Department Chair, Social Studies, South Middle School @ Great Neck Public Schools
What do you do?
I teach 8th grade US History and supervise a department of professional social studies teachers. Additionally, I create and teach in-service courses to colleagues. Recent offerings include “Media Literacy 101,” “How to Teach Controversial Issues,” and “Navigating Disinformation in the Classroom.”
Tell us about your latest work or project in media literacy.
To support our students’ learning during the recent election, we utilized the non-partisan website http://www.isidewith.com as a resource to move past political rhetoric and focus on issues.
Additionally, I recently attended NAMLE’s kick-off cohort on Media Literacy during the NCSS Annual Conference in Boston, and am excited to work alongside colleagues from across the country to develop media literacy lessons and explore new resources.
Why is media literacy important to you?
Nazi Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda Joseph Goebbels was known to say, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it,” and these words continue to resonate as a cautionary tale. Today’s media landscape is characterized by the proliferation of “bothsidesism,” or the elevation of a false balance. Disinformation serves as common currency and an individual’s concept of truth depends upon what media sources they frequent. To me, the very continuation of the American experiment depends in no small part on the preservation and prioritization of truth.
What are you most excited about in the media literacy field?
Teaching critical thinking skills and empowering students with the tools they need to systematically refute false claims, propaganda and misinformation with credible evidence and reliable sources is, regardless of subject matter, perhaps the most important function of education today.
Why did you become a NAMLE member, what benefits do you see to membership, and how will it support your work?
I became a NAMLE member because the organization’s purpose is to make media literacy skills, including the ability access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act, accessible and available, from classroom to living room, for students of all ages.
The views and opinions expressed in the M-Passioned Member blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NAMLE or its members. The purpose of the M-Passioned Member blog is to highlight our members and give them a place to share their reflections, opinions, and ideas.