MEDIA LITERACY THROUGH INTERTEXTUAL ANALYSIS a Project Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Graduate and Professional S

Home , Princess Cinderella

MEDIA LITERACY THROUGH INTERTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

A Project

Presented to the faculty of the Department of Graduate and Professional Studies in

Education

California State University, Sacramento

Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Education

(Behavioral Sciences Gender Equity Studies)

Danielle Norman

SUMMER 2020

Danielle Norman

MEDIA LITERACY THROUGH INTERTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

A Project

Danielle Norman

Approved by:

______, Committee Chair Sherrie Carinci, Ed.D.

______Date

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Student: Danielle Norman

I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and this project is suitable for electronic submission to the library and credit is to be awarded for the project.

______, Department Chair ______Carlos Nevarez, Ph.D. Date

Department of Graduate and Professional Studies in Education

Abstract

MEDIA LITERACY THROUGH INTERTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Danielle Norman

Using a critical pedagogy perspective, this project aims to integrate media literacy within elementary classrooms. Incorporating intertextual analysis of a traditional and non-traditional fairy tale will provide students with the opportunity to engage in the active process of understanding socially-constructed hegemony. The curriculum encompasses three academic weeks and is designed to be conducted within a small group setting. This project is tailored for grades four through six, with the intention of raising media literacy consciousness with a focus on gender identity construction and ideas.

The traditional fairy tale is an original interpretation of Cinderella. This story contains the consistent stereotypical messages that have been disseminated through multiple influential, male authors over the past 400 years. The protagonist, Cinderella, is valued by men based on her appearance and yet, it is also her appearance that threatens the other female characters, promoting female competition. Cinderella’s character is idealized as subservient, dependent and possessing only domestic qualities. However, A

Fairy’s Tale offers a counter-narrative to the typically celebrated and stereotypical female characters. The protagonist, Esme, finds value in discovering her own strengths and abilities, while cooperating with other female characters to combat intellectual and v

intuitive suppression. Esme possesses emotional depth and discovers her internal strength through harnessing her masculine and feminine qualities. The conventional format of a fairy tale provides an ideal theme to unearth the depth of hegemonic hidden meanings through scaffolded curriculum. This project has the potential to raise the consciousness of students by transforming them into empowered and critical thinkers.

______, Committee Chair Sherrie Carinci, Ed.D.

______Date

DEDICATION

When I was younger, I would climb the tallest tree and gaze upon the leaves that floated towards the ground or ponder the destination of passing clouds. My mind craved knowledge that only Earth had to offer. I dedicate this project to the intuitive wisdom that exists in us all. May we raise our children to honor their own connections to the natural world and to recognize forces, which aim to stifle their innate intelligence.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

Dedication ...... vii

List of Tables ...... xi

Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1

Statement of the Problem ...... 3

Purpose of the Project ...... 5

Theoretical Basis ...... 6

Methodology ...... 9

Limitations ...... 12

Definition of Relevant Terms ...... 13

Organization of the Project ...... 15

Background of the Researcher ...... 15

2. REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE ...... 16

Introduction ...... 16

Educational Hegemony ...... 16

Social Reproduction ...... 20

Once Upon a Lie ...... 21

Making the Case for Media Literacy ...... 25

Summary ...... 29

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3. METHODOLOGY ...... 31

Introduction ...... 31

Research Design ...... 32

Research Questions ...... 38

Settings ...... 39

Procedure ...... 41

Summary ...... 43

4. DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS,

AND REFLECTIONS ...... 44

Discussion ...... 44

Media Literacy Project Evaluation ...... 46

Conclusion ...... 54

Limitations ...... 55

Recommendations ...... 56

Reflections ...... 57

Appendix A. Evaluation Instruction ...... 59

Appendix B. Evaluation Sheet (Post-Curriculum) ...... 61

Appendix C. Original Revision, Cinderella ...... 63

Appendix D. Original Story, A Fairy’s Tale ...... 73

Appendix E. Week One Lesson Plan ...... 87

Appendix F. Week Two Lesson Plan ...... 100

Appendix G. Week Three Lesson Plan ...... 112

Appendix H. Disney Game Show: Name That Sidekick ...... 117

References ...... 126

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Content Analysis of Three Cinderella Fairy Tales ...... 35

2. Evaluators ...... 42

3. Evaluator Responses ...... 47

xi 1

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Using a critical pedagogy perspective, this project utilizes intertextual analysis of a traditional and non-traditional fairy tale to provide students with a curriculum that illuminates socially-constructed hegemony. The curriculum encompasses three academic weeks and is designed to be conducted within a small group setting. This project is tailored for use in the intermediate grades, and intentionally scaffolds media literacy consciousness while focusing on gender identity construction and ideas. Ten individuals from diverse educational backgrounds were chosen to evaluate the project. These evaluators read the stories, engaged in the curriculum, and then participated in a written evaluation of the project.

In the 21st century, one of the most pervasive and powerful sources of oppression are the gendered ideologies disseminated through multiple forms of media (Scharrer,

2002; Wood, 2009). This invisible force, however, is often unrecognizable; hidden messages are effectively packaged as entertainment by those in positions of power

(Scharrer, 2002). With technology becoming increasingly accessible through devices such as smart phones, tablets, and television, and with the young audience demographic growing, the reach of media-constructed ideology is also increasing (American College of Pediatricians, 2016; Wood, 2009). However, the recognition of negative gender constructions is not a point of focus within the elementary classroom (Sharrer, 2002).

Powerful media conglomerates continue to perpetuate a systematic message about idealized feminine and masculine qualities with even more vigor as endless technological

2 platforms emerge (Sales, 2016). Girls who are exposed to the patriarchal narratives are more susceptible to adhering to the “feminine script,” which emphasizes romantic relationships at the expense of everything else (Lips, 1989). Beauty is the prerequisite to achieve the affection of males, and girls begin to lose their authentic selves in a desperate attempt to look like a princess (Pipher, 1994). The normalization of technology ensures that media will continue to saturate the consciousness of its viewers, while our culture and educational system reproduce and reinforce the gendered themes (Arnot, 1982;

Wood, 2009).

Individuals are more susceptible to particular gendered internalizations at specific developmental phases and the media industry targets specific audiences during these periods (Hobbs & Jensen, 2009). Vygotsky (1934) described this phase as the proximal zone of development. He theorized that children understand language as an interpretation of their own identity, when presented by a more knowledgeable source, at a specific time

(Vygotsky, 1934). With the growing dependence on media to entertain young children from a younger age, more youth are consuming messages and relying on technology as their “more knowledgeable other” (American College of Pediatricians, 2016; Vygotsky,

1934). This reliance can be detrimental if young students are not also provided the academic tools to comprehend the influence media can have on their thoughts, beliefs, and self-perception (Hobbs & Jensen, 2009). Young girls experience a psychological metamorphosis as they age and are especially vulnerable to the negative stereotypes that cause them to self-silence and disassociate with their true selves (Brown & Gilligan,

1992).

Media literacy is a tangible option to combat the intangible force of gendered media ideologies (American College of Pediatricians, 2016). The revelatory content embedded within this project is pivotal and has the potential to remove the dark veil of unconscious powerlessness. Students will be armed with the tools necessary to deconstruct and analyze the many components of media (Scharrer, 2002). Schools can either be complicit in perpetuating hegemony or play a crucial role in contesting inequitable social injustices through education. Educators have the opportunity to be the agents of empowerment and are placed in a privileged position to help their students view themselves as free agents (McInerney, 2009).

Fairy tales are one of the first genres introduced to young children and then these stories are utilized as common cultural blueprints for gender throughout adulthood

(Zipes, 2012). For example, the pretty, dependent, and victimized princess has dominated every medium that the fairy tale’s reach has touched (Orenstein, 2011). Once folktales evolved as a literary genre, fairy tales have grown to dominate media, advertising, toys, clothing, and ideologies of what it means to be the fairest of them all

(Orenstein, 2011; Zipes, 2012). Intertextual analysis of two fairy tales can transform classrooms into sites of critical thinking and analysis by guiding students to look more closely at the narratives that feed gender inequities (Zipes, 2012).

Statement of the Problem

American children are influenced by the hidden media messages circulated through multiple forms of media; however, many schools do not integrate media literacy programs within language arts curriculum. When a society is enculturated to think

4 through a narrow scope, the obvious can be easily overlooked; people see what they are taught to believe (McInterney, 2009). This phenomenon may have unprecedented educational repercussions when compounded with the lack of educational resources preparing students to become media literate (American College of Pediatrics, 2016; Lips,

1989). Schools are the reproduction sites for the patterns of gender inequality and they work in conjunction with the messages from home (Arnot, 1982). This cycle will perpetually repeat without a major shift in education (Horn, 2003). Freire (2000) proposes that educators have the privilege and responsibility to guide their students through a deeper consciousness in order to transform their existence from dominated to liberated. The Modern College of Pediatrics recommend that educators provide students the academic opportunity to develop media literacy (American College of Pediatrics,

2016).

Another problem is that children are astute and aware when school curriculum is disconnected from their experiences and interests. When placed in a position to absently regurgitate state mandated standards, they are more likely to experience education as a site of social reproduction, an issue corroborated by critical theory educators (Freire,

2000; hooks, 1994). Unarmed by intellectual curiosity, they are more likely to turn to entertainment to fill the void of intellectual curiosity, ensuring the continued cycle of constructed gendered identities (Arnot, 1982; Lips, 1989). American youth spend over ten hours a day immersed in some form of technology and are often are engaged in multiple forms of media at the same time, compounding the internalization of gendered messages (American College of Pediatrics, 2016; Lips, 1989).

Purpose of the Project

Incorporating intertextual analysis of a traditional and non-traditional fairy tale provides students with the opportunity to engage in the active process of understanding socially-constructed hegemony. The traditional fairy tale is an original interpretation of

Cinderella. This story contains the consistent stereotypical messages that have been disseminated through multiple influential, male authors over the past 400 years. The protagonist, Cinderella, is valued by men based on her appearance and yet, it is also her appearance that threatens the other female characters, promoting female competition.

Cinderella’s character is idealized as subservient, dependent and possessing only domestic qualities. However, A Fairy’s Tale offers a counter-narrative to the typically celebrated stereotypical, female characters. The protagonist, Esme, finds value in discovering her own strengths and abilities, while cooperating with other female characters to combat intellectual and intuitive suppression. Esme possesses emotional depth and discovers her own internal strength through harnessing her masculine and feminine qualities. The conventional format of a fairy tale provides an ideal theme to unearth the depth of hegemonic hidden meanings through scaffolded curriculum. This project has the potential to raise the consciousness of students by transforming them into empowered and critical thinkers.

Fairy tales infiltrate the consciousness of children from an early age and continue to dominate media-driven narratives about gender throughout their lives (Zipes, 2012).

Children identify with the idealized characters, then learn to align their beliefs with the normalized versions of masculinity and femininity (Lips, 1989; Wood, 2009). This can

6 create chasms between females if they believe the singular path towards their happiness is lined with female competitors, all fighting for the same prince (Orenstein, 2011). For over four centuries, this literary genre and the most influential male authors have reproduced the same unifying message about idealized male and female characteristics without an effective counter-narrative (Zipes, 2012).

Despite the pervasive influence of media, most contemporary schools predominantly focus on equipping students with the tools to become technologically literate rather academically prepared to critically engage with the culturally constructed content (Hobbs & Jensen, 2009; Lips, 1989). With the rising influence of media through multiple forms of technology, schools have a responsibility to equip their students with the tools necessary to identify and critically analyze hidden messages (College of

Pediatrics, 2016; Hobbs & Jensen, 2009). This reality necessitates the adoption of media literacy curriculum designed in conjunction of the state mandated Common Core

Standards to ensure its academic legitimacy (Scharrer, 2002).

Theoretical Basis

Critical pedagogy brings awareness to unequal power relations in society and seeks to develop new generation of students who can identify and rectify subjective inequities through literate practices (Shor, 1999). Critical literacy has been defined as

“language that questions the social construction of the self. When we are critically literate, we examine our ongoing development, to reveal the subjective positions from which we make sense of the world and act in it” (Shor, 1999, p. 282). Freire focused on the banking system of teaching and equated this method with a form of oppression.

Freire (2000) warned that this system only promotes and perpetuates an ideology that keeps the learner from questioning or critically thinking about the world in which she/he lives. Freire (2000) states, “The capability of the banking education to minimize or annul the students’ creative power and to stimulate their credulity serves the interests of the oppressors, who care neither to have the world revealed nor to see it transformed” (p. 73).

In addition, he proposes an alternative to this oppressive system, which utilizes dialogue, called problem-posing education. Using this method, the teacher does not simply pour data into her students with the expectation of regurgitation but encourages her students to become active agents in their own educational journey. According to Freire (2000),

“Banking education resists dialogue; problem-posing education regards dialogue as indispensable to the act of cognition which unveils reality. Banking education treats students as objects of assistance; problem-posing education makes them critical thinkers”

(p. 83).

Freire (2000) goes further to distinguish the interdependence of reflection and action, called, praxis. He proposes that educators have the privilege and responsibility to guide their students through a deeper consciousness in order to transform their existence from dominated to liberated. He focuses on dialogue and representation through which educators can unearth their students’ truth and knowledge. Freire states (2000), “The methodology of that investigation must likewise be dialogical, affording the opportunity both to discover generative themes and to stimulate people’s awareness in regard to these themes. Consistent with the liberating purpose of dialogical education, the object of the investigation is not persons, but rather the thought-language with which men and women

8 refer to reality” (p. 97). Inspired by Paulo Freire, but committed to including a feminist lens, bell hooks (1994) continued to break ground in the development of critical theory.

hooks (1994) believes that cultural experiences are central and integral in the curriculum, which influenced her understanding of the pivotal role education plays in the development of students’ consciousness. Her work integrates Freire’s teaching of

“education as the practice of freedom” (p. 13) and uses her transformative words to reveal the possibilities that education can achieve. bell hooks’ book, Teaching to

Transgress, draws upon Freire’s teaching of education as the practice of freedom (1994). hooks (1994) believes that our society is separated into the oppressors and the oppressed.

The oppressors use the school system to perpetuate inequities and foster apathetic minds through passive knowledge. hooks writes, “Among educators there has to be an acknowledgement that any effort to transform institutions so that they reflect a multicultural standpoint must take into consideration the fears teachers have when asked to shift their paradigms. There must be training sites where teachers have the opportunity to express those concerns while also learning new ways to approach the multicultural classroom and curriculum” (hooks, 1994, p. 36). Another leading theorist is Bartolome, who also viewed the American educational system through a critical lens.

In Beyond the Methods Fetish: Toward a Humanizing Pedagogy, Bartolome

(1994) makes the claim that in order to efficiently serve students from marginalized groups, teachers must approach teaching with a fresh perspective. She believes that most teachers carry a conscious or unconscious bias towards students who underperform in the academic sphere and reinforce the asymmetrical power dynamics that exist in American

9 society. She believes that too often teachers rely on the search for a one-size-fits-all methodology that will fix struggling students. Bartolome proposes that educators should instead utilize a student-based approach that builds from each students’ prior knowledge, understanding and experiences. In addition, she offers two strategies that emphasize the role of students as knowers and active participants in their own educational journey. The first approach is called, culturally responsive teaching where teachers build upon students own cultural background and ways of knowing to incorporate new academic material.

The second approach is called, strategic teaching, where the teacher enables students to monitor their own learning to promote independent and metacognitively aware students

(Bartolome, 1994).

Horn (2003) is optimistic in the power of media literacy in combating, through recognition, the hidden ideologies, which are designed to limit the true potential of its cross-generational audience. He explains that in a media-driven society, all citizens are affected by the media saturated culture, who bring their beliefs, knowledge, and values into the classroom; however, developing a critical awareness of the hidden messages are only possible through media literacy (Horn, 2003).

Methodology

Instructional Design

The methodology utilized for this project is instructional design, anchored through a content analysis of Cinderella using a critical pedagogical lens. Content analysis is a tool used by researchers to identify deeper meanings and intentions within a text through the presence of certain themes that unearth a biased perspective

(Krippendorff, 1980). Content analysis provided the foundation for the instructional design of the curriculum. Once the systemic and negative gender stereotypes were discovered, the instructional design was developed as a counter-narrative. Instructional design is an ideal vehicle for teaching concepts. Instructional design is grounded in the relationship of both content acquisition and application (Tennyson & Park, 1980). The instructional design of this project utilized a critical pedagogical framework encouraging students to examine power structures and oppressive inequities that have become normalized within traditional Fairy Tales. Instructional design was conducive for the researcher to maintain ownership and accountability of the project.

The instructional design of this project utilized Fairy Tales to illuminate the systematic and constructed models of femininity and masculinity; as Fairy Tale narratives have permeated the collective consciousness of our society (Zipes, 2012).

Conceptualizing hegemony is aided through the use of the familiar themes found in fairy tales. The constructed layers can be pulled back and assumptions of masculinity and femininity can be dug deeper when the non-traditional Fairy Tale is juxtaposed with a traditional Fairy Tale. Given the vocabulary to understand hegemony and the curriculum to connect their knowledge, young minds can blossom with unique insight. For example,

Cinderella has become normalized as one archetype of the ideal female, but when students are asked to circle adjectives that describe her character traits, students may begin to question whether those qualities align with their own views. Then when students are exposed to a new female character who embodies more empowered qualities and asked to do the same exercise, a fresh archetype for idealized femininity may emerge.

In addition, perhaps students never noticed that most fairy tales use a consistent mold that promotes female competition, but when asked to discuss Cinderella’s relationship to her stepmother and stepsisters and then compare it with Snow White, The Little Mermaid, and Sleeping Beauty, they may begin to see a pattern. When students are then asked to discuss the same theme about Esme and her mother and Esme and Sophie, and then to compare to popular fairy tales, a new expectation for how female relationships should be presented, may form.

Content analysis of three Cinderella tales demonstrate the clear and unifying patriarchal lens, which has continuously constructed the ideal feminine protagonist, from the 17th century until modernity. First, Perrault (1697) was analyzed as one of the most influential authors who transitioned fairy tales from folktale to a literary genre. Then, the

Grimms brothers were explored for their contribution to the dissemination of the fairy tale genre throughout Europe and the United States. Finally, Walt Disney & Disney

Corporation was examined for the media conglomerate’s continued influence and unique interpretations.

Using language to understand how language can be used as an oppressive shroud is traditionally reserved for the collegiate level. However, young minds are ripe and ready to discover the layers of gendered hegemony if given the appropriate content and scaffolds. Intertextual analysis of Cinderella and A Fairy’s Tale is developmentally and academically appropriate, while also respecting the intuitive wisdom and intellectual grit that bubbles within each child.

Limitations

Making a case for the necessity of media literacy may be problematic if parents perceive the content to be inappropriate for the educational sphere. There is a deep ideological divide in the 21st century and progressive curriculum is often met with resistance from conservative communities. For example, prior to Rocklin Unified School

District voting on an inclusive, K-5 social studies curriculum, known as LGBT History

Bill, controversy erupted. Over 1,000 parents signed a petition pleading the board members to not approve the new curriculum; the parents warned that if textbooks were approved, they would stage a sit-in and keep their children home the following day

(Morrer, 2019). In another instance, a Rocklin Charter School was unexpectantly thrust in the middle of a heated controversy when a teacher read a district-approved book called, I am Jazz, in an attempt to support one of her transgender students. This incident divided the community among ideological lines and the vitriol became so intense that the teacher necessitated security guards to escort her to school (Lambert, 2018). This limitation also necessitates the adoption of media literacy curriculum designed in conjunction of the state mandated Common Core Standards to justify its academic rigor.

Building media literacy curriculum, with embedded state standards increases the likelihood that liberatory materials are welcomed into most classrooms (Wood, 2009).

In addition, many classroom teachers may struggle with the resources and vision to implement thorough examination of texts through a critical lens. Balancing time, resources, and instruction can lead to an aversion of analysis of high-level texts. Finally, teachers may focus on one aspect of literacy, such as: guided-reading or close-reading.

However, this project seamlessly integrates multiple reading strategies within one cohesive and scaffolded unit.

Definition of Relevant Terms

Close Reading: Is an intentional and systematic breakdown of complex passages through language and structure to analyze meaning of the text, which targets the 10 CA common core reading standards (Shanahan, n.d.).

Critical Literacy: Learning to read and write as part of the process of becoming conscious of one’s experience as historically constructed within specific power relations

(Shor, 1999).

Dialectic Critique: Developed in philosophies of Hegel and adopted by Marx, assisted the individual’s understanding complex ideas through an examination the opposite or converse idea (Freire, 2012).

Gender bias: sexism in literature, or work that demonstrates an unequal position of men and women in the social structure (Lips, 1989).

Gender Schema Theory: children organizing their beliefs and expectations about males and females, which can then influence the information the child remembers (Lips,

1989).

Gender Scripts: socially constructed behavior based on stereotypical ideology

(Arnot, 1982; Lips, 1989).

Generative Themes: topics that on the surface seem familiar to an audience but have the potential to provide deep discourse and ideological liberation (Freire, 2012).

Guided Reading: a small-group instructional design that focuses on integrating strategic actions that engage students through increasingly challenging texts (Fountas &

Pinnell, 2017).

Hegemony: (“predominance by consent”) is a condition in which a fundamental class exercises a political, intellectual, and moral role of leadership within a hegemonic system cemented by a common world-view or “organic ideology”

(McInerney, 2009).

Instructional Design: aims to address the needs of the learner and is used to create instruction procedures (Tennyson, & Park, 1980).

More Knowledgeable Other (MKO): someone who has more understanding or higher ability than the learner (Vygotsky, 1934).

Patriarchy: social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line (Arnot, 1982).

Praxis: action and reflection upon the world in order to change it (bell, 1994).

Small-Group Instruction: a category of reading instruction that consists of no more than six students and allows the teacher to support the active construction of processing systems that produce independent and self-initiated readers (Fountas &

Pinnell, 2017).

Organization of the Project

This project is organized into four chapters. The first chapter introduces the major problems and purpose of the study. This section includes: overview of the methodology, limitations of the project, theoretical basis for the study, definitions for unfamiliar language, and the background of the researcher. The second chapter is dedicated to the review of related literature. This section is comprised of four components, each building a case for the necessity of media literacy curriculum. The third chapter discusses the quantitative research used to support the instructional design, the procedure for the project, as well as the purpose of the evaluation. The fourth and final chapter is a rigorous discussion of the conclusions, limitations of the project as well as recommendations for future study.

Background of the Researcher

Dani Norman has enjoyed a diverse and rich educational background, while developing her pedagogy. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of

California, Los Angeles and earned her teaching credential from California State

University, Northridge. She has devoted her efforts as a transformative educator in Los

Angeles, Maui, and Sacramento. She firmly believes the primary goal of classroom teachers is to unearth the inner potential in every student, and that education can be utilized as the ultimate tool of empowerment. Her positionality is rooted in her own experiences as a woman, mother, and educator.

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE

Introduction

The literature review focuses on building a case for the adoption of media-literacy curriculum. The initial section introduces the concept of educational hegemony and illustrate how media can be a tool of oppression, while the educational system is failing to prepare students to become critically literate. Next, the idea of social reproduction was explored to demonstrate how ideologies are perpetuated through parents, peers and schools; and how these agents unwittily perpetuate the patriarchal ideology. Then,

Disney fairy tales are used as an example to illuminate the systemic constructions of what it means to be male or female within a carefully constructed narrative. Finally, media literacy was identified as the solution to combat gendered hegemony through critical media curriculum.

Educational Hegemony

Since its inception, the United States has perpetuated a patriarchal educational system, utilizing laws to justify and reinforce male dominance. As economic pressures and student supply demands caused fractures within this suppression, females tentatively gained limited access to education. For centuries, the educational institution ensured males would receive the maximum benefit, while simultaneously providing the illusion that females were equal beneficiaries (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). However, with the passing of Title IX, regulations prevented sexist practices in federally funded schools and the patriarchy no longer had laws to promote its ideology (O’Kelly & Carney, 1986). As

17 legal protections widened to promote gender equity in education, media became a new invisible agent of female mental and educational suppression (O’Kelly & Carney, 1986).

The invisible weapon of media has constructed harmful gender socialization ideologies, which limit the true academic potential of many female students.

Arnot (1982) explains that class and family beliefs are intricately linked with media, it is through this medium that the ideologies are perpetuated in education.

Schools are the reproduction sites for the patterns of gender inequality and that they work in conjunction with the messages from home (Arnot, 1982). According to Arnot, the sex- role ideology is produced and reproduced in the schools. She writes, “It is thus both the cause and the effect of gender inequity since each new generation of pupils becomes the new generation of parents, teachers, employers, etc., carrying with them the assumptions of such ‘sex-role ideology” (1982, p. 22). Media is the root of the sex-role ideology because it is what shapes the assumptions in the first place. With this understanding, it is important to deconstruct the sources of this male-dominated ideology (Arnot, 1982).

One major component of media is the well-targeted systematic messages about gender. Each society constructs its own ideas about gender and in Western cultures, there are two distinct classes of people, “women” and “men.” Once an individual is assigned a gender, the identities are rigidly constructed to fit a pre-determined model. Specifically, in the United States, masculinity and femininity fit into a hierarchy, where males dominate females (Lorber, 1992). Pipher uses her research to conclude that girls internalize the misogynistic culture as a result of men maintaining most of the political and economic power and that attracting males subconsciously ensures that they too,

18 might have access to power (Pipher, 1994). From birth, females are socialized to believe that they possess distinct qualities and aspirations from males and that their sex is a determinant for their thoughts, beliefs, appearance, and actions. The media’s images of females possess the same unifying theme. The construction of the ideal female is dependent, polite, pretty, and docile. Girls have been conditioned to obey the rules of their society if they want to achieve their “happily ever after,” which translates into finding a Prince Charming interested in marriage (Lorber, 1992). Lorber further elaborates that,

Most people, voluntarily go along with their societies prescriptions for those in

their gender status because the norms and expectations get built into their sense of

worth and identity as a certain kind of human being and because they believe their

society’s way is the natural way. (1992, p. 52)

As a result, both parents and schools unwittily perpetuate the same ideology that aims to stifle women and perpetuate the power of men. It is through the media that those expectations are built and then reproduced by families, peers, and schools. These unwitting agents reinforce male hegemony so thoroughly that even those who are oppressed believe the dominant ideology (Lips, 1989).

Lips (1989) deconstructs the paradox of gender-socialization by explaining that many girls internalize the negative media messaging and submit to their feminine

“script.” In general, girls in elementary school perform well and often score better on academic assessments than boys. However, as they approach adolescence, their trajectory begins to change. This is the age where the seeds of gender socializing,

19 through media, begins to yield fruit. Girls are pressured to emphasize relationships over achievement and their career aspirations are replaced by traditional “feminine” occupations (Lips, 1989). Brown and Gilligan (1992) conducted extensive research- based work on the psychological development of girls and concluded that young girls experience a psychological metamorphosis as they age. Adolescent girls are vulnerable to the negative stereotypes that cause them to self-silence and disassociate with their true selves. It is at this age where girls begin to hold back academically and adjust their intellectual paths to fit the existing expectations for their gender (Lips, 1989).

Young girls are expected to be flexible in their work roles and provide space for their families (Brown & Gilligan, 1992). This is a major prerequisite in achieving their

“happily ever after” and it is a sacrifice that male students are not expected to make

(Lips, 1989). With puberty, comes enormous pressure to conform to cultural ideals of femininity and young girls are forced to abandon their true selves and academic rigor in exchange for the promise of acceptance and relationships (Brown & Gilligan, 1992). The minds of young female students are shaped by the society in which they live, and thus their identities are shaped by those who aim to keep them oppressed (Arnot, 1982; Brown

& Gilligan, 1992; Lips, 1989). They are faced with a false equivalency: be assertively intelligent and pursue “male” dominated careers but sacrifice the chance of happiness -or- sacrifice their intellectual aptitude and gain relationships, which promise to yield a husband and family (Pipher, 1994). The assertion that all females enjoy equality makes identifying the reality of educational hegemony more confusing (Brown & Gilligan,

1992).

Title IX was successful in combating the legally-regulated, subordination of women, but the modern invisible weapon of media socialization filled the void for the patriarchy (O’Kelly & Carney, 1986). While family and schools perpetuate the same harmful messages, it is through the media that they obtain their beliefs. Patriarchal hegemony, through media, is a weapon that must be continually struggled for, won, and maintained; the most effective way to combat the invisible media’s attack on females, is to shine a light and expose the “girl poisoning culture” within Western society

(McInterney, 2009; Pipher, 1994). Parents, teachers, and female students possess the agency to reject harmful gender socializations and if parents and schools acquire a critical consciousness, they can begin to alter the oppressive ideology that aims to suppress their daughters and female students (Arnot, 1982; McInerney, 2009).

Social Reproduction

Stanley Aronwitz (2000) explains that schools are the principle reproductive institutions of our society, despite the claim that public education provides an equal opportunity for all. He claims that social policy and the reproduction of class should be ascribed as the number one enemy to educational equality. Influenced by the celebrated philosopher, John Dewey, Aronwitz (2000) warns that the priorities of the State, supersede the individual interests of its’ citizens. He writes that despite the apparent appearance of higher education validating propositions of social mobility, these institutions reinforce class affiliation and mobility. Finally, he claims that poor academic performance is usually blamed on the genetic deficits of the students, rather than their

21 lack of: cultural capital, poor facilities, unprepared teachers, and funding (Aronwitz,

2000).

Aronwitz (2000) has contended that the socializing process of schools produce graduates who are not adept at critical thinking or literate in the liberatory possibilities of education. Curriculum is utilized to teach the redemptive value of work and patriotism, despite a false claim of educational enlightenment. Students learn fragmented pieces of information through scientific, mathematical, and literary academic material, but the skills are only utilized to mold young minds to the “industrial and technological imperatives of contemporary society” (Aronwitz, 2000, p. 16).

Aronwitz (2000) has many critiques of the American educational system.

However, the principle complaint is the systematic failure to transmit the democratic ideals from which the country is founded, with the understanding that the children of today are the leaders of tomorrow; instead, focusing on training students for the contemporary workplace. The conservative educational policy has restored the authority of the school through standardized high-stakes testing and effectively replaced the movements towards child-centered teaching (Aronwitz, 2000). He believes, “These tests are the antithesis of critical thought. Their precise objective is to evaluate the student's ability to imbibe and regurgitate information and to solve problems according to prescribed algorithms” (Aronwitz, 2000, p. 17).

Once Upon a Lie

Western society is saturated by media and the lines between amusement, advertising and ideologies become blurred. Inside the homes of 99% of the American

22 population, resides a television set, inundating and indoctrinating audiences under the illusion of entertainment. Today, the rate of television consumption is so high that it is difficult to imagine this activity not affecting the reality of its viewers (Blakemore,

Nerenbaum, & Liben, 2009). Wood (2009) concludes that it is through media that gender stereotypes are formed and reinforced and that children observe and mimic behaviors they see on television. As a result, girls internalize the messages of what it means to be a female, within a male-dominated society (Wood, 2009). This gender socialization process begins in infancy and continues indefinitely throughout adulthood, normalizing the invisible power of media. An examination of Disney Princesses and its franchise is crucial in understanding how exposure to gender stereotypes affect the social behavior of its female audiences (Coyne, Linder, Rasmussen, Nelson, & Birkbeck, 2016). The

Disney franchise constructs and reinforces destructive ideologies about female competitiveness, through the relationships Princesses have with their peers, their mothers, and themselves.

The Disney franchise is a multibillion-dollar conglomerate and relies on its construction of girlhood to sell its movies and products. The Disney phenomenon is becoming increasingly powerful in dictating what it means to be a girl and its influence continues to grow (England, Descartes, & Collier-Meek, 2011). One systemic message negatively enculturates the way girls view friendships with other girls. Peggy Orenstein

(2011) explores this theme throughout her book, Cinderella Ate my Daughter, and concludes that within the world of Disney, there can be only one beautiful Princess and other female characters are designed as competitors. She writes, “And what was the first

23 thing that culture told her about being a girl? Not that she was competent, strong, creative, or smart but that every girl wants-or should want- to be the Fairest of Them All”

(Orenstein, 2011, p. 5). In every Disney Princess movie, the main protagonist has a sidekick. This sidekick provides companionship, support, humor, and is integral in the emotional health of each Princess; however, every sidekick is male. Princesses do not have girlfriends. In fact, this message expands within the marketing products, where

Disney Princesses do not even look at each other (Orenstein, 2011). This is a particularly harmful because it provides no counter-narrative to another Disney theme, which promotes the one-dimensional idea that other female characters are jealous competitors to the Princess. Disney constructs each Princess as singular and demonizes other females as rivals. Denying the emotional rewards of female companionship ensures more females are susceptible to the patriarchal design of the limited roles and positions available to women in Western society (Blakemore et al., 2009). Disney doesn’t stop with the negative portrayal of female friendships to sustain female competitiveness, but also through the omission of influential mothers (Orenstein, 2011).

For most children, mothers are the primary caretaker and hold the most influence on how girls view themselves and understand the world (Wood, 2009). Wood (2009) explains, “Infants who are lovingly nurtured by a mother tend to incorporate the mother’s view into their own sense of self, and they regard themselves as valuable and worthy” (p.

46). In general, daughters internalize their own identity as a result of her relationship with her mother and strong relational connections can protect young girls from negative influences (Wood, 2009). However, the powerful role of mothers is reduced and too

24 often vilified in Disney films (Orenstein, 2011). Overwhelmingly, mothers are either idealized and silent or depicted as villains. Disney has systematically fostered this detrimental binary, both renditions excluding narratives that include the typical positive influence of a mother’s voice. As a result, adolescent girls who consume the Disney propaganda internalize the message that, inevitably, mothers and daughters are adversaries (Orenstein, 2011; Pipher, 1994). The Disney franchise disenfranchises young girls with the absence of strong mother-daughter relationships and the promotion of female competitiveness, which ultimately leaves girls vulnerable to losing their true selves (Orenstein, 2011).

Girls who are exposed to the patriarchal Disney franchise are more susceptible to adhering to the “feminine script,” which emphasizes romantic relationships at the expense of everything else (Lips, 1989). Beauty is the prerequisite to achieve the affection of males, and girls begin to lose their authentic selves in a desperate attempt to look like a princess (Pipher, 1994). Achieving the feminine ideal necessities beauty as well as being thin, passive, dependent, with an eagerness to please; combined, these qualities construct a perfect animated character, but in reality, disempower females who believe in “the fairy tale” (Orenstein, 2011; Pipher, 1994). As young girls transition into adolescence, they are socially conditioned to believe that their value is tied up in their appearance and desperately attempt to obtain, the unattainable “perfect body” (Orenstein,

2011; Sales, 2016). When girls engage in behavior aimed at gaining acceptance from boys, they risk losing their true selves and their self-esteem plummets (Sales, 2016). The

25 psychological health of young female viewers is threatened when they internalize the harmful messages Disney promotes about the ideal femininity (Orenstein, 2011).

The overwhelming marketing power of Disney ensures that the franchise continues to shape the feminine consciousness of girls. The media targets young girls, who become adolescents, who may eventually become mothers. The harmful reproductions of patriarchal objectives continue to be blurred through the illusion of entertainment and influential marketing (Coyne et al., 2016; England, et al., 2011).

Just as the Princesses are dressed up pretty, so are the destructive ideologies.

Girls are taught to adhere to specific gender stereotypes and perceive other females as competitors. Rarely benefiting from the modeling of positive female friendships, they continue to be limited by what they see. As a result, the “mean girl” archetype continues to leech into language when attempting to distinguish the “princess” from her potential rivals (Coyne et al., 2016; Orenstein, 2011; Sales, 2016). In addition, girls who consume the Disney ideology do not have the benefits from observing positive mother-daughter relationships and gaining insight from an influential maternal source (Lips, 1989;

Orenstein, 2011; Pipher, 1994). Female competition eventually leads girls to believe that they are isolated and that only romantic love can truly fill their emotional voids. Using

Disney as a guide, they may sacrifice their friends, mothers, and selves to live “happily ever after” (Orenstein, 2011; Pipher 1994).

Making the Case for Media Literacy

Scholars in academia disproportionately focus on the deficits of alienated populations and their inevitable social paralysis. While many theories are useful and

26 revealing, little emphasis has been placed on equipping marginalized groups with adequate intellectual ammunition to fight back. It seems that an unintentional consequence of focusing on the oppressor is that the marginalized rarely have the opportunity to deconstruct the shackles, which aim to suppress their potential.

McInterney (2009), however, does not subscribe to this dehumanizing tendency. He states, “This paper addresses the issues of youth alienation and student engagement from a critical/sociological perspective” (p. 23). Informed by Paulo Freire’s philosophy and praxis, he argues that any meaningful response to the phenomenon requires a critique of the dehumanizing forces that operate within and outside schools and the development of a renewed project for a critical pedagogy that is more attuned to the influences of globalization and popular culture on young people’s lives” (McInerney, p. 26). Zambo

(2011) also recognizes that the best way to minimalize negative effects of stereotypical characters are to produce more counter-narratives in stories.

Across the cultural spectrum, oppression has always relied on the effectiveness of hegemony. The marginalized cannot rebel against an invisible foe or one they do not even perceive. People see what they believe; however, once the hegemony has been identified, they might begin to believe what they see (Freire, 2000). Often, those populations, which are oppressed are not given the academic opportunity to challenge forces, which aim to suppress. (McInterney, 2009). Today, one of the most pervasive and powerful sources of intellectual oppression are the multiple forms of media. Scharrer

(2002) takes a direct approach to combating the negative effects of the subconscious internalization of messages and explains that media literacy curriculum can remove the

27 dark veil of unconscious powerlessness and arm students with the tools necessary to deconstruct and analyze the many components of media (Scharrer, 2002). McInerney supports this destabilizing idea, “Whilst schools may be complicit in perpetuating social injustices, hegemony is never completely secure and educational institutions can play a pivotal role in contesting inequitable practices, especially in the arena of culture” (2009, p. 34).

Educators do have the opportunity to be the agents of empowerment and are placed in a privileged position to help their students view themselves as free agents

(Freire, 2000; McInerney, 2009). Using fairy tales as a tool for media literacy, K-6 classrooms can become sites of critical thinking and analysis. One topic, which is ripe for student engagement an intertextual analysis of a traditional Fairy Tale and a counter- narrative Fairy Tale. In modern American society, the deep ideological divide has made the case for the necessity of media literacy difficult. This limitation necessitates the adoption of media literacy curriculum designed in conjunction of the state mandated

Common Core Standards to justify its legitimacy (Scharrer, 2002). Building media literacy curriculum, with embedded state standards increases the likelihood that liberatory materials are welcomed into most classrooms.

American youth spend approximately six-and-a-half hours a day immersed in some form of technology, consuming hidden messages about who they are, what they believe, and what they value; highlighting the immediate importance of equipping students with media literacy skills (Lips, 1989; Scharrer, 2002). When a society is enculturated to think through a narrow scope, the obvious can be easily overlooked;

28 people see what they are taught to believe (McInterney, 2009) and this phenomenon may have unprecedented educational repercussions (Lips, 1989). Arnot (1982) contends that schools are the reproduction sites for the patterns of gender inequality and that they work in conjunction with the messages from home. According to Arnot, the “sex-role ideology” is produced and reproduced in the schools. She writes, “It is thus both the cause and the effect of gender inequity since each new generation of pupils becomes the new generation of parents, teachers, employers, etc., carrying with them the assumptions of such ‘sex-role ideology” (1982, p. 22). This cycle perpetually will continue to repeat without a major shift in education (Freire, 2000; hooks 1994).

Freire teaches the importance of distinguishing the interdependence of reflection and action, which he calls, “praxis.” He proposes that educators have the privilege and responsibility to guide their students through a deeper consciousness in order to transform their existence from dominated to liberated. He focuses on dialogue and “representation” through which educators can unearth their students’ “truth” and

“knowledge.” Freire states (2000),

The methodology of that investigation must likewise be dialogical, affording the

opportunity both to discover generative themes and to stimulate people’s

awareness in regard to these themes. Consistent with the liberating purpose of

dialogical education, the object of the investigation is not persons, but rather the

thought-language with which men and women refer to reality. (p. 97)

Using his educational philosophy in tandem with media literacy curriculum, students are equipped with the tools to identify the oppressive messages disguised as entertainment

(Freire, 2000; Scharrer, 2002). Freire’s “themes” could be utilized as different media messages (gender stereotypes, racism, classism, etc.) where each would be fully discussed and deconstructed through lessons in the classroom.

Summary

The literature review focuses on building a case for media-literacy in elementary classrooms. The structure begins by introducing the concept of hegemony and the educational implications. Illusions of societal equality often cloud negative gender representations in media as harmless entertainment. It is through the media that gender expectations are built and then reproduced. These unwitting agents reinforce male hegemony so thoroughly that even those who are oppressed believe the dominant ideology. Then these archetypes are reinforced in the educational sphere, without a concern for fostering critical media literacy. The systemic constructions of what it means to be male or female are continuously reproduced by those in power. The influential conglomerate, Disney serves as an example of how its Fairy Tales affect the perceptions of its’ audiences and normalizes gendered scripts. Finally, media literacy was identified as the solution to combat gendered hegemony through media. Once students engage with

30 this curriculum, they will experience a shift in their schemas concerning media and will become more critical of invisible messages.

Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

Introduction

The methodology utilized for this project is instructional design, anchored through a content analysis of Cinderella using a critical pedagogical lens. Content analysis is a tool used by researchers to identify the deeper meanings and intentions within a text through the presence of certain themes that promote a biased perspective

(Krippendorff, 1980). Content analysis provided the foundation for the instructional design. Once negative gender stereotypes were discovered, the instructional design was developed. Instructional design is an ideal vehicle for teaching concepts. Instructional design is grounded in the relationship of both content acquisition and application

(Tennyson, & Park, 1980). The instructional design of this project utilized a critical pedagogical framework encouraging students to examine power structures and oppressive inequities that have become normalized within traditional Fairy Tales.

First, a qualitative study was conducted through a content analysis of multiple

Cinderella tales from the 17th to the 21st century. Several harmful and universal stereotypical themes emerged through the analysis and helped shape the direction of the instructional design. The curriculum was then developed in an intentional way to counter these negative portrayals of gender in fairy tales by retelling Cinderella, introducing a new progressive female protagonist and embedding each story with underlying messages.

Once the two stories were written, curriculum was built to slowly and steadily help students identify harmful constructions of gender in fairy tales. In addition, three weekly

32 curriculum maps help guide educators through the successful implementation of scaffolding the materials. Finally, an evaluation was designed to help identify potential limitations and highlights strengths through the expertise of ten participants who have a vested interest in educational curriculum.

Research Design

This project utilized a two-pronged approach. A content analysis of Cinderella molded the instructional design. A pattern of patriarchal values emerged through a content analysis of multiple Cinderella tales from the 17th to the 21st century. Fairy tales have the potential to be one of the most significant cultural constructions for children, when consumed in the multiple forms of media, from an early age, without the education to recognize hidden messages. Zipes (2012) reconstructs how the history of fairy tales tells a coherent story about the immense power of entertainment and the dangers of consuming its’ messages without reflection.

The history of fairy tales is rich and compelling when seeking to comprehend how language and narratives determine a specific societies internalization of constructed reality and culture. Zipes provides a thorough timeline in Fairy Tales and the Art of

Subversion (Zipes, 2012). For centuries, folktales have satiated the need of humanity to interpret and understand the world. Originally many of these universal themes were disseminated through an oral story-telling tradition.

Almost all critics who have studied the emergence of the literary fairy tale in

Europe agree that educated writers purposely appropriated the oral folktale and

converted it to a type of literary discourse about mores, values, and manners so

that children and adults would become civilized according to the social code of

that time. (Zipes, 2012, p. 3)

This story-telling genre was cemented as a literary form when Perrault published,

Histories ou contes de temps passe in 1697. These tales always were told from the perspective of the ruling class and each story played a particular role in socializing children in an accordance with France’s values and interests. Perrault created the models of what social standards were appropriate and civilized. In particular, his literary agenda was consumed with messages about gender roles and expectations (Zipes, 2012).

In the 19th century, the Brothers Grimm gained profound literary momentum that exerted an extensive influence over European and American audiences. Building upon the popularity of Perrault, their work reigned as the dominant source of societal hegemony. In 1857, the Grimm’s Collection was one of the most popular and circulated books, second only to the Bible.

Grimm’s fairy tales, though ingenious and perhaps socially relevant in their own

times, contained sexist and racist attitudes and served as a socialization process

that placed great emphasis on passivity, industry, and self-sacrifice for girls and

on activity, competition, and accumulation of wealth for boys. (Zipes, 2012, p.

58).

These authors infused their work with their own subjective and patriarchal agenda, but the literary format allowed some fluidity for readers to construct their own personal interpretations based on the literature. In the 20th century, however; fairy tales are used as a vehicle to divert the audience’s reflective attention and toward a new

34 medium. In the early 1930s, Disney emerged as the most influential animator who revolutionized the medium of fairy tales with his vision of a utopian society through carefully regulated gender roles. He created a new format, which encouraged his audiences to consent to their own consciousness atrophy through the forfeit of literary- induced interpretations. Disney realized his films had the potential to distract viewers through one-dimensional characters and plots, but his outcome depended on creating a such a pleasurable viewing experience that the diverting spectacles became the new expectation and norm (Zipes, 2012).

A content analysis of these three authors shows a pattern that the patriarchal lens has become more powerful with time, with Disney’s Cinderella being the most dependent and ornamental. Her value is purely aesthetic, and her contributions to society are filtered through a domestic filter. For example, in Disney’s Cinderella, while the young maidens are being charaded and objectified, the prince is cruelly yawning, bored by the appearance of his potential suitors. Watching his son, the King exclaims, “There has to be at least one who will make a suitable mother! Uh-hem…wife.” There is no mistaking the intentions of the men at the ball or the intentions of the powerful men who created the film. However, despite the direct gender messaging within Disney’s Cinderella, there is no delineation between him and the other fairy tale authors in terms of the coherent stereotypical messaging about femininity. A content analysis (Table 1) of Cinderella was conducted to discover reoccurring themes about femininity that has perpetuated from the inception of Cinderella as a written genre to the present.

Table 1

Content Analysis of Three Cinderella Fairy Tales

Physical Adjectives Cinderella’s Did Cinderella What was What type of Description to describe Goals: and the prince Cinderella’s relationship was of Cinderella: speak at the Happily, presented between Cinderella: ball? Ever After? the stepmother, stepsisters and Cinderella?

Perrault “Pretty” *Good To attend the No Marry the Competitive “Cinderwench” “A hundred *Sweet ball conversation. Prince 1697 more times more *Patient The prince was beautiful than *Silent busy “gazing at her sisters” *Subservient her.”

Grimms Beautiful *Pious To attend the No Marry the Competitive Brothers *Good festival Conversation. Prince “Cinderella” The prince 1857 “approached her, took her by the hand, and danced with her.”

Disney Beautiful. *Gentle To attend the No Marry the Competitive “Cinderella” Shown through *Kind ball conversation. Prince 1930 animation= *Subservient The prince blonde, thin, *Silent kisses her hand blue eyes. *Docile and then guides *Passive her to the dance floor.

At the clock, he yells, “But I don’t even know your name.”

The findings from the content analysis demonstrated a consistent patriarchal narrative, which has helped reinforce negative gender stereotypes for the past four hundred years. These findings were used to design and develop the project. The

36 following section describes the commonalities and potential implications for systemic gender constructions:

Physical Description

All authors describe Cinderella as beautiful and make a distinction between her and the rest of the female kingdom. Her value is directly aligned with her being “the fairest of them all.” Implication: Female value is based on her physical appearance and her attractiveness to males. Girls may internalize this message and unconsciously make a connection between worth and male attention.

Adjectives

All authors highlight Cinderella’s domestic abilities and competency in cooking and cleaning. Implication: Females are naturally domestic and belong in the private sphere. Girls may internalize the idea that females should not seek careers outside the nurturing realm and that it is their gendered responsibility to be the primary caregiver.

Cinderella’s Goals

All authors design Cinderella’s character with one unifying desire, to attend the ball. Implications: Females primary goal is to get married. Girls may internalize the idea that happiness is equivalent to men/marriage.

Cinderella and the Prince Non-Verbal Interaction

All authors presented love as superficial and completely dependent on appearance. Cinderella and the Prince never spoke at the first ball and a conversation was not a prerequisite for the prince to fall in love with Cinderella. Implication: Females do not need to speak or possess ideas, thoughts, beliefs, for a man to find her irresistible.

Girls may internalize that they are not intellectually equivalent to boys and that their voice is better silenced.

Cinderella’s Happily Ever After

All authors kept the theme, “happily ever after” consistent. Cinderella was saved by the prince and then got married. Implication: Females are dependent on men to rescue them and that the ultimate goal for happiness is marriage. Girls may internalize a lack of agency or ability to solve their own problems. They may also believe that only marriage is the prerequisite for happiness.

Cinderella’s Relationship with other Female Characters

All authors chose to portray Cinderella and her relationships with her step-mother and step-sisters as competitive. Implication: Females are “naturally” competitive, mean, and jealous. Girls may internalize the messages to view other girls as their enemies and play out the constructed mean-girl roles.

Today, despite the exhaustive scholarly work dissecting the negative influence of early fairy tales and Disney gender themes, Disney Princesses continue to set the

American standard for idealized female beauty (Orenstein, 2011). Audiences seem content to consume the conservative, patriarchal narrative in exchange for a visually rewarding experience (Orenstein, 2011). In order avoid copyright infringement, the Fairy

Tale, Cinderella was rewritten by the researcher. Then, the researcher wrote, A Fairy’s

Tale to provide a fresh narrative and clear juxtaposition to the traditional Fairy Tale.

This invisible power of hegemony is imbedded throughout the non-traditional fairy tale, A Fairy’s Tale and then further explored through the juxtaposition of it with

Cinderella. Intertextual analysis provides tangible, standards-based literature from which students can critically analyze and then better understand the ideological constraints of gender-role construction. In addition, this project is intended to increase student’s engagement and achievement through culturally relevant material. This curriculum encourages dialogue and critical thinking, a fundamental faucet of liberatory education.

Research Questions

The goal of incorporating intertextual analysis of a traditional and non-traditional fairy tale is to provide students with the opportunity to engage in the active process of understanding socially-constructed hegemony. The traditional Fairy Tale is an original interpretation of Cinderella. This story contains the consistent stereotypical messages that have been disseminated through multiple influential, male authors over the past four hundred years. The protagonist, Cinderella, is valued by men based on her appearance and yet, it is also her appearance that threatens the other female characters, promoting female competition. Cinderella’s character is idealized as subservient, dependent and possessing only domestic qualities. However, A Fairy’s Tale offers a counter-narrative to the typically celebrated stereotypical, female characters. The protagonist, Esme, finds value in discovering her own strengths and abilities, while cooperating with other female characters to combat intellectual and intuitive suppression. Esme possesses emotional depth, internal strength through harnessing her masculine and feminine qualities. The conventional format of a fairy tale provides an ideal theme to unearth the depth of hegemonic hidden meanings through scaffolded curriculum. This project has the

39 potential to raise the consciousness of students by transforming them into empowered and critical thinkers.

Settings

The audience for this project are fourth, fifth, and sixth graders within a small- group instruction. Culturally-relevant instruction, in small group reading interventions, help support the active construction of students’ processing systems (Bartolome, 1994;

Fountas & Pinnell, 2017; Shanahan, n.d.). Two of these small group reading interventions are called guided-reading and close-reading.

Fountas and Pinnell (2017) are pioneers within guided-reading instruction and continue to influence how responsive and differentiated lessons are taught. This model targets the skills necessary for young minds to process, interpret, and comprehend sophisticated texts. Each lesson is intentional with three major reading goals: comprehension, accuracy, and fluency. The instructional techniques adhere to a fairly rigid structural model. Within 25 minutes, the teacher is encouraged to encompass five distinct categories. First, the text is introduced. Next, the students silently read the text to themselves. Then, the small group is led through meaningful discussions with the teacher serving as the moderator. Then, the teacher chooses one teaching point and conducts a direct lesson. Finally, a specific letter-word work lesson is chosen based on the teaching point (Fountas & Pinnell, 2017).

With the adoption of the California State Standards, Timothy Shanahan (n.d.) has advocated a new strategic intervention called, close-reading; this model is similar to guided-reading in a few ways. First, the emphasis is on intentional small-group

40 instruction which consists of students at a similar reading level. It also aims to help students build independent and self-regulated reading practices. However, close-reading encompasses a broader range of academic skills and satisfies all ten strands of the CA

Common Core Reading Standards (Shanahan, n.d.). Writing in Scholastic Magazine he outlines the continuity between close-reading and the standards, “Standards 1, 2, and 3 emphasize identifying a text’s key ideas; standards 4, 5, and 6 focus on craft and structure; and standards 7, 8, and 9 highlight the “integration of knowledge and meaning”

(Shanahan, n.d., p. 1). The texts are not front-loaded and are intended to be read multiple times. Each read corresponds with an increasing sophisticated consideration of the text and a specific cluster of standards (Shanahan, n.d.).

In order to differentiate instruction and reach the diverse academic needs of all students, small-group instruction has become the norm in many classrooms throughout

California (Fountas & Pinnell, 2017). The project, Media Literacy through Intertextual

Analysis was inspired through the understanding that students have a deeper appreciation and opportunities to engage within a text through small-group instruction. Using both guided-reading and close-reading as models, this curriculum was designed to foster a thorough and critical examination of a non-traditional Fairy Tale and a traditional Fairy

Tale. Then students are given the opportunity to integrate their knowledge and meaning of each text by engaging in a dialectic critique.

The curriculum encompassed three academic weeks and ideally conducted in a small-group setting. This curriculum was designed with the intention of raising media literacy consciousness. The traditional Fairy Tale is an original interpretation of

Cinderella. This story contains the stereotypical messages communicated through the female characters. The protagonist is valued by men solely on her appearance and yet, it is also her appearance that threatens other female characters. Cinderella’s character is portrayed as subservient, dependent and possessing only domestic qualities. However, A

Fairy’s Tale offers a counter-narrative about stereotypical female characters. The protagonist finds value in discovering her own strengths and abilities and cooperates with other female characters to fight for justice. Esme is portrayed as strong, capable, and loving.

Procedure

This project’s curriculum contains three weeks of detailed daily lesson plans

(Appendices E, F, G). Educators are guided through a scaffolded release of responsibility, leading students to comprehend hegemony through providing students with the tools to identify its literary agents. The first week focuses on Cinderella. The purpose of beginning with Cinderella is to first give students the opportunity to read a story without the tools to identify the underlying negative messages about gender.

However, the corresponding worksheets gradually ask questions that encourage each student to dig deeper into the hidden messages through textual evidence. Class discussions allow different perspectives to be shared and the collective experience aims to enhance new ways of looking at familiar narratives. Later in the week a PowerPoint presentation concretely demonstrate a lack of female friendships within the Disney franchise. The second week introduces a progressive Fairy Tale with a positive female protagonist called, A Fairy’s Tale. The corresponding worksheets ask the same questions

42 as the previous week however the content is designed to differ greatly, with the intention of juxtaposing Cinderella. The answers illuminate a narrative that includes an original female protagonist with dynamic characteristics and who has positive relationships with other females. The third week of curriculum focuses on an intertextual analysis, where students are asked to compare and contrast the two stories through worksheets, class discussions, and a final essay.

An evaluation sheet was created (Appendix B) to obtain perspectives from a variety of individuals within the educational sphere. Ten evaluators were chosen to carefully read the texts according to the lesson plan (Appendixes E, F, G). Instructions are included to ensure that each evaluator engaged with the project with fidelity. In addition, in an effort to receive balanced reflections, 10 evaluators were divided as follows (Table 2).

Table 2

Evaluators Years of Specialty Gender & Age of Children Experience Administrator 1 20 years K-6

Administrator 2 5 years K-6

Intervention 18 years English as a Second Specialist 1 Language (ESL) Intervention 15 years Reading Specialist Specialist 2 K-6 Teacher 1 14 years Master’s in Education

K-6 Teacher 2 12 years Special Education

Parent 1 F/15, F/13, F/9

Parent 2 M/5, F/2

Parent 3 F/13, M/10, F/8, M/5

Parent 4 F/49, F/42, F/40, M/35, F/32

Each participant was asked to complete the survey within two-weeks of receiving the instructions (Appendix A), two Fairy Tales (Appendices C, D), lesson plans (Appendices

E, F, G) and the evaluation sheet (Appendix B).

Summary

The primary objective of this instructional design is to scaffold a liberatory educational experience through familiar texts. Students have the opportunity to engage in the active process of understanding hegemony through the discovery of how media influences gender ideologies and identities. On the surface, the familiar format of a fairy tale may seem one-dimensional, but through intentional curriculum, the depth of hidden meanings are unearthed. Incorporating liberatory opportunities in the classroom increases student engagement and achievement.

Many classroom teachers may struggle with the resources and vision to implement thorough examinations of texts through a critical lens. Balancing time, resources, and instruction may lead to an aversion of analysis of high-level texts. Too often teachers focus on one aspect of literacy, such as: guided-reading or close-reading.

However, this project seamlessly integrates multiple reading strategies within one cohesive and scaffolded unit, while also illuminating the negative messages that permeant traditional texts.

Chapter 4

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND

REFLECTIONS

Discussion

This project was designed through a critical pedagogical lens with the intention of scaffolding liberatory curriculum for both educators and students. This project has the potential to raise the consciousness of students by transforming them into empowered and critical thinkers. Uncovering negative hidden messages about gender and identity is a challenging task and necessitates a delicate balance of revelatory content and grade- appropriate lessons. The conventional format of a fairy tale serves as a fulcrum to maintain this balance.

The Voice in the Box is an intentional character created by the researcher to represent the negative forces of unconscious suppression that is perpetuated through media. Media is a silent and unnamed force that seeks to limit what children can become through constructing what it means to be male or female. A Fairy’s Tale is a creation of the researcher in hopes of giving hegemony a name that students can understand and then recognize in the real world. The Voice in the Box (VOX) bracelets are symbolic of how young children are socialized in a world that prioritizes materialism that promotes uniform ideologies. Students will be able to connect their own experiences with cell phones, Apple watches, iPads, video games, social media, YouTube, etc. to the VOX bracelets and dig deeper into the repercussions of media-infused realities. As Queen

Esme said, “The Voice in the Box bracelet is how the power of the fairies are drained.

Once a fairy chooses to clasp one on, It gains unlimited influence on their mind. Fairies only know what It wants them to know” (p. 6).

The creation of two Fairy Tales was necessary to reveal how Cinderella and other traditional Fairy Tales have promoted a narrow and constricting narrative of gender for centuries. In Cinderella, the Prince has no redeeming qualities and falls in love with

Cinderella based on her appearance. This narrative has become so normalized within western culture that the underlying messages are unseen. This curriculum asks students to name which qualities about the prince Cinderella admired, however there is no textual evidence to support an answer. The intention of this type of question is to illustrate how the “Prince” has been placed on a pedestal and the key to happily ever after, however students will be encouraged to ask, why? Then, when juxtaposed with Esme’s happily ever after, which is achieved through personal enlightenment, students will be encouraged to reinterpret what constitutes a happy ending.

The objective of this project is to illuminate negative and limiting messages about gender, which is normalized through multiple modes of media. The curriculum is rigorous and aligned with CA state standards, however the content contains progressive ideas about critical thought and analysis. In order to avoid unintended ideological battles and to ascertain the efficacy of the curriculum, a survey was created to target a heterogenous sample of the educational community. A wide variety of teachers, administrators, and parents were asked to first read the curriculum and then complete a comprehensive survey.

Media Literacy Project Evaluation

The project, Media Literacy Through Intertextual Analysis was built to disseminate in a hard-copy form. However, due to State mandated orders to self- quarantine in Spring 2020, the researcher had to quickly adapt and convert all the materials to Google Docs and then upload the project to a Google Classroom. A variety of participants from different educational spheres were selected to participate in the evaluations: four parents, two teachers, two intervention specialists, and two school administrators. These evaluators were provided with instructions, original stories, three- weeks of curriculum, weekly lesson plans, and evaluations.

The researcher asked a total of six questions (Table 3) to ascertain both the quality of the materials and to gauge the ideological response to the curriculum. The six questions were broken down and the responses were analyzed by the participants’ role and also by the overall responses. The evaluators were given a scale where one meant,

“not at all” and ten indicated “very.” The following table is organized by professional expertise strands to analyze each question and the numerical responses:

Table 3

Evaluator Responses

Administrators Intervention K-6 Parents Specialists Teachers

Q1: Do you believe that this curriculum is 9.5/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 academically rigorous and relevant? Q2: Do you think the content of this media 9/10 9.5/10 9/10 8.5/10 literacy unit is appropriate for grades 5th-6th? Q3: Do you think schools have a 10/10 9.5/10 9/10 9.5/10 responsibility to provide critical media literacy? Q4: After engaging with this project, are you 8/10 9.5/10 10/10 6/10 more aware and able to identify hidden messages within Fairy Tales? Q5: Do you think it is appropriate for schools 9.5/10 7.5/10 9.5/10 8.5/10 to include a curriculum that illuminates negative gender-role ideologies? Q6: Would you approve of your own child 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 being exposed to this curriculum?

In addition to quantitative measurements, evaluators were also provided space to elaborate through qualitative feedback. The following section analyzes both methods of measurement, broken down by each question.

1. Do you believe that this curriculum is academically rigorous and relevant?

Overall, the participants indicated that they believed that it was, with a score of 9.4. out of 10. Teachers had the highest positive response with a score of 10. One teacher wrote,

“The assignments include a variety of methods for showing understanding. Assignments also span a variety of subjects including grammar practice, reading comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, writing, and critical thinking.” One administrator wrote, “The curriculum is contextualized within a piece of text making it more relevant and accessible.”

The researcher has taught in a variety of K-6 classrooms in Los Angeles, Maui and Sacramento. Despite the cultural diversity, each public elementary school contained one consistent element. This constant was the pressure felt by educators to prove their pedagogical efficacy through high-stakes test scores. Prioritizing test scores is a lived reality and teachers have been trained to view academic content through the narrow scope of state mandated standards. Thus, Scharrer (2002) recognizes that media literacy curriculum must be created in conjunction of these state mandated standards to increase the legitimacy and likelihood of its adoption within American classrooms. However,

Aronwitz (2000) writes that schools are the principle reproduction institutions of our society and warns that standardized tests threaten to replace child-centered teaching.

While the researcher agrees that standardized testing creates new hurdles for both educators and students; media literacy is a tangible solution that prioritizes critical thinking, through culturally relevant and rigorous curriculum (hooks, 1994 & Horn,

2003).

2. Do you think the content of this media literacy unit is appropriate for grades 5th-

6th?

Overall, the participants indicated that they believed that it was, with a score of 9 out of 10. For this question, parents had the lowest score response with 8 out of 10. One parent wrote, “In A Fairy’s Tale, I worry that some kids might have a difficult time understanding and getting the Voice in the Box.” For this response, the researcher acknowledges the feedback, while also understanding that this was an intentional design of the story. Students are able to slowly comprehend the significance of both the

49 character of the Voice in the Box while also the greater influence of media over their own lives. The deconstruction of gender stereotypes perpetuated within our society is meant to be slowly unraveled, awakening a new critical consciousness.

As a parent, the researcher has interacted with many peers who do not recognize the dominant, patriarchal narrative. Princess-themed birthday parties, buying young girls make-up, high-heels and pink vacuum cleaners, and even calling other young girls ‘mean girls,’ demonstrates how parents may be unaware that they could be reproducing the ideology that encourages females to conform to narrow cultural ideas of femininity. Lips

(1992) explains that people go along voluntarily with their cultures prescribed gender roles because stereotypes get built into their own sense of worth and identity. Lips

(1992) also writes that this culturally constructed narrative about femininity gets internalized into the parents who reproduce it in their own children. One major limitation of this script is that females are taught to prioritize the acceptance of men through their outward appearance above their own personal aspirations. Orenstein (2011) sums this up when she wrote, “And what was the first thing that culture told her about being a girl?

Not that she was competent, strong, creative, or smart but that every girl wants-or should want- to be the Fairest of Them All” (p. 5). This content is not only appropriate, but pivotal during the developmental phase of 5th -6th grade. These students are at a critical academic zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1934) and need the tools to deconstruct the negative messages of media before these limitations stifle their academic potential. Elementary school is an ideal place to deconstruct harmful ideologies before students graduate to middle and high school. This curriculum uses Fairy Tales to identify

50 hegemony-the genre is the tool, not the substance. Zambo (2011) understands the important role of a counter-narrative to illuminate the normalized and often unrecognizable dominant narrative. This curriculum allows students to see what they failed to see, through the juxtaposition of a Cinderella and A Fairy’s Tale.

3. Do you think schools have a responsibility to provide critical media literacy?

Overall, the participants indicated that they believed that it was, with a score of 9.5 out of

10. Administrators had most positive response with a score of 10. One parent succinctly wrote, “Absolutely, I think people need to understand how to utilize control, criticism, and creativity when utilizing media. It’s an amazing tool, but only if used in conjunction with constructive thinking.”

McInterney (2009) understands that hegemony thrives in the shadows. Yet, he also acknowledges that hegemony is never secure and that teachers have the responsibility to shine the light on any force that aims to maintain the status quo. Schools are funded by the people and should serve the people. Horn (2003) writes that we all live in a media saturated society and each individual brings his/ her own beliefs into the classroom. However, schools have a greater responsibility to equip teachers and students with the curriculum and awareness to deconstruct the messages that form their ideologies.

As Margret Mead famously wrote, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”

4. After engaging with this project, are you more aware and able to identify hidden

messages within Fairy Tales?

This question had the largest discrepancy in responses with the range from six to ten. The comments provided insight as to the reasons why this question had an overall score of 8.4 out of 10. One parent wrote, “Personally, I think I have been aware of these messages, but it’s due to some excellent high school and college instructors.” While another wrote, “If I was able to learn something as an adult and educator that I hadn’t contemplated before, then surely students will become more aware of hidden messages through this curriculum. Especially enjoyed the graph showing the male sidekicks of princesses.” The score was an indication of the participants’ exposure to hidden messages, not the effectiveness of the curriculum.

This question exposed the powerful correlation between critical literacy and hegemonic awareness. The evaluators who had access to liberatory content in school were already equipped to identify hidden messages and those who did not have exposure to critical literacy were not. However, the researcher was pleased to find that following the curriculum, all of the evaluators expressed a new perspective and willingness to analyze gender-constructing messages more critically. Freire (2000) encouraged the use of themes to teach critical thinking. The researcher focused on Fairy Tales as a theme to unearth ideologies that were hidden in plain sight. The Disney Power Point presentation garnered the most positive feedback. Many of the evaluators revealed that despite a lifetime of consuming Disney princess movies, they never noticed the absence of female sidekicks. The visual presentation helped contextualize the deeper implications of how

Disney female relationships are systematically constructed to feed the same narrative that isolates females from each other. As Coyne et al., (2016) explain, girls are taught to adhere to specific gender stereotypes and perceive other females as competitors. In addition, with the absence of positive female friendships, audiences are limited by what they see. This is how the mean girl archetype has continued to leech into language when attempting to distinguish the “princess” from her potential rivals. The reflective quality of the evaluators provides hope that hegemony can be recognized with the right tools.

5. Do you think it is appropriate for schools to include a curriculum that illuminates

negative gender-role ideologies?

Overall, the participants indicated that they believed that it was, with a score of

8.8 out of 10. However, this was the second lowest score due to one intervention specialist signaling her apprehension with a score of seven. She wrote, “I think it is more important to focus on equality and demonstrating text and other forms of media that represent positive gender role ideologies.” The researcher agrees with her sentiment, but also recognizes that unfortunately many negative messages saturate the consciousness of young minds and without interventions and tools to recognize these forces, these negative messages are normalized. Lorber (1992) explains that people will continue to internalize their socially constructed gender roles until they are able disentangle their own authentic sense of self. This radical shift in the narrative cannot happen without a recognition of how the power of men have been perpetuated through media. While another parent had a strong positive reaction writing, “YES, everyone needs to be aware of hidden messages, cultural bias/norms, and stereotypes. It’s how we grow as a community. I also think it

53 fosters discussion among peers which in an invaluable tool.” Overall, each evaluator indicated that gender stereotype curriculum is not beyond the reach of a public education.

6. Would you approve of your own child being exposed to this curriculum?

Overwhelmingly, the participants indicated that they believed that it was, with a perfect score of 10 out of 10. This question was of the most interest to the researcher to ascertain the sentiments of parents when exposed to liberatory curriculum. The researcher sought a variety of participants, both ideologically and within the educational sphere to learn how the project would be interpreted. One administrator left a message that summed up all the responses, “Yes! Giving children the opportunity to form opinions and grow their own thinking is a skill all learners need to experience and embrace.

Blakemore et al. (2009) are clear when articulating the power of media, they write that with over 99% of American homes containing a television, it is inevitable that the messages affect the reality of the viewers. As a parent, this correlation seems indisputable even with informal observations. When children watch beautiful dancers on television, children dance. When children watch intense martial arts, children play fight.

However, this influence penetrates more than just observable behaviors. Messages about gender and identity have the power to saturate children’s consciousness. The researcher wants students, teachers, and parents to see what lays beneath the surface, so they can choose the types of media that encourages positive messages about gender and identity.

This medium can be utilized to empower and inspire, but only when used responsibility and consciously.

Conclusion

The careful analysis of the 10 evaluations has given confidence to the researcher that this project will be a successful addition to intermediate language arts curriculum.

The spectrum of evaluators helped confirm that any thoughtful curriculum that fosters critical thinking would be embraced by all individuals who have a vested interest in public education. While all the responses from the evaluators were positive, question four’s data provided unique insight that supports many theorists who believe social reproduction is disseminated through hidden messages.

Question four asked, “After engaging with this project, are you more aware and able to identify hidden media messages within Fairy Tales? The response of the teachers was the highest with a score of 10/10. The educational evaluators scoring a perfect 10 demonstrates that teachers, themselves, are often unaware of the messages they are reproducing. Aronwitz (2000) explains that the educational system is the principle reproductive institution of our society that cultivates identity construction through socialization. In addition, he contends that without critical literacy, students are limited by their educational experiences and are conditioned to work, not think. Arnot (1982) also contends that schools are the reproductive sites of gender inequality. Fortunately, critical pedagogy is an effective solution in combating narratives that reinforce negative stereotypes. McInterney (2009) believes that hegemony must first be illuminated before positive changes can occur within the educational sphere. The evaluation reveals that teachers are interested in critical media literacy especially when given the opportunity to discover their own unconscious biases.

Teachers also scored a perfect 10 on the first question that asked, “Do you believe that this curriculum is academically rigorous and relevant?” This positive response further demonstrates that teachers are willing and eager to introduce curriculum that fosters critically thinking in their students and are ready for media literacy through intertextual analysis.

Limitations

When reflecting on the evaluations, the researcher has one regret. The researcher regrets that the most important stakeholders, the students, did not participate. Due to the rigidity of research laws that protect young participants, the researcher opted to focus only on adult evaluators. In practice, as a classroom teacher, the researcher has found that student opinions and ideas are the most valuable. However, when this curriculum is implemented in the classroom, it is almost a given that the ideas of the students will help guide the direction of each lesson.

Another limitation was the abrupt transition to distance learning and state mandated quarantine. The researcher had planned on hand-delivering a detailed and organized binder to each evaluator. In addition, the researcher had planned on using this opportunity to walk each evaluator through the binder to answer any questions or to clarify instructions.

Finally, in order to have a traditional Fairy Tale to juxtapose with the progressive

Fairy Tale, the researcher had to rewrite Cinderella to avoid copy right infringement.

Any creation from Disney’s imagination had to be excluded. The researcher drew upon the content analysis of this Fairy tale to identify the core messages, themes, and

56 characters from the past 400 years and streamlined them into an original story. This limitation became an asset, when the researcher discovered the power of authoring parallel stories with opposing ideologies.

Recommendations

The time for intertextual analysis of gender stereotypes and identity construction is now and this type of liberatory curriculum is just one piece within the larger puzzle.

The year 2020 is brimming with ideological change and the Black Lives Matter movement has the potential to push Americans towards a more equitable consciousnesses and readiness for systemic change. The powerful wave of progressive ideas may usher in a new way of viewing education and break down the old system of unequal social reproduction (Arnot, 1982). Carinci (2002) stresses role of pre-service teacher preparation programs as one of the pivotal facets to secure this institutional change.

Gender equity training for new teachers will help reduce the prevalence of educators unwittingly reproducing ideas that serve only those in power. In addition, this type of preparation material will provide the education necessary to recognize other dark and often hidden forms of hegemony (McInterney, 2009). Gender equity does not stand alone as an area of focus for progressive change but stands with the equity of all people.

This project would be even more effective if taught in tandem with other liberatory materials. Using media literacy as the format, other issues could be unearthed in the classroom. Intertextual analysis of Black identity and immigrant identity are both examples of key social issues within American society that have traditionally been weaponized to divide, but these issues also have the potential to empower and unite

57 students within the educational sphere (McInerney, 2009). The researcher understands that her positionality limits her ability to reach all marginalized groups but hopes that gender equity training and curriculum can be utilized as a partner with other liberatory content to reimagine and reconstitute the American educational system.

Reflections

The data gathered from administrators, intervention specialists, teachers and parents, testify to the reality that once hegemony is identified, passionate educational stakeholders want their students to have access to media literacy. In fact, once constructed realities are revealed, these same stakeholders then believed that schools had a responsibility to give students access to critical analysis of the mediums that construct the realities of young minds.

The sixth question in the evaluation, “Would you want your child exposed to this curriculum” was one that initially caused the researcher the most concern. Perspectives from a wide ideological spectrum were sought to participate in this evaluation and a passionate rejection of the project was a possibility. The fact that each participant stated that they wanted their own child exposed to this curriculum was a huge relief and the justification needed for the researcher to forge ahead and integrate this project within local elementary schools. As one parent succinctly wrote about her own child being exposed to this curriculum, “Yes! Giving children the opportunity to form opinions and grow their own thinking is a skill all learners need to experience and embrace.”

After spending the past two years planning, thinking, writing, and implementing this project, the researcher is proud of what she has created. This curriculum was birthed

58 from passion, intuitiveness and resolve to help identify those forces which seek to suppress critical consciousness.

APPENDIX A

Evaluation Instruction

Master’s in Education Project Media Literacy Through Intertextual Analysis ------Instructions

1. Read through the 1st week curriculum guide & materials. a. Follow the instructions/ lesson plans.

2. Read the interpretation of the (traditional) Fairy Tale, Cinderella.

3. Read through the 2nd week curriculum guide & materials. a. Follow the instructions/lesson plans.

4. Read the (non-traditional) Fairy Tale, A Fairy’s Tale.

5. Read through the 3rd week curriculum guide. a. Follow the instructions/ lesson guide.

6. Complete the post-curriculum guide. a. This questionnaire is anonymous, do not include your name. b. Under each question is a section to “explain.” This portion of the survey is optional.

APPENDIX B

Evaluation Sheet

Evaluation Sheet (Post-Curriculum)

1.) Do you believe that this curriculum is academically rigorous and relevant?