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Through Critical Eyes Itic Al Ly

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Through Critical Eyes Itic Al Ly Shannon Cuff and Heather Statz The Story of Stuff: The authors use documentaryfi.Ims and Reading Advertisements print ads to help students v iew adv er ti s ement s fltor e 'cr through Critical Eyes itic al ly. S tu dent s' responses to the works are included. n November 28, 2008, Jdimytai Stuff, and our personal and teaching lives were for- Damour, age 34, was killed by a ever changed. For us, Leonard's film wasn't just stampeding mob of customers run- about learning how US citizens' obsession with ning to get the day-after-Thanks- consumerism affects our global community; it w4s giving bargains (McFadden and Macropoulos). Even about getting to the root causes of consumers' ac- after customers in the stofe wefe informed that four tions as a way to educate others and effect change. people were injured and one rnan died, most chose \With t'he thousands of messages our students see to keep shopping. Although this was officially des- every day encouraging them to buy and wanr more ignated an accidental death, we question this "ac- stuff, we fear they will "learn that belonging is not cident" in hopes of identifying ways to prevent such rooted in concepts of democratic citizenship but in tragedies from happening again. Looking at the consumerism" (Stack and Kelly 7). \7e believe stu- root causes of this unfortunate death, it seems clear dents must develop a strong critical literacy that that consumerism played a large role. makes them aware of ho* they are persuaded as In our quest for "stuff," we sometimes lose consumefs. focus on other things: people, relationships, happi- In our work with undergraduates at the Uni- ness, joy, and many more intangibles. \7e believe versity of Missouri and with teachers in local high this tragic event gives teachers an excellent oppor- schools and junior high schools, we connect critical tunity to staft a significant discussion with their and media literacy education. One of many ways to students about consumerism and the importance of introduce students to critical literacy is through developing a critical view ofadvertising. Sfhy did media education. Donna E. Alvermann and Marga- people start lining up the day before, on Thanks- ret C. Hagood write about the power of popular cul- giving Day, to purchase discount goods? \7hy was ture texts as away to accomplish that goal. There is such excitement and competition generated that re- a "widening gap between young people's worlds sulted in injuries and the death ofa fellow shopper? outside school and their experiences in the class- \Zhy do we believe we need so many things? \fho room" (Buckingham 311), and teachers should rec- tells us we need them? ogntze the importance of using popular culture rexts such as television, magazines, film, video games, and music to engage students in critical conversa- Background tions. In an effort to push students'thinking about In June 20O8, we took a Critical Literacy class that consumerism and its affect on today's sociegy, w; altered oril p"mp..tive on teaching. Our instructor used two films and a series of modern adverrisements showed Annie Leonard's online frlm The Story of to encourage students to reflect critically. English Journal 99.3 (2010):27-32 27 fhe Storg of SLuff:. Reading Advertisements through Critical Eyes Taking lt to the Classroom who are informed about the rrurh of consumerism as well as the thinking behind advertisements can relay rl Through working directly with junior high and this to their students. high school srudents, we have learned how differ- Consuming Kids is a 67-minute documentary, .: ently groups will respond to the same sources of in- and when working with the junior formation about consumerism. In classroom serrings high srudenrs, our session time did not allow and at conference sessions, students have surprised us to show the film in its entirety. Instead, us with the candor and honesty of their reflections we showed a five-minute ciip of the video and asked studenrs as they consider the role they play in consumerism. to openly reffect on it by posing the foliowing quesrions: \7e have also been surprised by the resisrance of \fhat stands out for you from the video clip? What some students' discussions of advertisements and do you agree with? \Vhat do you disagree the buying of "stuff." Not all students respond pos- with? Studenrs wrote for several minures and itively or willingly to issues of consumption. In our then shared. As we listened, we were pleased ro see how teaching, we are not trying to send the message that excited they were ro dis- cuss the wodd of advertising consumption is bad; rather, we want to empower and how media targets young people. response young adults ro interpret media intelligently and In to claims about brand loyalty being to make decisions as thoughtful consumers. raught at an eatly age, Maddie said, "The way they package ads, they are The documentary Couunting Ki*: The Com- making sure what we do when we're young is mercialization of Childhood, print ads, and The Story what vre'Il do when we're older." "ads of Stuff have all been used with both junior high Jericka said that hypnotize us', and make us focus on rhings we and high school students. In this article, we look at shouldn't be focus- ing on. Some students each source and students' responses from both grade disagreed with parts of the video. In response ro asserrions levels to provide possible lesson and unit ideas. that children are more obese today than in years past, lilly asked, "\Zhy Consuming Kids won't they let us have variety? \fhy do they label kids obese?" An open and diverse discussion In the new docume nrary Consanuing Kids: The Com- with the group conrinued for more rhan ten min- mcrcialization ofCbildbood, educators are called to ac- utes, with us barely needing to facilitate. tion to do something about the onslaught of Nichole's three-minute writing caprures rhe coqporare marketing specifically aimed at children. spirit of the discussion among the junior high stu- There are now more than 52 million children under dents (writing samples have not been altered): the age of twelve in the United States, and corpora- I don't think that the experts are all-the-way right tions afe conducting intense studies to rarget this because we are not targeted because not all people audience (Consuming Kids). The book Cbild Honoring: eat all the time and some people are naturally a lit- How to Turn Tbis Vorld Arouncl takes a chiLdren-first tte bigger. I think that kids don't buy things approach "tro to addressing negarive conditions children all the time, on occasion but not every single day. I face and the acrion adults should take to berter soci- think that there should be a policy on how to adver- ety (Cavoukian and Olfman). Along with other ad- tise. That's where I agree to tbe experts, but I don,t vocates, Raffi Cavoukian and Sharna Olfman criticize think chey are just targeting younger kids, everyone youth marketing techniques and call on schools to is being rargeted in different ways. develop media literacy curricula. In the documen- The high school students we worked with tary Consaruing "N(/e Kic/s, Cavoukian says, have a were able to watch the entire documentary in class moral duty to transform societal values and creare a while taking notes. The next day, we asked them to culture that respects the children with whose care use their notes to write a short reflection capturing we have been entrusted." Gaching students of all their thoughts. Nick, a twelfth grader, responded by ages how to read their world must include an in- saying he thought the "Video is unfair because it -/t..rr. look at the wodd of advertising and consumer- doesn't give both sides of the story. \fe can'r jusr say \)fe ism. are bombarded with advertisements of all everything is wrong and corrupt.without looking at types daily, and students need to be empowered with the other side." Jared, an eleventh grader, said, "I the knowledge of how to read these ads. Educators think that consumerism isn't either bad or good. It 28 lanuary 201O Shannon Cuff and Heather Statz helps out the corporations and the consumers. \7e about how ads are created. She talks about the effec- are manipulated to buy products, but we don't have tive center of attention of both vertical and horizon- to." Morgan, a twelfth grader, took another view on tal ads and how this directionality affecrs our the video by responding, "Before my pre-teen years, interpretation of what is known or given and what is I remember commercials for toys only consisting of new or promised. Roy F. Fox uses the term symbol- three ads before the cartoon would come back on. speak to explain how advertisers lure consumers. Now there are ten or more commercials that chil- Symbolspeak is the "art of dren consume on breaks which sell things that are a" suggesting" and it "results Some students admitted lot more 'character' or 'block-buster' centered." from the skillfully manipu- they didn't like being The high school students engaged in a lively lated ambiguity of images" told that consumerism is discussion following their writings. Just as the dif- (70). Symbols are used to wrong they enjoyed ference in the wfitten responses shows above, the "distort rcality slightfu Iandl buying things and had opinions varied greatly and most seemed passionate to mislead a little.bit (and no desire to stop.
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