by Dr. Rose Reissman
True confession: over the past two decades I have enjoyed the
guilty pleasure of watching the People’s Court, Judge Judy, and similar shows. However, while enjoying the drama of their actual
civil cases submitted to the decision of a celebrity judge, being both fan and
literacy educator, I realized that the format of these shows offered rich
opportunities for literacy instruction sprinkled with law-related learning.
Further, the reality TV format presents
opportunities for students to learn special domain use of words and nuances of
language. But, importantly, beyond having students focus on their own
disagreements or conflicts as sources of cases, the format can become even more
than an exercise of basic literacy skills and a fun project. It can provide an
opportunity to have students focus and formulate arguments and positions on an
important source of contemporary societal conflict.
Why not tap ongoing current headlines which reveal the
new societal urge to revise the value placed on American historical figures
honored with plaques, portraits, holidays, statues, street names, and
highways? Why not expose students to the
burgeoning body of controversies over the possible removal of historical
figures from their current lofty positions established by their public
monuments? How about adapting aspects
of the reality show People’s Court and the Judge Judy brand for a youth court activity
that thrusts students front and center as citizens who look back into history, and
from today’s cultural context, reevaluate the values placed on prominent
figures from the past.
How can this learning scenario become a
reality? First, take cases from local or
national news. For example, 15th century
Christopher Columbus, once considered the archetypal hero, now is the target
for the slings and arrows of critics who, with the values and perspective of 21st
Century world citizens, see him as more of a villain than a hero. This is so much the case that there is a
movement afoot to have his monument removed from one of New York City’s most
famous traffic hubs, Columbus Circle.
f students are already studying Columbus or have studied his explorations, an excellent source of the various
controversies surrounding his 15th century achievements, as seen through the 21st century ‘s
understanding of human rights, and his
impact on indigenous people, would be: History Channel’s sources on the Columbus Controversy http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/columbus-controversy.
After students review this site on their own, they
can research stories about the current year’s Columbus controversies and the
actions by local and state governments taken to address or to react to these
issues. Next, ask students to vote with
their writing and spoken voices by taking a position on the controversy or even
deciding not to take one side or another, because the controversy is
inappropriate in that it involves judging an historical figure by a set of
criteria established long after the figure’s time frame.
Do not judge the students’ individual positions,
since in none of the current historical figure controversies is there a single
correct answer. Further, some of the decisions obviously overturn past
community decisions to establish a memorial or ceremony or parade. Use a Rubric
to judge students’ individual votes by their spoken clarity, spoken
persuasiveness, written arguments, and use of details from their research.
Next have the students watch selected episode
excerpts from either People’s Court
https://youtu.be/wgq-LIYviXc or Judge Judy
teacher curated “Top Ten Best Judge Judy
Teacher Moments” – https://youtu.be/CS7W64rXPiw.
Ask that they
watch these excerpts with a focus on noting down components of the format which
can engage the entire class in convening a Youth Court of Historical Heroes case
at their school.
Have them focus on the roles that are inherent
within each of these two long running reality show s and on how students with
various talents might fill them. Ask
that the students note, alongside the roles they have selected, the type of
research and spoken dialogue necessary for playing the roles. Stress that the students will have to fill
all the roles seen on the reality shows, which include, beyond the litigants,
the announcer (sometimes not seen), the courtroom spectators who sometimes wear
distinctive clothing, and interrupt or are asked to leave, the guard, and in
some shows, a reporter who interviews the key court room lawyers
and litigant after a decision is rendered.
Challenge students to observe the proceedings and to
note other behind the scenes creative roles,
such as costumer, segment
directors, and writers of frames, case research for similar case
citations and more. Students might also
be prompted to think about a musical producer, who can identify appropriate
historic or current public domain music for various historical characters. Students can also be camerapersons to film
and edit the court case for a Youth Court video posted on school site or for a
podcast discussion with the key, on trial historical figure, defender, and
accusers.
Give students a chance to discuss their notes and Youth
Court ideas.
Post the various court case roles they come up with.
Make certain that every student signs up for a role essential
to the production’s success and dissemination for feedback from peer s and
invited adult audience.
Beyond Columbus, are there other key, historical heroes of our past now on trial and at risk of having
The New York Times
recently posted an interactive quiz featuring 16 US historical figures
once acclaimed who are now on trial in cultural correctness and 21st
century courts of local, state and national communities https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/29/upshot/statues-quiz.html.
This quiz concludes with how Times voters decided
the cases.
Beyond making engaging reality courtroom television
come alive when acted by students as court spectators, judges and jury (the
jury members might all be required to explain their individual verdicts if
desired), this project makes participatory citizenship a reality for students
in grades 5 to 12 .
Through a video posted online, or a podcast or their
own website on the theme, students can add
their own 21st century voices as part of the current social
phenomenon of historical figure revisions.
That means they will be using mandated literacy powers of researching,
reading, forming a perspective, advocating, arguing, listening and speaking as
real world citizens.
The reality television format can, ironically, help enable and empower students to step into the reality of their political world. While the verdict may not yet have been
rendered about historic heroes, use of reality television as a citizenship tool
can prove to be a case won. “Order in
the court!” as engaged students leave the classroom to participate in ongoing
community issues.
The reality television format can, ironically, help enable and empower students to step into the reality of their
Dr. Rose Reissman is the founder of the Writing Institute,
now replicated in 145 schools including the Manchester Charter Middle School in
Pittsburgh. She is a featured author in New York State Union Teachers Educators
Voice 2016 and was filmed discussing ESL student leadership literary strategies
developed at Ditmas IS 62, a Brooklyn public intermediate school. roshchaya@gmail.com
