LIKE...Ummm Let's Learn to Communicate...Dude!!

From: examiner.com

 Communication matters, and while "like" is an integral icon, word, and concept in our language and culture, it is severely overused.

 On the one hand...

 “We're the most aggressively inarticulate generation to come along since, you know, a long time ago!” ~ Taylor Mal

On the other...

"To speak and to speak well are two things.  A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks."  ~Ben Jonson

 "The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives."  ~Anthony Robbins (American self-help author and motivational speaker)

From diatribesandovations.com

My husband went to Harvard University, his father went to Harvard and his father's father went to Harvard.  Our son did not.  Why? When he went to their information session (as a high school junior) he was aghast at how students 'communicated' the 'awesomeness' that is Harvard and decided this was not the school for him. While I hope these students were the exception and not the rule, they were chosen to represent this iconic institution.

So what happened? At this particular info-session there were, like, three students who, like, when discussing, you know, Harvard, their expressions of love and awe were, like, too disjointed, lacking, uhm, the force of language to, like, convey their content or conviction. Get the point?

And, if students from Harvard lack communication skills, what does this say about our culture, our kids, or our educational system? And even if these students knew 'how' to 'communicate' and were just trying to be cool - when speaking in public to high school students in the vernacular...they muddled what for many was an important message.  Given that speech directly reflects our thinking - is their thinking muddled or lacking in conviction too?

"The way we communicate is a reflection of the clarity of our own thinking." - Rav Agbby 

When you hear someone using the word "like" or "um..." or "you know?..." repeatedly in their speech, it should raise some concerns among teachers and parents.

When we confuse "who" and "whom" (which happens ALL TOO OFTEN), and when "if I was..." is mistakenly used for "if I were..." we sound that less educated, that less well-read. I further argue that accepting muddled communication is basically accepting muddled thinking. We should demand more of each other.

So what can parents and educators do?

 “Mend your speech a little, Lest you may mar your fortunes.” ~ William Shakespeare

• Think before speaking:
• Think about what you want to say
• Thing about how best, most accurately, most succinctly to say it

• Make sure you really have something to say before you say it. 

“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” ~ Ben Franklin 

• Say what you mean as clearly and succinctly as you can.  The shorter your 'talk' the more able your listeners will be to follow and incorporate your opinions. 

“A good speech should be like a woman's skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest” ~ Winston Churchill

From: droidmill.com

• Practice expressing ideas and opinions. (See  Express Yourself which relates ways to do this). 
• Discuss politics and current events at the dinner table, when commuting, or in the classroom. Listen to others.  IF one of the speakers uses 'um', 'like', 'you know', raise a finger or give her/him some cue of what s/he is doing.
• Read a paragraph with your child and then practice paraphrasing it. Here too you may want to raise a finger or give the speaker some cue when s/he utters an 'um', 'like', or a 'you know'.
• Critically edit written work which also reflects thought and relays conviction.  Attend to grammar, tense, and word choice.
• Note of caution:  There are  many who are scared to express themselves so there must be a balance between reinforcing expression and monitoring/correcting it.  Sometimes, just get your kids to talk, particularly about what they are passionate about, and particularly with the reluctant speaker, you may not want to correct.  Instead, after that child is more confident speaking, arrange for 'practice speeches' where you intentionally just monitor the tone and word choice.
• Make students more aware of their 'lack of conviction' when speaking and their over use of 'um', 'like', 'you know'.  Here is a game to help you introduce this:  "The Ummbrella Game"

Game of Ummbrella (compliments of Talia Hurwich):
Tell students/kids THE RULES:

"In this game, certain things go under the ummbrella and certain things don't.  What determines what goes under the ummbrella is a certain rule I have in my head.

The OBJECT OF THE GAME: is to figure out the rule.

The way to figure out the rule is by asking me if something belongs under the umbrella."

[Unbeknownst to the players - the RULE of the game is:  When asking if an item belongs under the ummbrella - if they ask, "Does _________ (any item) belong under the ummbrella?" the answer is "NO."
IF they ask, "Does ummm ____________(any item) belong under the ummbrella?" the answer is YES."]

IF this is going on too long and your kids are getting frustrated, when someone asks if "ummmm _____belongs..." answer "yes" and then ask the same person to ask if "______" belongs.  This should help them.

ONCE THE RULE IS DISCOVERED ASK:  WHY is this game called "ummbrella" - (note that the double 'm is intentional, I do know how to spell 'umbrella')? 

POINT OUT THAT:

We normally think of the phrases we use based on their meaning, but there is more to a phrase than the meaning - there are the words and letters you put into the phrase and the pauses you use between those words that we may not be fully aware of.  This game and the final question will hopefully make them more literally aware of word usage and word choices when communicating.

In closing, two treats:

The first, an excerpt from poet/teacher Talyor Mali's Poem "Totally Like Whatever, You Know?" (the entire clip is provided below):

I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you,
I challenge you: To speak with conviction.

To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks
the determination with which you believe it.
Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker,
it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY.
You have to speak with it, too.

The second treat before closing is an example of how "LIKE" SHOULD be used - complements of Ellen Toole Austin and Jimmy Gownley:

From: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=370769549657792&set=a.369933483074732.80799.369928043075276&type=1&theater

Thank you all for your time and your visit.  Before you leave, I want to thank Adam and Talia Hurwich for their 'inspiration' and suggestions . 

Please leave your articulated opinions - left with conviction -  in the comments. 

Anti-Heroe's...Is it Time for Superman to Roll Over?

The San Diego Comi-con 2012 is over and it was an awesome event and my panel "Transforming Graphic Novel Readers into Graphic Novel Writers" was a blast! Leading kids/adult graphic novelists Jenni and Matt Holm (Babymouse  and Squish),  Jimmy Gownley (Amelia) and Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants, Superman vs. The Elite, Ultimate Spider-Man, and many more) all spoke about tools and skills they needed to successfully publish their works and gave suggestions for aspiring graphic novelists. Educators Katie Monnin, PhD., and James Bucky Carter, PhD., related how education can help. What sticks out most is that:

• Written work is rarely successful the first draft, or even the first try.  NEVER get discouraged.  Just stay open to constructive criticism and constant editing;
• Structure is really important in writing graphic novels.  Writers/illustrators must structure the story, the panels, the pages, and they must structure their working time and day;
• Panelists agreed that developing 'real' characters was the trick to successful work and readers must be able to relate to them;
• While writing the story is important, equally important is being able to 'lay out the story' so art, text and panels flow smoothly.
• Classroom attention should be directed not only to literacy building (both visual and verbal literacy), but to teaching executive functions such as structure and organization, attention to detail, and the encouragement of creativity and creative alternatives.

We also discussed the changing role of 'hero' in popular culture, and how the anti-hero is growing in importance and popularity. The big question which was posed by Joe Kelly years ago and developed in his new film, Superman vs. The Elite:   

•  Is Superman out of date? Has his role of super-hero been replaced by awesome but ego-centric, crime-fighting anti-heroes?
• Why is it that we frequently ask about  Superman's place in our culture today, but Spidey, Batman ("The Dark Knight"), XMen, and so many other superheroes' 'potency' in our world of fantasy and fiction are rarely questioned?

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antihero

In fiction, an antihero^[1] (sometimes antiheroine as the feminine) is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is an "everyman" type of character, in contrast to the larger-than-life qualities of an archetypal hero. The term dates to 1714,^[2] although literary criticism identifies the term in earlier literature...^[3]

Unlike traditional heroes, antiheroes are not as fabulous as the traditional ones. They may be corrupt, oppressive, etc., or may merely have no unusual qualities whatsoever (the common definition). They are not villains but not necessarily heroes. They may do bad things but are not evil. They may fight villains, but not for the reason of justice, or if it is for the cause of justice will take an "ends justify the means" stance. Their actions are motivated by their own personal desires, such as revenge. 

In my teaching (and as a parent) I have found that kids do like heroes.  They like heroes such as Harry Potter .... but, they also enjoy villains.

But by age 12, I think something happens, young adults today, in my experience, actually are drifting more towards the anti-heroes.  The Twilight characters, Hunger Games, are full of anti-heroes. Furthermore we love Spidy and Batman who are vigilates - who take punishing crime into their own hands and have no qualms about murdering 'the bad guys' without trial by jury. For further thought and discussion, please leave your opinions in the comments and go watch Joe Kelly's Superman vs. The Elite which addresses this question with grace and humor, action and reflection.

Joe Kelly's Superman vs. The Elite, which came out last month and is available on Blue Ray  and streaming on the web. It puts the question of hero vs. anti-hero out in the open for full question and evaluation. He empowers Superman to wrestle with his goody-two-shoes image and enables him to rise as a more modern but true-to-self hero.

To whet your taste buds, here's a super interview with Joe Kelly - a truly AWESOME superhero in my humble opinion - who claims his work is dark, while I find it wonderfully empowering and uplifting:

And, a trailer...

As a leaning optimist, I'd like to think Superman and true-blooded "good" heroes are not dead.  And, while some flaws are essential to make them real, I believe that not only is there a place for these role models, there is a vital need for them.  I find so many of us floundering in lives of  cynicism, frustrated with our leaders, with politics and economics and need the larger-than-life fluffy role models to aspire to.... That's my take...what's yours?

Both the interview and the film are well worth the visits and views and I'd love to hear what you think about them and the changing role of today's super-heroes.  Please leave your views and takes on this subject (and tell us who your favorite heroes/anti-heroes are) in the comments.

Thanks for the visit, please come again!

Thanks for

ZAP...ZING...ZONK...ZOWIE!!!!

The 2012 San Diego International Comic-con takes place this coming weekend, and I will be moderating a panel of AWESOME educators -Katie Monnin and Bucky Carter and graphic novelists - John Hogan (Graphic Novel Reporter), Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants), Jimmy Gowenly (the Amelia books) Matt and Jennifer Holm (the BabyMouse and Squish books).  Our panel  "Transforming Super-Powered Comic Book Readers into Comic Book Writers" will be on Saturday, 7/14/12 at  5:30p.m. - 6:30p.m., Room: 26AB IF you're there, please come say hello to me.

While I will be posting more about the convention and my panel later, in the spirit of great comics and graphic novels, I dedicate ABC Wednesday "Z" week to  these super awesome fun onomatopoeic Z words: Zap, Zing, Zonk, and Zowie!!!

According to Wikipedia:

onomatopœia ( pronunciation (US) (help·info), from the Greek ὀνοματοποιία;^[1] ὄνομα for "name"^[2] and ποιέω for "I make",^[3] adjectival form: "onomatopoeic" or "onomatopoetic") is a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes.

Comic strips and comic books made extensive use of onomatopoeia. Popular culture historian Tim DeForest noted the impact of writer-artist Roy Crane (1901–1977), the creator of Captain Easy and Buz Sawyer:

It was Crane who pioneered the use of onomatopoeic sound effects in comics, adding "bam," "pow" and "wham" to what had previously been an almost entirely visual vocabulary. Crane had fun with this, tossing in an occasional "ker-splash" or "lickety-wop" along with what would become the more standard effects. Words as well as images became vehicles for carrying along his increasingly fast-paced storylines.^[4]

Aside from using onomatopoeic words when writing because it is simply loads of fun, advertising and marketing experts use it as a mnemonic to help customers and potential clients remember their particular product.  Rice Krispies is one example of a product with an onomatopoeic name, and Alka-Seltzer employed their "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz OH what a relief it is" jingle.

It's even been promoted in song - the chorus of John Prine's song Onomatopoeia is one great example as is Todd Rundgren's Onomatopoeia.

In 1963 Roy Lichtenstein used Whaam! as an early example of pop art and in 2002, DC Comics introduced a villain named Onomatopoeia, an athlete, martial artist and weapons expert who speaks sounds imitating the noises around him and is an enemy of Green Arrow and Batman. Did you ever wonder though about when these words were first used - and how? Let's look at a few...Zingers:

zap/zap/

Verb:	Destroy or obliterate: "zap the enemy's artillery".
Noun:	A sudden effect or event that makes a dramatic impact, esp. a sudden burst of energy or sound

Zap as far as I can tell, is the most used and integrated "Z" onomatopoeic word. There are ZAP electric vehicles, ZAP! comics, Zap skimboards, games, cleaners, photographic tools, and music. According to Wikipedia "A zap is an onomatopoetic word for a discharge of electricity or an electric shock." Regarding its origin, Dictionary.com notes that it was used as a sound effect in 1929 and as a verb in 1942 as a comic strip word in Buck Rogers in the Twenty-Fifth Century. 

*******

zow·ie/ˈzou-ē/

Exclamation:

Expressing astonishment or admiration.

According to merriam-webster.com Zowie was first known to be used in 1902 as an onomatopoeic sound used it imitate a speeding vehicle. I remember it in Batman many years later. Zowie was the Riddler's henchman in Batman: The Animated Series. He was sent by the Riddler to steal goods but was defeated by the caped crusader! It is also the name of aNew Zealand singer-songwriter and drummer, and the name of a fashion accessories company. ******* zonk/zäNGk/ Verb: Hit or strike. Fall or cause to fall suddenly and heavily asleep or lose consciousness: "I always just zonk out" Zonk has also been somewhat integrated into our culture.  There are "zonks" in the popular TV show Let's Make a Deal, it is a dice game, and the name of a production company. According to dictionary.com it was first used 1950 as an onomatopoeic term to mean "hit hard." ******* zing/ziNG/ Noun: Energy, enthusiasm, or liveliness. Verb: Move swiftly: "an arrow zinging through the air". Zing is now the name of a cutting machine, the name of an ultralight aircraft, and a technology company that makes collaborative team learning and meeting systems. Random House Dictionary dates its origin to 1910-1925 as 'imitative' and according to Online Etymology Dictionary, zing was used in 1911 to mean 'high pitched sound,' and in 1918 as slang for 'energy, zest.' ******* In preparing this post, I realize how powerful pop culture and word play are, how widely comics books and the graphic arts have influenced and continue to influence our world, how word play is not only fun but it can be quite lucrative, and simply how much fun words can be and how easy it is to get lost in their world.  These are all important lessons to share with our kids - especially the reluctant readers and learners. So in closing, here are some great ways to make learning and words fun: Look at word origins and how the way the use them has changed over time; Make up your own fun onomatopoeic words Draw words to reflect their meaning See how many sentence strings you can generate using onomatopoeia Personally, 'splat' is one of my favorite onomatopoeic words (but this post I focused on "Z"). Please share your opinions or your favorite onomatopoeic words in the comments and have a great week. In the meantime, enjoy this music video, compliments of Zowie!!!