Take the questions below and create a discussion with middle school students so that they may understand their reactions to television media.
1. How many of your favorite shows feature men/women as the principal character, the center of the plot or the action?
2. What messages do they suggest about the importance of men/women in our society relative to men/women and children?
3. List some of the roles men/women play on TV? How do they compare to their roles in the "real" world? How do they influence your expectations of how men/women actually behave.
4. How are the characteristics displayed by men/women on TV comparable to those of the men/women in your own life? How do they differ?
5. How does the portrayal of men/women differ in various types of programing? Do TV ads seem to portray the "new" man/woman and sportscasting the more traditional man/woman?
6. List your own male/female TV heroes. What qualities attract you to them? Do any actual men/women you know share them?
7. List the various ways men/women are shown on TV in relationship to other men/women, such as controlling/sharing, caring/abusive, fighting/friendly, etc.
3. List some of the roles men/women play on TV? How do they compare to their roles in the "real" world? How do they influence your expectations of how men/women actually behave.
4. How are the characteristics displayed by men/women on TV comparable to those of the men/women in your own life? How do they differ?
5. How does the portrayal of men/women differ in various types of programing? Do TV ads seem to portray the "new" man/woman and sportscasting the more traditional man/woman?
6. List your own male/female TV heroes. What qualities attract you to them? Do any actual men/women you know share them?
7. List the various ways men/women are shown on TV in relationship to other men/women, such as controlling/sharing, caring/abusive, fighting/friendly, etc.
8. In thinking about these TV men/women, how do they make you feel about other men/women? Do you feel inferior to them or do you feel validated by them? In other words, how well do men/women on TV function as role models, as viewing spectacles, or as people to relate to?
I think these questions I found are important tools to present to your students! It is even a strong way to represent character education. Young adults need to understand the purpose behind such commercials as the Kenny Power's one so that they may not take messages as reality. Because yes, the AXE commercial is funny but wow is it unrealistic!
ReplyDeleteUltimately students need to understand commercials that are real and that are not real in a safe environment such as their classroom because some of their home-lives may be very detrimental to their growth.
I completely agree that these questions are very important to ask middle school students. I believe that it is important for young adolescents to be aware of media implications of commercials and these questions are a good start to stem discussions on the unrealistic view of reality television can create. I do notice that most of these questions are covered in our posts in this blog. I would personally find it very interesting to ask middle school aged students what they thought of commercials and what message they believe is meant to portray.
ReplyDeleteIn my classroom I would integrate this topic into health because a main topic area of health in middle school is self-esteem and media. This discussion would fit great in this subject.
I really like the idea of asking middle school students some of these questions. I think getting young adults to think about these questions will increase self awareness on how these commercials may be impacting their lives without being aware of it. Parents could also use these questions to ask their child so the parent also realizes the impact of commercials.
ReplyDeleteI think the questions above are good questions to ask middle school children. It is a good idea to make sure that middle school children understand the message that is trying to be sent to viewers. Also, they have to understand, and make their own opinion on the subject of the commericals. I also believe the questions help middle school children think more critically about the things they are exposed to!
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