Another Week

Another week gone by and we are that much closer to the end of the semester. Even though my classroom lacks technology, I was able to steal a DVD/TV combo from another classroom for one hour this past week. I was able to show a few minutes of a documentary on the ties of prohibition to the rise of organized crime (the Mafia) in the U.S. I was able to get my students interested in making connections and using prior knowledge to figure out why the Mafia rose to power.

Most of my students have grown up with or around gangs. When I asked them what the number one reason many "thugs/gangstas" become "thugs/gangstas", one young man responded, "Cash, cars, clothes, and hos". Many of my students know drug dealers. It's no secret. But I was able to tie in the importance of the effects of prohibition through their own experiences with modern day "gangstas".

On the flip side, I had them discuss the differences between 1920s gangsters and their gangstas. Many ideas were tossed around, such as the prestige and respect that seemed to be carried by the 1920s gangsters. Another student pointed out that the 1920s gangsters were white. I asked, "True, but how are the ethnicities between 1920s gangsters and modern gangstas similar?" A student responded, "They all make up the lower class of their times."

I felt like this week was one of my most promising. My classes seemed much more attentive and on task. Perhaps it has to do with my ability to throw together a quick power point with some examples of WWI propaganda. Maybe it's because I can efficiently search for an article quickly during a lesson. It could have to do with the fact that even though my school has little technology, I find ways to incorporate it on multiple occasions whereas my C.T. sticks strictly to his lectures. What I do know is that simply trying will initially grasp the students' attention. The rest is up to us.