Wazzup? Great resource for teaching novels (although you may have to keep it on the d.l.)

[Michele Vogt-Schuller]

My high-school aged son showed me a great resource for previewing novels. Thug Notes is a YouTube channel hosted by Sparky Sweets, PhD. Each week, Sparky gives a summary and review of a novel in the high school/college cannon in what can be best described as urban dialect. What's really great about these videos is that the format is exactly the format that best serves literacy/writing common core standards; our man Sparky first summarizes the text, and then does a deep analysis.

Warning: this is a great teaching tool, but most teachers will have to keep it underground, using it as a suggested text. Some of Sparky's language is reminiscent of The Wire or Boys in the 'Hood. 

Yo dawg, I recommend you check it out and let me know what ya'll think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VEQRPm_HyA&feature=share&li...

[Diana Dempsey]

I've never heard of this before, but watched a couple and found them funny, insightful, and something that definitely seems like it would "spark" an interest in reading with my high school students (juniors and seniors).  Thanks for sharing!

The videos use inappropriate language and stereotypes liberally, so they aren't something I would post on my website, but they're such a great spoof on PBS serious literary shows, and they actually do use a PhD (Sparky Sweets is played by a comedian/actor) to write the literary summary and analysis.  I think I may try one out and see what my students think by showing them one and also letting it lead to a media discussion on humor & stereotypes (i.e., is it ok to stereotype for the purpose of humor & learning?). An article in the Tampa Bay newspaper discusses using the videos in the classroom. http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/thug-notes-delivers-the-inno...

 

[Pam Goble]

I have seen these. They are good...no actually great, but the language is ???  It is hard to figure how to use these or recommend them (I have middle schoolers...so this would not work in school).  I  am going to read the article that Diana posted and see what suggestions are offered.

[Michele Vogt-Schuller]

I have high school seniors - all dual credit classes (college level), so can figure out how to use this as artifacts - it's all in the framing. 

I believe that the use of the language may be intentional and used to keep these videos "underground" so that "the man" (that would be us) can't appropriate them.

If you want examples of really bad corporatized (I just made that word up) videos, check out the trip that Schmoop puts out. It's like a bad version of a saturday night live parody of adults trying to be "cool" and "with it."