Media literacy in the classroom and community

[Commentary] Although the questions about what I should and should not be doing are seemingly endless, I have found that I am certain of a few constants I want for my classroom. No matter what text we're reading or what grade I teach, I want students to be able to think critically, problem-solve, and communicate effectively. I think I can sleep well at night if I know that I am sending my students into their next year of school, college, and the workforce if they have had practice and guidance in honing these skills in my classroom.

Which brings me to the Temple Media Lab and their work with Philadelphia schools. Including media literacy as a vital part of curriculum provides a unique opportunity not only to teach the important lifelong skills of analysis, critical thinking, and communication, but also to bring students' whole selves into the classroom, to engage their ability to empathize and connect to others. On the surface, media literacy instruction kind of sounds like code for "watching movies," but from my experience, it has opened the floodgates for dynamic classroom discussions, unparalleled student engagement, heightened critical analysis, and writing skills and the chance for teachers to value students and their knowledge in a powerful way.