Chapter 13

From theory to practice, Ohler offers countless suggestions to best help produce your DST.  While I appreciate his guidance, I’m a little dejected about seeing it listed in black and white.  Obviously, I’ve used many of the tools he suggested, but the depth of work it will take to accomplish this at my school bums me out.  Being a small independent charter school most of the resources he suggests we use are not available to me, in fact, I’m one of the top three digitally literate instructors at my school, how scary is that?  I did find the chapter quite informative, it shows what I need to be successful in my DST, but like I said, I’m not looking forward to giving this to my students just yet.

When I started using computers professionally I had to learn all the Mac commands and intricacies, this drove me crazy coming from a PC in my personal life.  I just got back into Mac now after being strictly PC for six years and I don’t know why I ever left in the first place.  Everything that we’ve done in this class is pretty new to me and this MacBook has made the whole process a little easier.  Now I’m at a PC work site and I’m somewhat leery of having to figure this whole thing out on a new platform.  I know I sound like Ohler, who basically shills for Mac throughout this chapter, but his point is quite valid about the ease of use for all the software programs he mentioned.  Let me make this clear, I am NOT an Apple fanboy; I’m just realistic in my limitations about taking DST into the classroom.

Ok, just reread my post and it’s a little bleak, I want to say I’m not as dejected as I made it sound.  I still have optimism in my DST project.  I am also planning on using this in my class and I think it will be fun in doing so; my small class sizes and availability are perfect for this type of project.  Not to mention the learning that will come from this, I will make this happen.  I just want to get the learning I need to make it possible.

Here's my screencast for your edification.

The steps Ohler lays out this week are quite helpful, just like we've done this semester learning about DST and its tools, from our video introductions, to the “playing” with the tools, we will now have some experience as we move forward with our DST.  The most salient point Ohler has made in his book is the need for the students to have interest and support, the best quote of the week is, “interest in a DST makes is possible; support makes it successful.”  This is what I will keep in mind as I produce my DST for my students; I hope to model the interest I have in their future projects.

Flashback to Saturday’s f2f, the story development process, figure 11.3 perfectly illustrates the input I received from all of you guys in class.  The peer-to-peer review was helpful to me in getting started and I know I will be seeking feedback from you guys while we go, I still don’t have an ending.  Oh, question, does this book seem written backward?  I could have used most of the chapter 11 information in the beginning of the book.  Ohler finally lays out some practical and tangible direction here and I can actually see myself following these steps instead of just blindly reaching, like not giving the impression of being in production mode while working in IMovie, when you’re really in the planning stage.  I learned that the hard way.

Lastly, I like the writing component of DST.  My school is under constant barrage from our administration when it comes to boosting our writing proficiency and I seem to be pigeon holed into some formulaic writing assignment.  I have upper classmen that can write their DST throughout various stages of production, and like Ohler said, he’s on a roll this week, “when we write, we think.”  When I get my project up and running, I will be building in language literacy objects in my assessments.

Chapter 9

I find Aristotle’s story map quite brilliant in its simplicity, I can see its applications in the most complex of stories coming from the most novice of DST learners.  The key is in the story arc, the rising and falling of the hero’s journey is clearly outlined so the basic of storytellers can follow.
  Gotta love the treasure map too, it’s free form range is quite fitting for the imaginative storyteller.  I like that the story can jump right into the conflict without having to lay much previous character context.  If the journey is found to be relatable and interesting by the viewer, the storyteller can play with their emotions all the way to the buried treasure.
The story spine is what I think I would use to introduce this learning style to my curriculum  advisors at my school.  This part of the book came at the perfect time because I’ve been thinking of how to best present this to my colleagues.  This story structure is a fitting way to show what DST is and how students can learn from it.

Chapter 10
The Native storytelling experience has never even crossed my mind throughout this reading and its introduction here has stuck me as vexing.   Not in a negative sense, but in a, what am I to do now sense.  I’m highly intrigued by the idea of Native stories being told in school, I just need, as Ohler repeats, to know what I don’t know.  I need further direction here.
Lastly, I found the stream of consciousness rhetoric useful in reminding me that I detest the quasi-existential droning’s of those seeking the “message” in their story’s interconnected emotional experience.  I have no problem with wanting to take stories to the “next level” but, I want students to learn grow and have fun with DST.  I’ve yet to read a fun Faulkner story.

Transformation

Chapter 7

I found Ohler’s point that storytelling is and can be therapeutic quite interesting, he doesn’t go into this too deeply, but I can see the healing nature possible.  In his example of the at-risk youth, I can envision the work they would have to complete in order to achieve the transformation they wanted, to be in a better place five years from now.  It goes back to my last posting about kids learning even when they aren’t necessarily aware they are learning.  This type of learning leads to students being life long learners that are independent and critical thinkers.  Ohler sums it up nicely with the statement, “Seeing life as a story that can be written by each of us is a powerful and pragmatic methaphor.”

I also like Ohler’s description and use of brainstorming, from class/student driven input and feedback, to scripting and outlining, and most applicable to me, the use of a research box.  The containing of a story is an important aspect to storytelling, knowing what to include and leave on periphery is a skill that enhances ones story.

Lastly, I love the concept, that just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I am intrigued by the influential power that fiction has on the enhancement of a story.  Ohler thinks that students can use fiction in personal narratives in documentaries and academic stories.   I’m in agreement that DST is a large medium that can be used on a wide scale for multiple informational purposes.

Chapter 8

Here we fully understand the transformation process, the B-movie analogy is quite fitting with most of the work I’ve received from students.  It’s completely unmemorable, the connection to Bloom’s affective transformation scale is a perfect summation that teachers can understand on a theoretical level.  I can also see, a productive brainstorming session with discussion over character transformation.  Students can find relatable and understandable story characters in the eight different levels of transformation.  Here is my story-storming table, a useful tool take away from the reading this week.

Problem (in trouble)	Solution (out of trouble)	Transformation/learning
Add backyard pool, hit water pipe	Remove pavers, Stop leak, call in Estaban	Working through difficult and unfamiliar challenges has a payoff, seek assistance when needed