Making Comics: In the Classroom?

Scott McCloud's book "Making Comics" is very informational. I've never been one to like comics or graphic novels, but I can see that they can be of valuable use in the classroom.
There is always this assumption that you have to be able to draw well in order to make an effective comic, but McCloud takes us away from that assumption by emphasizing the point that "In short: There are no rules" (P5).
I really like how this book is set up. Not only does McCloud set an example for his readers as to how comics should look and read, he does so in an entertaining way. He's the type of writer who grabs your attention and writes in a conversational way. I felt like as I read, I could envision him speaking to me. I think a good comic would do this.
It seems that McCloud puts a strong emphasis on building characters with emotions that are evident to the readers. Sound familiar? That works the same way with novels. In the comics, this can be clear to the readers through facial expressions, body language, and of course, the words. I think that it might be easier for students to visualize in this format. However, I think that when it is the other way around, when the student is creating the comic strip, I imagine that they will struggle at times to make such efforts. I expect to hear excuses like "I stink at drawing," or "I can't think of anything..." Therefore, I think it is important to have the prompts such as the ones McCloud offers to get students thinking as well as explaining that great art doesn't necessarily make a great comic. Storyline, plot, conflict, characte development, etc., are all part of the game--just like novels or short stories.
I found a blog that has many linked articles as to why comics are effective in the classroom. As I scrolled through the list, I couldn't find one argument against comics in the classroom. In fact, I can find little, if any, information about opposing views of comics in the classroom.

Overall.

Overall, the Teaching Language and Composition course went pretty well. I think we read some great books, my favorite being Harry Noden's "Image Grammar" and Stephen Koch's "Writer's Workshop," and learned some worthwhile things about teaching writing to our future students. Lucky for me, I actually got to teach my two week unit on writing personal narratives and have gotten a lot of ideas for future lessons like that.

I think everyone brought a lot to the table as far as group activities are concerned. There were some creative ideas and I plan on incorporating some of them eventually!

The big writing piece project we had for the class was tough for me due to time limitations and such, but I think it is a valuable project to get us thinking about the writing process, creativity, structure, and the whole nine yards of writing. I find that our course has a been a great example of how writing workshop works and worthwhile to students. However, I'd like to find a couple of different ways for students to read each story. Some students do not own a computer or will not take the reading seriously, so maybe something like every Friday after the writing pieces are complete, they have to do a reading rotation around the room and read silently as well as answer questions on a worksheet. I'd really have to plan it out to make it work though! I just don't find activities such as a student reading their story to the class aloud is effective.

The only book I didn't enjoy very much was our "Making Comics" book. Personally, I hate comics and graphic novels and I am not an artist, but the author, Scott McCloud gives a great 411 about making comics to his readers. I think it would be valuable to give students an opportunity to use graphic novels and comics in the classroom due to the fact that some readers struggle to create an image in their head...

McCloud describes things clearly in an entertaining way, but I just struggle to enjoy reading this type of formatted book.

Below is a short video clip of how to create a novel that "sells!" created by novelist Andrea Rains Waggener. It is simple and Waggener uses her novel as an example to explain the steps of writing. It's pretty creative and well thought out.

A LITTLE Change of Heart <3 <3

I can't believe another semester has come to an end. Even more surprising is that I am going to walk away soon with a Bachelor's degree--And I did it in 4 years. (I'm giving myself a pat on the back.)

But there's always that question. Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life? Well, I love being in front of people. And teaching offers just that. However, after doing our 2-week unit, I'm a little nervous about handling young adults. Therefore, as I've sat in a couple of my literature courses this semester, I've come across a new passion--teaching college students. Yes, they too, are young adults, but at a much different level. I would absolutely love to teach an English that is topic-focused with focused students! I'm currently in Women's Literature and I am finding a huge passion for women writers and the Feminist Movement era. I would love to learn more about it or even better, teach it in my near future to interested college students, like myself.

There is a downfall though, I would definitely miss out on teaching Shakespeare and other British Literature authors, and classic novels such as "To Kill a Mockingbird," but I'm just really trying to find my place in the world right now. I started off college as a pre-medical student--desperate to find a job that paid lots of money. Then I changed to teaching and stuck with it. I think it is the right career path for me, but I just need to figure out at what level. My dreams of becoming a vet. are not attainable due to my awful performance in science, but I find that I have a strong passion in English--therefore, I THINK this is what is meant for me.

This is not a change of heart for me. I don't want to switch majors and start all over. I just need to rethink my options. Dr. Stephanie Peterson does sound pretty nice though. :)