Creating this myth of mine seems like, going forward, I'll have a better grasp of studying and dissecting other myths just for the simple fact of knowing what to look for. In knowing and being familiar with the ingredients, it seems like it would be easier to identify the parts and extract them for study and analysis. One other thing about the difference between creating the myth and studying it is that creating it is like reverse engineering it. Just so you know, I used the myth my group studied as a model for creating my own.
As for what I learned from this experience that I could use in my own teaching, I feel like the mythic structure in general is an important tool to have as a student, as it is the foundation of most stories that are told. It follows the three-act structure and it also gives archetypes that are good for students to understand on a simple level. Once working with these basic components, they can then gradually work on more complex elements in more intricate narratives.
Doing a website, now, was much easier than I thought. I had previously played around with Google Sites many years ago and it was much more complicated. It is fairly simple now and I feel like it is also a very good tool to pass off to students. Though, they will probably be teaching me the stuff, as these kids are coming out of the womb on technology. I also thought the creative aspect of the project was a nice change of pace from just writing essays, which I think is important so that students learn there are different kids of writing they'll need to know before going to college and/or the real world.
Hey Michael! Your take on the difference between creating and studying a myth was spot on. Now that we have created our own we have the secrets understanding what the story should include. I noticed myths have a lot of room for imagination and often times we do not raise question at the things that do not make sense or seem possible. However now making myths we understand a little more about why. As members of the human race we are open to anything that gives us hope. You also talked about using the websites to present our myths and I thought it was interesting you brought up how much easier it is to use now. I also tried using it several times before for classes and I always wanted to scream because it was so complicated. However now that it is more simple and I am more familiar with it, I want to use it in my class for the future. Maybe as a way to present a year of highlights for my students as a way to reflect on their growth. This process has shown me how important it is for teachers to go through the process they want their students to go through. This way we can find the bumps in the road and the fastest ways to do things. Much like creating a myth and studying one, they work better when you have done both.
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Hailey Pack
Hello Michael great post I enjoyed reading your response to the mythical week we had. Your post really reflects on some great insights into how creating a myth can totally enrich your understanding of mythology. I found your reverse-engineering perspective very interesting and valuable in the sense that you can analyze myths from an insiders view.
ReplyDeleteBy breaking down and reconstructing myths you can develop skills that go far beyond typical surface level reading, which in turn will totally benefit your students. This type of experience can help students recognize archetypes, different narrative structures, and also recurring themes that are foundational to storytelling.
Mythic structure from your point of view and three act format really show an effective teaching approach. Showing students these fundamental storytelling components can make for a strong foundation. It can allow them to approach more intricate narratives as they begin to progress in their creative writing skills.
Your experiences with google slides sounds like a good way to bring creativity integrated with technology into your classroom. From my understanding it seems that students thrive with hands on tools and just like you mentioned students will continue to bring new ideas to the classroom to help continual develop this tool in your classroom.
Creating a myth and then dissecting it sounds like the ultimate academic version of “Inception.” You go deep into the layers of storytelling only to find yourself questioning if your myth is actually a dream within a dream. And hey, who knew that myth-making was just fancy reverse engineering? Next, we’ll be crafting legends as casually as assembling IKEA furniture, just with fewer missing screws and more epic battles. As for the website? I see you've opened the floodgates to the "technology whiz kids" era. Soon, they’ll be creating apps and you’ll be taking notes. It sounds like this project was much-needed, a refreshing break from the usual essay grind. Who knew the path to understanding complex narratives could come gift-wrapped with creativity? It’s about time education caught up with the real world.
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