My digital story is about my special relationship with my grandfather. I briefly introduce him through pictures chronologically arranged to give a short preview into his life, then proceed with pictures of him with me and my family. The story ends with me reading what I call my last letter to him.
I believe my story could be used to build self esteem. It is crucial to have a support system in life, and me sharing my special bond with my grandfather conveys to others the importance of having a similar relationship in their lives. A similar bond can be formed through friendships with others, not necessarily just through blood ties.
I would also tie the conversation to the importance of the messages within the video, like being trustworthy and dependable. Making sure you do things with all of your heart because doing things right always feels better than doing things half way. Students in middle school could especially benefit from these discussions because they need to understand their actions have consequences and that treating others with compassion and understanding goes further for the soul than bullying or tearing others down. The options of discussion from messages in this video are vast and I would be sure to address many areas of concern for students today.
My digital story could be used as a learning tool in my classroom. For example, VA.S.3 is a standard in visual art that focuses on identifying symbols and ideas to communicate meaning in art. My video in every way is an art composition. It is personal, deeply emotional and true. It conveys sweet, private memories and has many areas of complexity in its construction. My students could discuss my choice of music, slide arrangements, audio, and visual decisions and underlying meanings. My students could critique this presentation like a painting and discuss ways they would have constructed it differently. They could provide me with feedback and it could be used to further discussions about color, design, layout and overall presentation. I probably would not want to share this video with my students, but I could make one a bit less private to evoke the same discussion connections and quality.
The construction and arrangement of digital stories provide a lot of learning opportunities for students. I definitely am considering trying shorter digital stories with my 8th grade students. I'm sure there would be a wide variety of subjects and I'm sure they would benefit greatly from the experience. We shall see!
Laura I was very close to my grandfather before he passed in 1994. It has been 20 years, I was 17 years old when I found his body, and it is still no easier. I wish so much that he could have met my husband, my kids, and that I could show him how far I've made it. Your story truly brought a lot of emotions for me to the surface. Your "last" letter had to be one of the hardest things for you to have wrote.
ReplyDeleteI really like the format that you choose from your story; showing a slide show of photographs and then the narration at the end. By including the letter, you made a personal narrative even more personal. It is a poignant tribute to your grandfather. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about your story is how you were able to format is so that you could talk about your grandfather and have the song without interruption.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know more about how he affected your other siblings.
One thing you should think about changing is having a soft melody in the background of your speech.
Another good thing about your story is the star wars style prologue at the start.
Laura you story was one of my favorites. It was such a beautiful story about your grandfather. I like he way you combined all your tools to help tell your story. It was very smooth.
ReplyDelete