television as an educational tool

I got up this morning, later than usual (I sleep much better out here in the "country"), made my chai latte, and sat down to the computer to do what I usually do first thing in the morning, watch TV.

No, I don't meditate. I don't write. I don't read. I watch at least one show from start to end on Netflix and now on a free week of Hulu.

For those of you who turn your noses up at TV and refuse to let your kids watch, get over it. Just as it was in the beginning, television can be a powerful tool for learning. The problem that TV snobs have, in my opinion, is that they think learning has to be dull and pedantic. God forbid that our kids might actually learn from a sitcom!!!!

I remember my son Daniel, in fifth grade, I think, watching stand up comics and their political commentaries on TV. He even wanted to be a comedian himself. One day, I got a call from his teacher, who wanted to tell me how impressed she was by his comments on illegal immigration in class that day. I asked him how he came to understand so much and he said he watched stand-up comedy on television.

For those who still think learning has to be more than stand-up, look at all the documentary channels there are these days. I watch TLC and Discovery all the time. They have great shows that would fit well in the classroom.

Since I started teaching at the adult level, I make a concerted effort to use television in my instruction. Students like it and it's a great conversation/lesson starter. The series Fringe is an incredible way to teach some pretty complex scientific concepts. I do not understand much scientifically but I understood a lot more after watching Fringe. And I wanted to learn more!

Today, I wasn't sure what I would blog about and then I watched the pilot of Community, a sitcom about a study group at a community college. The main character is a lawyer who was disbarred for falsifying his degree. Right there is  a huge question in my mind -- if the guy knows how to be a lawyer and is good at it, why does he have to go back and get a real degree? Is it about learning or is is about credentials? Can't a person be good at what he does without having to spend all that money on a piece of paper that says he attended classes at an educational institution? Why does that have to be the only way? Why can't he just take a test to prove he knows his business?

I'm looking forward to watching this series in the mornings to come. Once I start teaching, it will be a part of my curriculum.

So to all you TV snobs out there, quit squelching a good thing. Get over it! Embrace it! Even if you don't buy that it can be educational, surely you can understand that good entertainment is important in life, too. I bet a lot of you think that going to the theater is a more elevated past-time but once upon a time, it was viewed as you view TV today.

I predict, too, that one day blogs will be considered to be their own genre of literature or perhaps journalism.

For my work day, I will be listening to music, another good tool to use in the classroom. I hope there is someone out there reading this blog. If so, please comment and let me know how I"m doing and/or share your thoughts and ideas. I'm hoping to start a discussion. :-)