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News & Events
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Students weave digital tales of Oakland life Project fuses technology and fundamentals Posted in the Oakland Tribune on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 Written by Laura Casey Oakland — Fifth-grade students Adam Alaskari and Robert Chaney sat at their desks Monday morning excitedly tapping on the laptop computer in front of them and rehearsing their lines for an upcoming project. By the end of the week, the boys and their classmates in Room 8 at Fruitvale Elementary School will be digital storytellers, piecing together two- to three-minute movies about their lives in Oakland. It is a project designed to help the students get excited about reading and telling stories. "It is a real reason to write," said their teacher, Claire Stoermer. "You're not just writing for your teacher to get a grade." Three classes are participating in the project, organized by the Pearson Foundation's Digital Arts Alliance. The alliance introduces children to technology such as computers, recording devices and other materials. "The project enforces your basic fundamentals of education," said Michael Janes of the Pearson Foundation. "We try to do this with underserved communities that don't have the resources that more affluent communities have." Adam and Robert's storytelling "script" is a lot like thescripts made by other students participating in the endeavor. It starts with the three words "We are from," and the students fill in various lines about their interests, cultures and backgrounds. For Adam and Robert, the story talks about how they enjoy watching "The Family Guy" and "Robot Chicken" on television and how their families shop at Wal-Mart and Southland Mall. They talk about being from the ghettos of Oakland and tell of some of the crimes they witness. Adam talks about his devotion to Salaah, the fixed ritual of the Islamic prayer, while Robert talks about Jesus and going to church. Over the last few weeks, the boys have taken pictures of their neighborhoods, which they will weave into their movie. On Monday morning, they recorded their voices into the computer for the first time. "I think this is great. It's fun," said Adam, 10. "I hope we get to do it again, and I hope an audience will clap at us," said Robert, 11. The finished films will be shown at the school's Heritage Day celebration Feb. 23. Oakland Tribune
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Related links: - Oakland Tribune |
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