Student Responses to Film

Katie Hern

Questions for English 101A students after viewing the first 50 minutes of the movie, during the second class meeting of the term. Students posted their responses on a Discussion Board in the class Blackboard site.

Reading Between the Lives

As your first assignment on Blackboard, I'd like you to respond to the movie we watched during the first part of Monday's class, Reading Between the Lives. The movie was made by a Chabot English teacher and four of his students, and it featured in-depth interviews with Chabot students talking openly about their experiences as readers.

Click on the heading Reading Between the Lives above to enter the discussion board and then click "Add New Thread." In the message form that comes up, write a 1-2 page response to the movie. If you do not finish during our time in the computer lab, you can finish it as part of your homework for Wednesday.

In your response, please answer the following questions:

1.) What parts of the movie stood out to you? Summarize the parts that you remember most clearly from the movie and comment on why these stood out for you. (Please be specific here so that I know exactly which parts you're referring to.)

2.) What parts of the students' experiences did you most relate to -- in other words, which comments described your own experiences as a reader? (I'm just getting to know you, so please give enough detail about your background so that I can follow you.)   

3.) What parts of the students' experiences did you not relate to -- in other words, which comments did not describe your own experiences as a reader? (Ditto on the detail.)

4.) What does this movie mean for our English 101A class? Does it give you ideas about things we should do during the class? Things we should not do? Things you need to do as an individual student? Things I need to do as a teacher? 

Don't worry. There are no right or wrong answers. I just want to see what you thought of the movie and how it connects to you, as an individual reader.

Student #1

1.) What parts of the movie stood out to you? Summarize the parts that you remember most clearly from the movie and comment on why these stood out for you. (Please be specific here so that I know exactly which parts you're referring to.)

The part that stood out to me was: everyone is different and have their own way of learning and maintaining the information that is given to them, however I feel that it is very important that the teachers understand that everyone isn't perfect and they are doing the very best that he or she can.

2.) What parts of the students' experiences did you most relate to -- in other words, which comments described your own experiences as a reader? (I'm just getting to know you, so please give enough detail about your background so that I can follow you.)

Teachers expecting you to read a certain amount of pages in a short time and not illustrating what it is that they expect of you and what they are looking for. I feel that it is very important that the teacher explains his or herself very thouroughly and open the doors for one on one time with the student.   

3.) What parts of the students' experiences did you not relate to -- in other words, which comments did not describe your own experiences as a reader? (Ditto on the detail.)

Why most people don't take advantage of the opportunities that are being given, for example some teachers are really their to help the students, but students are stared, because of past experiences with teachers talking crazy or even just ignoring them thinking the student is trying to be difficult, but in reality the student is crying out of help. 

4.) What does this movie mean for our English 101A class? Does it give you ideas about things we should do during the class? Things we should not do? Things you need to do as an individual student? Things I need to do as a teacher? 

1) Students should ask questions regardless what anyone says or does.

2) The teacher should demonstate what to do and when doing it be patient, understanding of people's certain difficulties, and make sure that the student understands.

3) Communicate, the teacher and the student must communicate, because without it the student becomes frustrated, confused, and unwilling to cooperate with the teacher. The student also feels that the teacher doesn't care whether they pass or fail. That's not good!!!

4) The student should always be positive no matter what, never give-up. Struggling is part of learning and understanding, so I feel that everyone that is serious about becoming a better reader should devote the time and effort that comes with it to be successful.

5) As an individual student I plan to devote the necessary time and effort to be successful, and communicate with you if their is a problem that I don't understand, and hope that together we could build a good relationship helping one another become better.

Student #2

1. The things that stood out to me the most were when the students were talking about how they would buy the books but would never read them or never bought them at all. I don't understand how a teacher could not know from their work that they have not read the books but at the same time were passing the and probaly failing someone who has read it  but just didn't understand what they were reading.Another thing that stood out was how there teachers that would tell students to read a certain number of chapters but would not tell them what to look for. You can read about so much in one chapter how are they suppose to understand what  you are reading or what they should remember.

2. I can relate to alot of the students when they say that asking alot of questions in class can make them feel "stupid" becaues of what some teacher might say or if the students might laugh. I have had plenty of  teachers that could care less about what  you needed help with and would be quick to say something to embarass u in front of everone in class.I can also relate to them saying reading is boring. But at the same time I love to read it just has to keep my attetion if not  i fall asleep or start thinking about something else. 

3. It's hard to say that i didn't relate to anyhting because the way everyone felt is the exact way i feel about everything reading, teacher, and studying. I think the only thing that they did that i would not be able to do was not reading the books i can't see my self gettin by class without knowing the matriel.

4. What I think for this class is that we need to come together and help one another. If we notice that one of our classmate may not understand step in and help. And not be afride to ask for help as an individual. We should all be here for each other
Student #3

1.What stood out for me was that how they were talking about how they didn't want to raise their hand because if they ask a dumb question then they feel embarrassed and stupid that there the only one that doesn't know that certain topic. The parts that i remember is that how they were talking about how some of the teachers really didn't try to help the students and how they rush though there class, and i remember how they were talking about self esteem because when i was little i felt that i couldn't read well and i really didn't want to try to learn cause the fear that i might fail but now that Im older i have really don't have any more problems reading.

2.Like i said in the first question i related to the self esteem issue because when i was a little kid i really couldnt read well and i felt that i was dumb, also i felt that couldnt ask a question because i was afaid that people would laugh at and teacher would think that im dumb. How some teachers really don't care if your learning the material and also i related to how i really don't read the assignment and i bullshit though my papers and in the end result i get a good grade and that teaches me that i could get away with it. But when i try to read i get distracked or my mind wanders off because the text is boring or i want to do something else.

3. Well i really didn't agree with how all teachers was blamed for everything wrong with the students because i felt that there is always two sides of the story and i also felt that some of the resonsiblity fell on the studnets. Also i didnt agree how the they made it seem that the teacher was the only option, there is other ways to get the material like for example ask one of your class mates and if that doesnt work out to go tuoring but i think that alot of people dont go to tuoring is because it makes them feel dumb and maybe they have other stuff to do like go to work, take care of their kids.

4. I think it means for our english class that it is okay to ask questions and to be comtable with yourself and the people around you. I think that as a class that if we dont know what the teaher is talking about that we ask questions and ask for help becasuse it seems that the teacher does care about if we get the material and if we understand it means. I dont think we should limit ourselves from asking "dumb" questions and i think we should respect the person who is asking that question because clearly that person doenst know or understand and that is just trying to better him/her self and trying to further their education. I think for an indivilual student we should be more resonible for our learning and for the assigments that were supposesd to do and not blame the teachers for our fuck ups, also not to be afaid to ask a question. I think the teacher needs to do is to make us feel that it is a good envirorment to learn and futher our education.

English 102/ Zappa

Student Responses to video: Reading Between the Lives

1.  Choose a point, a scene, or an interviewee and free write a response to it.  Why did you choose it (him, or her)?  How does it reflect your own experience?

FEELING DUMB AND THE “STUPID QUESTION”

•I agree with the point where students say they feel “stupid” asking questions. I sometimes stay quiet in class when I need help because I don’t want my classmates to think I’m dumb.  I’ve learned this is bad because if you stay quiet, teachers think you understand the material and move on, and then you’re lost. 

•If I have a question, I just ask the person next to me because I’d rather have one person say it’s a stupid question than the whole class…but after watching the video I think you should be able to ask anything because you are here to learn.

•I don’t want to feel judged like “Oh, she doesn’t understand,” when you’re in class and ask that question and all those eyes look at you.  My dad always says to me the only dumb question is the question not asked.  I’m getting better but it’s still hard.

SINKING/DEPRESSION

•I could really relate to the student who said she felt like she was sinking.  I am often overwhelmed due to my learning disability and reading takes me much longer…sometimes makes me wish I could just give up on school.

•Sometimes school gets depressing.  Sometimes when you try to keep up with your work and understand everything, it just doesn’t click.  You sit in the class or in your room trying to figure out how to do something…then you feel nobody can help you and you feel like you’re hopeless.

BAD TEACHERS

•Those two guys gave the perfect example of a bad teacher.  Certain teachers walk in, give you an assignment, walk out, get coffee, come back 30 minutes later and then move right along.

•I tried hard on my papers, and so did many others.  But the teacher would brag about the same students over and over every time the whole class turned in the paper assignments.  She would spend the whole class time talking about how good the same people’s papers were and this made many people angry.  One student I knew said the teacher made him feel “stupid.”

•The teacher/student relationship is very important, but ultimately it is up to the student to learn.  The teacher can only do so much, but it is also their fault sometimes.  They can do what they can, but shouldn’t go off topic either…they have to stick with the plan.

OTHER:

•I picked the girl that was spinning the fire because it represented the intense experience we as college students have while reading a book or even just having a book in front of us…it’s hard for me to actually grab a book without having that spinning feeling whether I’m going to like it and read it or just not like it and stop reading.

•When the little blonde boy was holding a book and yelling “I love to read…you have to read!”  Then after yelling repetitively asked, “Can I get candy now?”  In reality, most students have to be bribed or almost threatened to read.  By telling the students to write a response or there’s going to be a quiz on a reading assignments, it not only encourages students to read but also helps students try to understand what they’ve read.

2.  What is your relationship with reading?  Have you seen it change over time?  What would you like it to be like?

•I try to read to get it over with, which is a bad habit because it won’t take me anywhere.  I want to change my habits and be engaged and understand what I’m actually reading.  I want to stop reading just because I need to…but it’s time consuming and you want to do other things.

•I was in the “slow” reading group when I was a kid and that made me feel stupid and like I didn’t know how to read.  I felt like that until I read a couple of good books in high school, like Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird, when I found out I could actually interact with a book.

•I would like my relationship with books to be able to find something in the book or my head to get me really “INTO” the book even if it is the worst book on the planet.  I guess I would I say to not give up on certain books.

•I used to hate reading, but as I found books that I liked, I enjoyed it more and more.  I wish I could find the time to read more because I think I would enjoy it.

•I personally don’t like reading…it’s not the reading part but the fact that I get easily distracted.  I can never concentrate on what I’m reading.  The comprehension part and the part of me that gets easily distracted happens a lot more when the book isn’t interesting to me.  I want to be able to read a book and tell you what it’s about.  I want to be able to get into a lot of the books and like what I’m reading.

•I don’t think reading will ever be something that is easy for me.  I understand that it is something I just have to do.

•My relationship to reading is that I need to do more of it.  During the summer until the fall semester I was reading a lot.  Then all of a sudden, I started to receive a lot of writing assignments during my fall courses, so I wasn’t able to make time for reading.

•I like to read in class. I like to read aloud and then answer some questions and then discuss it with the teacher.  It really helps to understand and it solves the problem for those who don’t have enough time to read because of their jobs, family problems, etc.

•I have always loved to read books.  When I was in elementary to middle school I was reading 1-2 books a week.  But that changed drastically over time as I got older and I found less and less time to sit and read.  Once in a while I would see a book I like and would just sit up all night and read through it.  I would like to be able to find time to open up a book once in a while…