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Q#2 In "'To Protect and Serve': African American Female Literacies",
Richardson touches on several overarching course themes (multiple
definitions of literacy, literacy as a social practice, race), as well as
more narrow course topics (stereotypes, AAVE, gendered literacy practices,
bridging home and school literacies, etc), just to name a few. On page 655
(reader page), Richardson argues that "Black teachers who can codeswitch
can help students to decode texts and contexts, offering them models of
learners who go both ways- across the borders."
Considering all you've read up to this point, how would you respond to
Richardson's quote? Do you agree? Disagree? Use at least 2 authors from
past readings to support your answer.
Q#2 Summarize Newkirk's discussion on television watching and its relationship to nonfiction and fiction literary genres in the classroom. Does the recent
explosion of 'reality' TV make Newkirk's comments more or less relevant today?
Richardson argues that effective Black teachers are teachers who can codeswitch. She suggests this because in classrooms, Black students are often discouraged from using language from their “mother tongue.” Lisa Delpit, in The Silenced Dialogue, states that teachers have to take part not in silencing students’ voices, but actively “listening” to what students have to say about “discrimination” and other issues (46). In order for active listening and understanding to occur, students have to be comfortable with speaking out in the classroom. In her article, Richardson highlights the various “African American female literacies” that she argues teachers should use to help African American females learn. Therefore, teachers who can exploit such literacies and relate to African Americans by tapping into their literary cultures and techniques can bring out the voices of the students and contribute to a much needed environment of conversation and discussion, rather than repression and “silencing.” At the same time, Charity Hudley in “What is Standard English” argues that “becoming versatile in School English is necessary for academic success” (35). Because of this, teachers who understand that “standard English” is necessary to learn in order to communicate to surrounding world, can incorporate African American literacies to teach students standard English. Thus, Richardson’s idea that teachers who can codeswitch is supported.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk states that television watching is often regarded as “mere mind candy;” however, he points out that television watching is very class-biased and that regarding television as a “trashy” source of entertainment “can serve to systematically disadvantage minority group, for whom TV is the primary source of entertainment” (84). Although he challenges critics to regard TV as a classroom resource, he discusses how critics may devalue TV’s literary because TV is not based on reality; it is unrealistic and limits children’s experiences of the “real world.” However, now that “reality TV” is becoming a very popular, the critics’ arguments of TV being a trashy form of fiction are becoming very blurry. TV no longer has only a “fiction” genre, it is now beginning to encompass the “nonfiction” as well. Because of this, characterizing TV as merely trashy fiction is complicated. However, Newkirk’s main argument over the dichotomy between “authenticity” and “power” still stands (89). The type of reality television shows and what is considered “real” on TV has a lot to do with the question of “authenticity,” for although there are not “reality TV shows,” the question of “whose reality” still stands.
Elaine Richardson attempts to explain the multifaceted dimensions of African American female literacy by explaining the origins of African American female literacy and the constant struggles that African American females experience as a result of the structural racism, sexism, and cultural hegemony that exists in America today. Richardson focuses on the disconnect between the social cultural construction of African American female literacy and the standardized American English form of literacy that is accepted in today’s society, which leads to her discussion about the importance of “doubleconsciousness” or practice of codeswitching. I strongly agree with Richardson’s claims of the advantages of a codeswitching approach that uses “familiar language patterns, including repetition, call and response, analogies, aphorisms, and moral messages” to boost student comprehension and achievement. One past reading that comes to mind when thinking of past readings that support Richardson’s argument is Freire’s critique of the banking model of education. The codeswitching approach that Richardson describes is very similar to the “problem-posing” education model that promotes a learning environment where students are allowed to grow intellectually by analyzing and discuss topics that are taught to the students by the teachers. While African American female literacy (or African American literacy as a whole) has traditionally been seen as a barrier to literacy achievement – as a result of the education system viewing individuals who speak AAVE as African Americans refusing to conform to standards of good behavior – the codeswitching approach promotes an environment that “creates a bridge between text and experience” , making the learning environment more engaging and relatable to students of all races and backgrounds. Lastly, Richardson’s argument also relates to a literacy biography written by Katie Bang. Bang focuses her literacy autobiography on the fact that she had “lost [her] own voice in the process of becoming literate” due to the fact that getting good grades throughout her academic career was strongly related to “adopting the discourse of the Western academic elite.” The codeswitching approach relates to Bang’s situation as well and I believe that the codeswitching approach should be used in someway or form in all classrooms for students of all races and backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteI would respond that it is very true that if a teacher is able to incorporate the past cultures and literacies of a student and be able to interact it with the learning experience, that he or she will be able to have a better understandings of the content. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the differences between the two types of learnings is the contrast between whole language and phonics described by Brumer where on one side students have images and pictures of every word they describe while phonics is just a sterile dictionary of language. This relates because being able to bring in past cultures is like allowing one to conjure up images of things instead of just the abstract pronunciations of them. Another thing that it reminded me of was the Orellana, Reynolds, Dorner, and Meza piece about students translating content in home. Being able to introduce bilingual education is like being able to apply what they have already learned to do at home and to make it more applicable to their daily lives which could in turn better involve students.
ReplyDeleteYes, the explosion today of "reality TV" makes Newkirk's argument even more relevant today because it is another point of contention that academics and teachers will have to face. The content in "reality TV" perfectly fits his description of content that appeals to the masses because of its high amount of explicit content and scandalous activities. A lot of the popular reality tv shows now are all filled with depictions of lots of parties, alcohol, and sex which definitely piques the attentions of high schoolers and boys. However, teachers today have little to no experience in that sort of content and probably have not seen shows of "Jersey Shore" so it appears like sort of a new enemy that they will have to adopt and adjust. Teachers will most likely flat out reject all of that sort of content because of its high "immoral" content from a more conservative standpoint if they had never experienced it in the past, which will bring up the argument again that Newkirk had tried to address.
I agree to a certain extent with Richardon’s argument that codeswitching can help students. It might be an effective way to reach students and help them enjoy literacy. Howard was one author who argued that he had to relate with people and their experiences to help them, but at the same time it was being with students from different backgrounds and races that turned out to be a success. Howard learned lesson, but the students also learned a lot from these experiences. Gates was another author that argued that being with students from different backgrounds was challenging, yet it had its benefits.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk believes that television can be used as a positive aspect of literacy. He explains that on average children spend at least three hours watching T.V., yet w “set up a hierarchy of cultural experience—and TV watching is near the bottom of that hierarchy” (Newkirk, 84). Our schools set up a system with TV as a negative aspect of literacy and culture, but TV is something that students enjoy the most. The challenge is finding ways that children will enjoy literacy, so maybe it is possible to make television a part of the way to make reading more enjoyable. Children enjoy fiction over nonfiction. They have big imaginations and television is mostly fantasy so it would make sense why that is their choice of entertainment. Even though there is a spike in the number of ‘reality’ television shows people will still enjoy them. They might be called ‘reality’ shows but some are far from anyone’s real life. There is also the possibility that people enjoy seeing someone in a similar situation than them because they empathize with what is happening; there is an emotional connection.
- Cassi Hoyt
I agree with Richardson’s argument that Black teachers who can code switch create an environment more conducive to learning. Her model of education allows students who do not practice Standardized English at home to create a deeper connection between their at-home literacy and their literacy at school, therefore leading to a greater understanding of content. Richardson states that black female educators “demonstrate such alternative pedagogies to bring out the voices and best performance of all students.” I believe that this point relates directly to Mahiri and Sablo’s article because Richardson’s diverse pedagogies allows for more relevant materials that help bridge the gap between voluntary and involuntary writing habits. Encouraging students to write in their native tongue and then translating the material helps them create work that is more relevant, but still teaches Standardized English and content rich academia through the act of translating. Richardson’s article is also supported by Orellana, et. al. article, which states that teachers can connect classroom learning with the linguistic development that takes place in the homes of multi-lingual students. Richardson’s model directly corresponds to the mentioned article because students are encouraged by their teachers to relate their at-home literacy skills with those learned at school, making their learning more applicable.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk suggests that rather than hinder learning, television watching is a “resource for literacy” because it is a voluntary literacy practice that invites viewers to participate in the storyline and make connections to nonfiction and fiction literary genres, providing a more tangible understanding of content taught in the classroom. He states specifically that TV is the “primary entertainment for economically disadvantaged children” and that categorizing television watching as a harmful activity puts these children at an even greater disadvantage. Although certain reality television programs are deemed inappropriate for children of certain ages, it seems that Newkirk would support the rise in reality television, as it supports the popular literacy mantra, “write about what you know and care about” (81). More so than ever, with the rise in reality television, young people are able to learn about “core life experiences” through nonfiction TV programs (81).
I would agree with Richardson, especially after taking into account the articles from previous readings regarding education and race. In Lisa Delpit’s article “Other People’s Children”, she expresses similar opinions that would support Richardson’s argument. She suggests that students should not merely be taught the culture of power, but they must also be helped to learn about their own personal power relationships they possess (45). Delpit and Richardson both acknowledge the importance of teaching students of color the codes needed to participate fully in the mainstream of American life, but at the same time teachers also need to help students establish their own voice in society. Another article by Jabari Mahiri and Sablo Soraya called “Writing for their lives”, explains the non-school literacy practices that urban African American youth use to express themselves. The reading suggests that when teachers allow themselves to be opened to a wider range of writing instruction they can see the importance and nature of urban African American students. Similarly to Richardson, when teachers allow their students to express themselves through their own methods as well as more traditional forms there is a more deep and rich learning interaction that takes place.
ReplyDeleteIn Newkirk’s reading, the amount of television is deeply connected to cultural hierarchies and classes. Since television is seen as mere mind candy and escape from reality many literacy teachers dismiss television as a legitimate resource. Unfortunately, since many of the lower class tend to watch more television, the schools attitude to discount potential value in television watching can risk reinforcing societal divisions (84). In non-fiction literary genres, television tends to have less mature writing that represents implausible action sequences and “generic”characters. Television can often times lack the traits of more developed realistic fiction as well (85). Simply by looking at the increase interest in ‘reality’ television shows that Newkirk’s thoughts and ideas about television are even more relevant today. Newkirk’s comments about how television can be seen as an impediment to authentic living or a significant resource for growth are addressed when considering ‘reality’ television.
I would agree with Richards. Code switching can create “bridge between the text and experience.” (655) This is crucial in creating a conducive learning environment. This allows children that use other forms of communication at home to become more connected and engaged with the materials in standard English by using what they know and are comfortable with. The recent article Writing for their Lives explained voluntary alternative literacy practices children used to make sense of the world. This article illustrated that some kids who may have been seen as struggling in school could express themselves in their comfortable alternative method. Therefore Richards inclusion of this in school would be greatly beneficial allow students to use, practice and appreciate other forms of literacy. The Orellana piece also discuss the different languages and literacy practices used at home, how this allows children to develop and how these skills can be utilized in the classroom. But most importantly I am reminded that methods like Richards can help prevent occurrences like Rodriguez in The achievement of Desire. Where literacy, in standard English, severed his ties to his culture and heritage. Encompassing native tongue in school could not only help students learn, but keep them engaged and interested.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk discuss the discrepancy between different races and television exposure. The African Americans watch on average two hours more Television than the Whites and the Hispanics an hour more. When schools discount the value and TV “it might cut them off from the most powerful and pervasive narrative forms they know” he argues that schools need to make place for cultural material that children enjoy (84). The teacher set up a “hierarchy of cultural experiences” putting TV at the bottom, which can only disadvantage minorities. With the increase in Reality TV this will create an even larger debate, Reality Television programs as Gerald said is seen as immoral which will cause these teachers to further discredit television as a whole, including more wholesome programs, lumping TV into one category at the very bottom of cultural experience.
-Joyce Halabi
I would agree with Richardson. Teachers that can relate to the context and literacy of a student, but are also conversant in the language of power and mainstream literacy are invaluable in creating and nurturing a students agentive literacy. This piece strongly drew me back to Gee’s (1991) comments on literacy and the dominant discourse and his view that, “learning should enable all children.. to critique their primary and secondary discourses, including the dominate discourses “ (p.11) The kind of code switching Richardson describes and a mastery of multiple discourses seems ideally suited to enabling students to examine their own discourse and the discourse of others as well as the discourse of power. By code switching teachers can both acknowledge and examine the codes and also draw contrasts between the dominate code and the “other” code allowing students to examine both discourses and more fully understand them. It further reminded me of Mahiri and Sablo’s (1996) comments on a teachers role in fostering a students ability to understand, “ how their reality is constructed … and then to gain control of and agency in their lives” (p. 567). Code switching acknowledges and explores a student’s reality, instead of attempting to erase it and allows students to maintain their own identity in school while examining both their primary discourse and the discourse of power.
ReplyDeleteAs stated above Newirk argues that while TV has been demonized, it has value for children who are socialized and often stimulated by TV. Further he argues that an over emphasis on realistic writing has caused teachers to discredit television and in the process further disadvantage the minority students who are more likely to watch TV. I would argue that the explosion of reality TV while not exactly making his comments less relevant, complicates Newirks argument. It is first worth noting that the “reality” of reality television is highly simulated and engineered and does truly bare a strong resemblence to realistic literature. However, it does serve both as a cultural baramoter and provide images of the real world. It offers a new genre and a new area of exploration to students and teachers who are willing to discuss it together.
-Luke Edwards
Codeswitching has been regarded by many recent Black educators as an effective means to communicate with African American students. Richardson argues the same thing and even goes as far as referencing the historical significance of the black female culture. By giving background to the story of African Americans, Richardson brings in the cultural values held by slaves in the beginnings of the United States. As African Americans gain freedom and access to public schools, they are discouraged from using their “mother tongue” or way of speaking because it was not “standard.” It is reminiscent of Lisa Delpit’s article on how teachers do not really hear the student’s voices regarding issues of racial discrimination. Similarly, Morrell and Duncan-Andrade point out how rap songs and hip hop can be used to effectively make African American children understand canonical poems. By comparing the two styles, the children are able to relate the stories to their own experiences as the rap songs are in a language that they do understand. Therefore, the effectiveness of codeswitching is a highly valuable resource to tap into, especially since it has been seen to work.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk is critical of the media that draws the attention of elementary school boys. He finds that popular culture a paradox in which it is a form of literacy, but also an enemy of literacy. Boys tend mock and recreate their own literacy from these story lines, yet Newkirk also points out how class-based these stories are. Minorities therefore do not see these images as reflecting reality, which is why although television is a good resource to use in classrooms; it limits what children perceive as reality. With the recent new trend towards reality TV, Newkirk argument must be reexamined. However, because reality TV is often criticized to be staged, the accuracy of the lives they are reflecting proves that even reality TV is also a fictional reality.
I agree with Richardson and how code-switching can be an effective way to teach and help students to “decode texts and contexts.” Richardson believes that code-switching, usage of more than one language when conversing is an effective strategy to connect to the student individually. This reminded me of Paulo Freire’s article about the ineffectiveness of the banking system. Freire believed that teachers must find ways to connect to their student and teach them accordingly to their pace. Instead of flooding the students with information to memorize, it’s important to incorporate the things the students learn at home into the school classroom. This particular article reminded me Dorner et al piece as well. In the piece the author talks about the importance of encouraging the students to speak both their native language and the English language. The author finds this important because he believes that being a language broker is important not only at home but also in society.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the explosion of reality television definitely makes Newkirk’s comments less relevant today. Newkirk talks about the importance of television and how it can be used to be a resource of literacy due to it providing visuals and audio of different genres. Why I think that the explosion of reality TV goes against Newkirk’s comment is because of what the shows portray. They portray a group of people, usually people who are having fun and nonchalantly living their lives. I believe that these shows create a negative affect towards students especially the younger crowd thinking that education isn’t important and that they can continue their lives as long as their happy and can party all day.
Richardson argues that the best way students of color can understand and participate in classroom literacy is by codeswitching. Teachers who use codeswitching allow students to truly be interested in the material, and therefore participate because they are allowed to use their native tongue. I agree with Chloe Brisbane in the fact that this relates to Lisa Delpit’s article “Other People’s Children”. Delpit and Richardson are alike in the fact that in order for students to understand and participate in the dominating culture of power material, they should be taught the codes and be encouraged to immerse their experiences and voices. Another article that I particularly thought about when reading this article was of Anne H. Charity Hudley and Christine Mallinson in their article “Understanding English Language Variation in U.S. Schools”. They argue that in order for students to understand “standardized English”, teachers need to know that it needs to take into account their kind of literacy. By guiding students in the learning they learn best will allow them to be better equipped to “become more versatile in School English”.
ReplyDeleteAlthough many students enjoy TV, schools view it negatively and see it as mere mind candy. It is not a legitimate resource they can use in classroom settings because it puts a negative aspect on literacy. It is not taken into account that many of the students learn literacy through the TV, even though it may not portray reality. There is a racial difference in students that watch TV, those who are minorities watch the most TV and those from the middle class watch little or no TV. Now that there is growing reality TV shows, Newkirk’s argument is not very relevant. Often, reality TV shows exaggerate the life of a normal person and sometimes tends to be staged. This shows that even some reality TV shows are fictional.
Richardson claims the ability to “codeswitch” allows African American educators help their students relate to both written forms of literacy and literacy gained through personal experience. I agree because I think being able to relate both forms of literacy in a practical way is important for getting students to understand not only school work, but also the world around them. By switching between speaking styles, students can see the necessity and implementation of standard language in educational purposes and relate to the vernacular dialects they hear in their living environments. Mahiri and Sablo discussed how African American students experienced literacy and language mainly through life outside of school. Many teachers haven’t effectively inspired students, assigning trite lesson plans that hinder the flow of creativity. If these teachers could “codeswitch,” students might be able to bridge the gap between home and school life. I thought Howard’s piece, “We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know,” contained an equal message, where disadvantaged students were having difficulties in the classroom. One student told Howard that he couldn’t understand their strife, as Howard could go back to his privileged life, whereas the students from the poor, African American neighborhood would always be stuck there. In this case, an educator who can “codeswitch” is important in inspiring passion and instilling in students the knowledge and confidence to function in standard and vernacular languages and societies.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk’s article explores the relationship between media, mainly television, and creative writing done by children. The author believes television is a viable resource to expand children’s literary abilities, as it stimulates fictional ideas and stories, allowing for expanded creativity, whereas most critics site it as merely “mind candy,” having very little value. Because reality shows are often cast in a negative light and regarded as “fake,” television’s effectiveness in children’s literary growth may garner even more criticism. Newkirk’s article may be negated further due to the rise in reality shows, but I feel Newkirk would find these programs as another avenue for students to express themselves in a way that wouldn’t be detrimental to their artistic and educational growth.
Richardson’s argument about teachers being able to code switch is exactly what fits into what we have been learning in class so far. Mainly, understanding the student’s back ground and having lessons adapt around that background instead of holding up to rigid standards that many of our current school abide by. Codeswitching would be a great way to maintain active dialogue between the student and the teacher, just like what Paulo Freire suggests in order to move away from an “oppressive” school system. But it would not be an easy thing to do, and might even be close to impossible for some teachers. Gary R. Howard realized his white privilege in his article, but would he still be able to codeswitch? The power of codeswitching might be great, but it is also not an easy task.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk’s article may have been true about some of the shows that could be seen on the TV, but I am sure that if he were to see some of the reality show, he would definitely make a few exceptions (*cough*Jersey Shore*cough*). Although he does make a point of trying to see what boys will be more interested in and try to bring it into a classroom setting, his whole point about class association and the relevancy that tv will have will create some problem. But looking back on my own schooling, whenever the tv was on, I would tend to pay more attention (until I got older, and then it became a way to hang out with friends). Reality television may not be what Newkirk thought of when he saw it as a way to expand children’s literary abilities, but there are still shows that could be seen (PBS!). But again, now we are asking teachers to not only codeswitch, but also actively search out television shows that will make class relevant, on top of other things they are supposed to do in the classroom, which is on top of what school standards wants the teacher to teach at. That is a lot of pressure for all teachers out there.
I agree with Richarson’s argues that "Black teachers who can codeswitch can help students to decode texts and contexts, offering them models of learners who go both ways- across the borders." The literacy is not only learning from books. It is how to learn and understand the literacy. Richardson, “African American Female Literacies", touches on several overarching course themes as a social practice, racialism and more. I strongly agree with Black teacher who uses codeswitching that can help students whom do not using standardizes English at home. Black teacher creates a profound connection between their family literacy and school (standardizes English) literacy. Consequently, students can fully understand the content of literacy. This article approach with Bakhtin, “Excerpts from the bakhin reader”(78-87) that language and literacy as involving multiple voices as well as Vygotsky article “Interaction between learning and development and the prehistory of written language” that offers a view of learning as social and represents learning as ushering in development.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk’s article approach television can influence positive to children however, reality television is pressure negative to students. The reality television shows' physical violence, language abuse and more that can be harmful influence to students. In another hand, children are enjoying watching television. Newkirk research that “Between the ages of eight and eighteen, the average white child spends two hours, forty seven minutes per day watching television; the average black child spends four hours, forty one and the average Hispanic child spends three hours, fifty minutes.” This statement shows that many students are spending many hours in watching television. The reality television creates to show a lot of sources of educations that children can enjoy learning of literacy as well as can be good education tools.
Richardson states that a black teacher’s ability to code switch is beneficial because students can learn through “...using material that is culturally interesting to help connect them to the classroom from a position of authority” (699). For this reason, I agree with Richardson’s statement as it is a way to “bridge between text and experience”(698). In Lisa Delpit’s The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children, a similar concern is expressed. Delpit emphasizes how children can have difficulty following the rules of a classroom when the expectancy in school is different from that at home. A teacher with the ability to code switch would be beneficial in mediating the different expectancies at home and school. Orellana’s essay, In other words: Translating or “para-phrasing” as a family literacy practice in immigrant households, also shows how a teacher’s ability to integrate the literacies practiced at home into the classroom is beneficial to help students learn. Richardson’s claim is seen as able to go “across borders” as it acknowledges code switching as a tool to use what is learned outside of the classroom.
ReplyDeleteNewkirk’s “Misreading Masculinity,” makes it a point that television is a form of entertainment predominantly consumed by the lower class. Because of this, labeling television as something that should be minimized can be a detriment as it serves as a means for students to relate fiction and nonfiction literacies. The craze of “reality” television makes Newkirk’s comments relevant but also cautionary. Reality television has been critiqued for being scripted and can portray a distorted view of reality. Labeling something as “reality” is dangerous in that it can alter and perpetuate negative images and stereotypes of the lower class. Though television has the potential to engage students, shows such as “Jersey Shore” or “Bad Girls Club” show that the reality television craze also has the potential to do the opposite.
I agree with Richardson that black teachers who can codeswitch can help students to decode the materials better. As one quote in this article says, " This style creates a bridge between text and experience." Switching code can boost students' interest in learning and this will also help them comprehend the material better. This directly reminds me of the article, "The silence Dialogue" by Lisa Delpit. In this article, she points out the issue that the communication bridge between teachers and students need be built. Both teachers and students couldn't find the appropriate ways to comprehend each other. Furthermore, it also reminds me one of the videos that we saw in class about a african american kid writing hip hop songs in Oakland. This kid wrote songs to express himself and also his living experiences in his neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jay Chung that the explosion of reality TV could have negative effects on the younger. The so called" reality" TV shows don't really play the reality. Although it is true that TV provides the younger things to learn, it shouldn't be put into classroom because most of the TV shows could not be totally portraying the real.
Yingwen Liu
I would say I agree Richardson’s argues that "Black teachers who can codeswitch
ReplyDeletecan help students to decode texts and contexts, offering them models of
learners who go both ways- across the borders.” This is because I believe that it is important for a teacher and student to understand one another in order for learning to occur. Not only this, but it is important for a student to be able to learn while being able to incorporate their own culture and experiences. This can be seen through Lisa Delpit’s article “Other Peoples Children” and Howard’s piece, “We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know.” In Delpit’s article she talks about how students should be able to learn by essentially combining their own experiences at home with school. She gives an example by explaining it may be hard for kids to follow directions at school because of a different way of doing this at home. With a teacher that can codeswitch they can help bridge this gap. I chose Howard’s article because it makes a difference when a teacher can relate or understand where their students are coming from, because this may make the students more receptive and likely to feel connected to what their are learning.
Newkirk states that tv can be used in a positive manner. Although schools try to reject television and label it as “trashy,” the fact of the matter is thatchildren spend at least three hours watching it. By watching television young students are able to follow story lines, use their imagination, and become invested emotionally in stories that may relate to their own lives. For schools to reject and categorize television as a useless tool can end up hurting children from under-served communities because it is a resource from which they derive a great amount of their real world knowledge.