After our discussion on literary theory, how would you incorporate literary lenses into your teaching?
Lenses are great . . . but I think some lenses are easier teased out of different texts. For example, if I want to teach about the lens of feminism, I woud like to start students out on texts that are clearly feminist pieces - like "The Awakening". Once they understand the lens, then I think they can tease it out of whatever they are reading, if they should so desire.
Other techniques I would use for talking about lenses is to talk about persuasive and opinion pieces. In opinions and persuasive articles, the writers are often wearing some shade of lens. Comparing two pieces about the same topic with different view points can help us see how lenses shade our view of the world. If we want to argue against one particular group, we should first understand their lens. If we want others to understand our view, we should understand other lenses. If we want to be individuals who mediate between lenses, then we need to understand all the strengths and weaknesses of each lens.
Understanding lenses helps us outside of the classroom and students need to know that. They need to know that a business deal is made by people who are shaded by different facts and opinions and ideas. Understanding those "lenses" can help students communicate in a business deal. In the family we wear different lenses and to come to understand each other we have to find the common ground in those lenses. The applications can be very wide spread to benefit all students lives.
Great ideas. I would love to have you begin a file with texts that include lenses to study. As we mature, we begin (hopefully) to see the lenses around us in advertising, the media, and much more. What could be more important than to teach students to "see" clearly?
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