children who perform domestic or unreported labor, which is very common in India. In almost all Indian industries girls are unrecognized laborers because they are seen as helpers and not workers” (Child Labor India). The lack of protection for women against child labor is evident in “Slumdog Millionaire” when Latika was forced to work as an exotic dancer who performed for men. Globalization, if applied to the devastating treatment of children in India’s workplaces, would give children rights that do not have in India, by integrating Westernized laws and prohibiting the exploitation of children. Furthermore, families would have more opportunities as well for work, therefore not relying on their children to work. Children then could receive an education and create goals that will fulfill their aspirations.
Simon Gikandi’s article, “Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality” addresses an issue of globalization that can be viewed in both a positive and negative perspective. Gikandi states that, “there no longer seems to be a clear relationship between cultural practices and localities” (638) meaning that cultural practices are no longer specific to the location of the individuals. Cultural values, traditions, and religious beliefs are all affected by globalization as novel ways of living are introduced to other individuals. In globalization, societies are being meshed together, perhaps leading to the loss of tradition. For example, if applying the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” to Gikandi’s statement that the lines between culture and location are diminished, if Jamil and Salim were introduced to Western traditions, they may be intrigued, and choose to live more Westernized. The transition from following one cultural tradition to another can have a positive effect if the traditions the individual followed prior were dangerous and life threatening, such as female genital mutilation, which is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons’” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). The article explains that women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation, also known as FGM, “in parts of the Middle East, i.e. in Yemen, Oman, Iraqi Kurdistan, amongst some Bedouin women in Israel” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). Women that would have carried on this tradition with their daughters may otherwise decide to not carry on the tradition of female genital mutilation if they are educated on its harmful effects to the body, as well as exposed to other cultural traditions and lifestyles.


http://pangaea.org/street_children/asia/carpet.htm

http://www.scribd.com/doc/20261308/Coronil-Towards-a-Critique-of-Global-Centrism-Speculations-on-Capitalism-s-Nature
http://www.indianchild.com/child_labor_india.htm
http://www.forwarduk.org.uk/key-issues/fgm

http://www.indianchild.com/child_labor_india.htm

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Created By Rosie
ROLES
Jen- Intro and relate back Buckingham
Nadia- storyboard and still images
Rosie- making images into a imovie slideshow
Cyndi- How to add audio to the movie

12th graders
Text: Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"

Objective: When asked to create a imovie for "The Raven" that exhibits thorough understanding of plot, students will be able to create a storyboard, upload images, edit images, and add sound to accomplish the task.

LESSON:

1. Journal: What are some forms of media that your teachers use in the classroom? How do they further your understanding of text and/or learning? What are some forms of informative or communication media you use?

2. Show "Shift Happens" Video on Youtube.com to spark student interest in different forms of media.

3. Work in groups to brainstorm a storyboard for the main plot "The Raven." Nadia

4. Teacher shows students how to locate images . Nadia

5. Now that you have all your pictures ready and know what sequence they go in, all we have to do is upload them into imovie!

6. Open imovie. Then go to file import. Choose the pictures you want to import. If you want to upload it from a flash drive, you can open that folder and then just drag and drop it into your clips. Then drag down the picture you want first down into the timeline at the bottom of the screen. You can change the amount of time on a picture by adjusting the timeline. Drag down more pictures until your movie is complete. You can also change the affect on each picture to manipulate how the picture comes into the screen.

7. Play youtube…"How to use apple iMovie: Importing Photos in iMovie" to help provide students with a visual representation of instructions.

8. Teach students how to add audio. Cyndi

9. Show students finished product examples

THE RAVEN EDGAR ALLAN POE by nesil
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcbWkMvMHrU&feature=fvw

The Raven - adfurlokid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC7kFI0Bou8&feature=related

10. Tie the lesson back in with Buckingham. Jen

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Rough Draft: Slumdog Millionaire and Globalization





An Examination of Slumdog Millionaire and Globalization
Globalization is defined as “the integration of economic, cultural, political, and social systems across geographical boundaries.” Globalization is the enhanced interconnectedness of cultures and societies that can be contributed to the expansion of technology and the enhancing means of communication and trade. Complete globalization would mean that no country is isolated, but rather Western and Eastern societies would be weaved together. Fernando Coronil, author of “Towards a Critique of Global Centrism—Speculations on Capitalism’s Nature” examines globalization’s potential positive and negative outcomes. Although we know that globalization will affect the lives of individuals, the ultimate debate is whether or not globalization will enhance the lives of individuals and their countries.
Coronil explains an optimistic outlook on globalization by stating that “globalization offers the promise of a unified humanity no longer divided by East and West, North and South, Europe and its Others, the rich and the poor. As if they were underwritten by the desire to erase the scars of a conflictual past or to bring it to a harmonious end, these discourses set in motion the belief that the separate histories, geographies, and cultures that have divided humanity are now being brought together by the warm embrace of the globalization” (Coronil 352). This idea of bringing humanity together, coming to a reconciliation of a “conflictual past” can have both its positive and negative outcomes. For individuals that are struggling, in countries such as India, having the finances to support the Western ideals of education, for example, would have a positive outcome, and lead to opportunities that would enhance the lives of less fortunate people.
Globalization and its positive and negative outcomes can be examined by applying scenes from the movie, “Slumdog Millionaire,” directed by Danny Boyle. “Slumdog Millionaire” won the Best Picture Academy Award for the portrayal of life in the slums of India. For example, two young brothers, Jamal and Salim, live in the rural slums of India, and encounter obstacles in their everyday life, that most Western individuals would never encounter. Both children, Jamil and Salim are uneducated, and due to the need to survive, they must work in order to gain money. One of their jobs included working in a restaurant as servers and dishwashers. Child labor laws in India do not protect children in accordance with the child labor laws of the United States.
According to a Congressional Record, Dan Burton, explains that “Children under the age of 14 are forced to work in glass-blowing, fireworks, and most commonly, carpet-making factories. While the Government of India reports about 20 million children laborers, other non-governmental organizations estimate the number to be closer to 50 million. Most prevalent in the northern part of India, the exploitation of child labor has become an accepted practice, and is viewed by the local population as necessary to overcome the extreme poverty in the region” (The Exploitation of Child labor in India). While laws in India now prohibit the labor of children under fourteen years old, the laws do “nothing to protect children who perform domestic or unreported labor, which is very common in India. In almost all Indian industries girls are unrecognized laborers because they are seen as helpers and not workers” (Child Labor India). The lack of protection for women against child labor is evident in “Slumdog Millionaire” when Latika was forced to work as an exotic dancer who performed for men. Globalization, if applied to the devastating treatment of children in India’s workplaces, would give children rights that do not have in India, by integrating Westernized laws and prohibiting the exploitation of children. Furthermore, families would have more opportunities as well for work, therefore not relying on their children to work. Children then could receive an education and create goals that will fulfill their aspirations.
Simon Gikandi’s article, “Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality” addresses an issue of globalization that can be viewed in both a positive and negative perspective. Gikandi states that, “there no longer seems to be a clear relationship between cultural practices and localities” (638) meaning that cultural practices are no longer specific to the location of the individuals. Cultural values, traditions, and religious beliefs are all affected by globalization as novel ways of living are introduced to other individuals. In globalization, societies are being meshed together, perhaps leading to the loss of tradition. For example, if applying the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” to Gikandi’s statement that the lines between culture and location are diminished, if Jamil and Salim were introduced to Western traditions, they may be intrigued, and choose to live more Westernized. The transition from following one cultural tradition to another can have a positive effect if the traditions the individual followed prior were dangerous and life threatening, such as female genital mutilation, which is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons’” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). The article explains that women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation, also known as FGM, “in parts of the Middle East, i.e. in Yemen, Oman, Iraqi Kurdistan, amongst some Bedouin women in Israel” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). Women that would have carried on this tradition with their daughters may otherwise decide to not carry on the tradition of female genital mutilation if they are educated on its harmful effects to the body, as well as exposed to other cultural traditions and lifestyles.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Outline Created By: Nadia Kilgore

Storyboard and Google Images Discussion


Our goal is to create an imovie, which requires the following steps: making a story board, uploading the images, editing images, and adding sound in order to create the final project.

*I will be discussing how to create a storyboard and how to locate images
*The first step to this assignment will be to create a story board.

*In order to create a story board, students have read the text, and will not have an opportunity to be “hands on” and to draw sketches of specific parts of the book that will be useful in telling the story, “The Raven” in its entirety.

*The story board is an organization tool. It is a way for students to organize their thoughts, and visualize the sequence of images that will be searching online for, which will tell the story “The Raven.”

*Buckingham explains that keeping the production activities small is key, so students aren’t set up for failure in a difficult task. Organizing the images into a storyboard will help keep them on track, and also give students the control—they choose the images that they imagine when reading the story. According to Buckingham, his allows for exploration.

*Buckingham explains (page 81) a technique called “photoplay” which is when students are provided with images, and then asked to sequence them in a storyboard that will eventually be in a moving image sequence, such as our imovie.

*Our approach is similar, however rather than providing students with still images, and then asking them to create a storyboard, we will be asking them to use the story “The Raven” and pick key parts of the book to include in their sketches.

*Next, students will need to locate the images. Choosing the images for the storyboard can be determined by what images are evoked when reading the text, for example, Poe uses words such as midnight, chamber door, December, purple curtain, and of course, the image of a Raven.

*Using these key images, students will draw out the sketches, then go to google, then images and type in the image they wish to search for, for example, “Raven.”

*The search comes up with images of the celebrity, which is not what the search was for, so students narrow down their search by typing in “raven bird.”

Coronil and Gikandi on Globalization

Both Fernando Coronil and Simon Gikandi examine Globalization and the positive and negative effects of globalization. Although it is accepted that globalization will affect individuals, it is under debate whether globalization will have a positive or a negative effect on the lives on individuals in society. Globalization can be explained as the enhanced interconnectedness of cultures and societies that can be contributed to the expansion of technology and the enhancing means of communication and trade. Coronil explains a positive outlook that people use to approach the idea of globalization. It seems to be an "ideal" outcome, that "globalization offers the promise of a unified humanity no longer divided by East and West, North and South, Europe and its Others, the rich and the poor. As if they were underwritten by the desire to erase the scars of a conflictual past or to bring it to a harmonious end, these discourses set in motion the belief that the separate histories, geographies, and cultures that have divided humanity are now being brought together by the warm embrace of the globalization” (Coronil 352). Simon Gikandi explains in his article, "Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality" that "there no longerseems to be a clear relationship between cultural practices and localities" which means that cultural practices are no longer specific to the location where individuals live. I found both of these articles to be very interesting and informative, each describing a standpoint on the effects of globalization.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

19th Century American Literature and You Tube Video


19th Century American Literature

Edgar Allan Poe’s “A Tell-Tale Heart” was written in 1843. The tone of the story is very dark, and Poe creates suspense in the story. For example, he writes, “TRUE!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them” (Poe). The use of the words "nervous" and "disease" creates drama and gains the reader’s attention. The You-Tube video of Poe’s “A Tell-Tale Heart” is a recreation that would have never been possible in 1843, when Poe wrote the story. With the use of technology, the story is given new life to students whom may never have been exposed to Edgar Allan Poe’s mysterious and engaging writing. By using a video that can be accessed online, teachers can present students with Edgar Allan Poe’s story, paired with a video that is just as mysterious and psychologically thrilling. In this particular video, the actors and environment imitate the look and feel of the actors and environment that would have been in the story in 1843. This gives a realistic feel to the story being told, however, there are many modern looking videos that are just as appealing.




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