Final Entry!: What I Learned

I have to say that in this class this semester there were plenty of interesting assignments that we did and there were many things I learned in the process of doing them. However, I think that assignment four, the literacy project stood out, and taught me the most. It was also the most challenging. The literacy assignment was unlike another assignment that I had ever done. It really challenged me to dig deep into the meaning and process of some of the things that I do and use in everyday life. It taught me to look at or view things in ways that I had never viewed them before. Not once did I ever think of math, or the solfeggio scale in which I use in my choir class to warm up my voice as forms of literacy. It never crossed my mind. When this assignment was first presented I was really worried. I said to myself "what am I going to do?" "Where do I start?" It was all a big haze to me. So when I began working on the project I really had to do some thinking, analyzing, and formulating, until I got some sort of graps on it. Once that was settled I think that I came up with some pretty good concepts and points relating to the literacy subject. Now.... I must admit that although I was able to crank some decent things out for this assignment and I thought I had a decent grasp on it, in the end I was still a bit confused about the whole subject. I just felt as if there was something missing from the understanding I was suppose to have or get from this. Maybe i'll obtain or perhaps retain this missing information at some other point in time...But for the most part I got some goodthings out of it, and like I said I learned from it, and that is what learning is all about, getting out of what is presented to you. So even if I didnt get a full grasp on the Literacy assignment I got something from it in which I could carry with me and deploy the knowledge elsewhere. Assignment four was a great intellectually stimulating pedigogical experience.

Ancient Aztecs Pictorial literacies fit with the literacies in which I use today

I can relate the ancient Aztec forms of visual pictorial literacies to the literacies in which I use today such as dance, mathematics,and musical notes. The ancient Aztecs used pictures to communicate and understand and convey things instead of writing. Although another ancient group, the Maya as described in the Hill Boones writing use hieroglyphics, a more symbolic form of writing similar to the writing of those hailing from the Japanese culture, although hieroglyphics are similar to the pictorial system that the ancient Aztecs use, the Mayans form of communicating exclude this pictorial form of literacy.According to the Mayan code, the Mayans believe that "writing is speech put into visual form.I think that the Mayan statement is very true however, I don't think that their system should exclude the ancient Aztec pictorial system because I happen to think that in some way, shape, or form these literacies fit hand in hand. I think that that there is a point as the author suggested in the writing that you reach where it is necessary to use pictures to convey, show, or describe something, its just hard to understand or get the just of it in another format. She uses examples such as dance, the formation of composed musical works, and mathematics to make this point. These things I believe are better understood when put into a more visual format. You cant really explain or write down steps to teach someone how to dance or perform choreography at least that is not the most effective way, having performed dance routines a numerous amount of times I know that I would have not understood fully how to do a specific move or at least fully without being shown. I don't think it would have been as effective, not by a long shot. Same goes for musical notes, it is easier for someone to see in front of the them the musical notes on a staff and understand them rather than someone telling them. The same for mathematics as well, and I know from experience telling me and writing down directions on how to do a specific problem will get me half way to no where. I must visually see the mathematical signs and symbols and specific steps right in front of me. In no way am I excluding writing and Language from being an effective way of communicating it is just necessary for some things to be conveyed in a more visual format, especially for someone who is a more visual and kinesthetic learner as myself.

What can persuade me

Personally I think I am an audience member who's into the performing arts so anything to do with the media as far as entertainment goes will interest me. Whether it be singing, dancing, or theater, I'm sure it will draw my attention. I am quite sure that if you want to persuade me to believe something, using the performing arts or perhaps pairing the arts with whatever it is that you are trying to convey and want me to comply with would surely be an effective way to do so. This makes me think back to a Public Service Announcement we watched in class on You Tube that featured Sarah McLaughlin. In the video she was trying raise awareness about animal abuse and neglect, and was trying get donations for the cause. What made this video so persuasive personally to me was the fact that she had her timeless hit song "Angel" playing in the background while a slide show of these poor neglected animals were shown. Although the photographs were pretty sad and depressing. for me I think what got me was the music in the background, it just seem to add the dramatic effect I think the commercial was attempting to have on its audience or viewers. Now something like that would definitely draw me in or persuade me to want to do something, and that would be the same with something less intense, all you need is light cameras and action and I'm there. Like if you were trying to convince me to get me to go with a certain concept in a music video and it wasn't offensive to me or it reflected my personality, all you would have to do is show me a similar concept in someone else's video and you could quite possibly get me to comply. Its all in the presentation and knowing what cords to strike.

Project Reflection

I will say that overall this project was just flat out unusual and challenging for me. It was just hard for me to come up with ways to explain different things in the context of them being a form of literacy. I think it is just the fact that I have never done anything like this and I had never thought of things in the particular way that I thought of them during this project. Although personally I had a bit of a tough time with the requirements of this project I still think I made some good observations and came up with some good ideas and things to talk about for my five blog entries. The entries about the Solfeggio Scale and math being a form of literacy were my favorite, I guess because they just really came to me sort of spontaneously or out of no where, which for me was really exciting. They just sort of brought to me a burst of energy and realization, which to me is like a drug! Anyway, I am glad that I got to challenge my brain or noodle to see and to think about things in a different way.
As far as my group goes, I will say that this project was sort of challenging for us as well however, I think we came up with some good ideas and approaches to attack this assignment. I loved the fact that my fellow groups members came up with the wonderful idea of bringing our assets together by brainstorming a musical world tour. That is totally my forte, however I had nothing to do with that idea, I swear! The idea of a tour did not cross my mind at all. So again I must give them credit for that. I think that we all worked well together, and did a pretty good job of communicating, throwing out ideas, and not being shy about taking control but most definitely in a respectful way. Each person had there time to speak and to give their input on what they thought would make sense or be of use to our groups project. I had a good time working with them and I would have no issue working with them if another group project happens to present itself.

Body Language Another form of Literacy

Body language is also its own personal form of literacy. It has meaning behind it. Each body position or a particular posture can be read, and it expresses a particular emotion. In order to understand body language or be literate in it one must be able to identify a particular body position or stance with a certain emotion. If a person is sad or hurt their body language may appear limb, sluggish, or they may appear to be curled up. If a person is angry they may have their arms firmly folded, their fist balled up, and hands on their hip in such a way that let’s you know that they mean business. If a person is nervous they may appear to be scrounged up or just very awkward looking, which expresses their extreme discomfort. Body language can also play a part in the world of employment, or entertainment. If I am a business owner or a casting director and I am looking to hire some more employees or cast some actors and they walk into the room sluggishly, or slumped over, this would tell me that they are uncomfortable, and may not work well with others. Therefore I may not want to cast or hire these individuals. So clearly body language plays a part in decision making, and peoples first impressions and overall perceptions of you. So we as people interacting in this occasionally judgmental society should be aware of how we present ourselves and the stance or posture that we have when we walk into a room, because it could send off all the wrong signals So clearly through the understanding of body language you may be able tell a lot or draw conclusions about a person by just observing there posture, it is all very simple, and again it is just another form of literacy.

Music Another Form of Literacy

Music is a form of literacy within itself. It communicates through melodies, orchestrations, and with lyrics, by which are sometimes sung. You must understand notes, the process of composing a song , and other musical terms and dynamics in order to formally understand music and be literate in it. In a song you may use words to convey the meaning or perhaps the message that you desire to get across however, the dynamics, and orchestrations are the driving forces that communicate the emotion of any particular song. If the song is sad the dynamics and orchestrations used within it may tend to be light sounding, a bit dramatic, most likely slow, and some what climactic. However, if a song is trying to express anger or extreme happiness it may be a little bit more heavy sounding. Like a sad song, an angry song will most definitely be dramatic, and both an extremely happy or angry song will likely be climactic. These songs are usually set at a mid-tempo marking or fast tempo marking, which greatly adds to the feel and emotion of these particular genres of music. Music and all of its dynamics, and the songs that fit with them is a form of universal communication and or literacy.
It has the ability to potentially bring all the world together, and it can possibly provide us with a way to relate to one another.

Interpretive dance Another form of Literacy

I also believe that dance is a form of literacy. You have to be able to understand the terms used to describe a specific move and when you actually do the move your body has to say something, especially when you are performing interpretive dance. Instead of communicating by speaking with words that express your feelings and emotions the goal with interpretive dance is actually to express your feelings and emotions with your body and the moves within the the dance routine. The goal is to properly and firmly place the right amount of emotional energy into each gesture. If the emotion his happy you might be a bit more free flowing in the dance moves that you are doing, if you trying to communicate sadness you might be a bit more limp, and if you are trying to communicate anger your moves might be more firm and staccato. If done the right way interpretive dance has the ability to make you feel each emotion the dancer is trying to express, you could even be reduced to tears, I know this from experience. Although interpretive dance does not necessarily use words it is still its own form of language, and its own form of literacy, each dance motion has substance and meaning. You have to be able to understand what a particular emotion is or perhaps visualize what it looks like and the particular actions that fit with the emotions so that you can understand the tone or purpose of this intriguing form of art.