Media Literacy in the Classroom: Teacher Fellows Share

Media Literacy Week is the annual celebration of the power of media literacy and its essential role in education. At the Pulitzer Center, media literacy is central to our mission of cultivating a more curious, empathetic, and engaged public. By connecting teachers and students with underreported global news stories and the journalists who cover them, our programs put the principles of media literacy in action.

In honor of Media Literacy Week 2021, we invited three Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellow alumni to share what media literacy looks like in their classrooms, and why it matters. In the Teacher Fellowship program, educators from across the country connect with journalists and one another to explore the elements of underreported news stories, and how they can support skill-building and meaningful engagement. They then create and implement original units that support their students in making local connections to global issues, practicing media literacy skills, and building empathy. The following Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.

Chalya Pudlewski, 8th and 9th grade English teacher in Cooperstown, NY

Explore Chalya's unit, 'Reading' the News: Media, Research, and Debate

What does media literacy mean to you, and why does it matter?

Media literacy means the ability to interpret information from multiple sources. Having some knowledge of journalistic practices and goals is helpful, but anyone who has curiosity, open-mindedness, and commitment can begin to develop. With any event, as with any piece of literature I may teach, there may be many valid potential analyses, but without media literacy, there can be none.

Why do you think it's valuable for students to explore news stories in your classroom?

Students need to approach confusing world problems in a supportive environment. They are exposed to so many ideas that they are only in the early stages of learning how to evaluate. Exploring news in the classroom helps them to process this information in a healthy way.

What is one tip or resource that you would like to share with other educators who want to help their students strengthen media literacy skills?

The more students read, the more literate they will become. If they seek out information themselves and practice it in the classroom, they learn reliable sources, respectful discourse, and successful argumentation. This offers wonderful opportunities for interdisciplinary, authentic learning, and honest feedback.

Adam Guerrero, high school Social Studies teacher in Crowley, TX

Explore Adam's unit, "Creations of the Fortunate: Borders and Their Impacts on Vulnerable Populations"

What does media literacy mean to you, and why does it matter?

Students know what the media is but they do not understand how to use it as a tool. Students are so easily influenced and they are living in an age where there is so much information, but how do they actually navigate what they are hearing? How do they navigate what they are seeing? The media itself is a source of information for students but understanding how to utilize it, what it is, and how they can access various sources of information is what I help students understand. I always teach students about bias, audience, purpose, and agendas. Media literacy helps students zoom out and see how information is being communicated to them. Overall, media literacy is helping students become critical thinkers more than anything else.

Why do you think it's valuable for students to explore news stories in your classroom?

First, most of my students are low socioeconomic students. Many of them will never travel outside of their immediate area, their school district even, and so the media helps them see the world abroad. Seeing how connected they are to the world is important. It is valuable to see other cultures and other ways of thinking. This helps further define who you are as an individual but at the same time, it helps you with that critical thinking process. Asking questions like, is there a particular narrative being pushed? Is there a reason why this particular voice is being left out? Who are we not hearing about and why is that the case? So when presented with the opportunity of being in the Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellowship, it screamed an opportunity for students to look at those stories that are not being discussed and examine why they are not being discussed. 

What is one tip or resource that you would like to share with other educators who want to help their students strengthen media literacy skills?

Of course, I will absolutely put the plug in for the Pulitzer Center, whose collection of sources are absolutely helpful to students especially when trying to reach those marginalized unspoken narratives. When it comes to the tips themselves, things I focus on with students specifically are bias, audience, and purpose. One of the main things I focus on with students is bias. I drive that point home with them and I say, okay, it doesn't matter what the situation is, what the document is, every single thing, everybody you meet, every medium is going to have a bias in some way. By understanding that bias, you will be able to approach it in a healthy, academic, critical way. Next, one of the most important things that I try to teach students is empathy. Especially with history, I hear it all the time whether it be teaching high school students or college students they all say, “Ugh, I hate history.” I say, “No, you hated the way people taught it to you." If I am just teaching you names and dates, it is boring, but when you can get an emotional connection and understand that events that happened in the past or are happening right now are connected to you, now you have a vested interest in it. Trying to have people see it as a shared human experience is important. Making a human connection and empathy is important.

Adelaida Jiyun Kim, 4th grade teacher in Chicago, IL

Explore Adelaida's unit, "'No Line Between the Water and the Sky': Muslim Women’s Voices Uniting Communities"

What does media literacy mean to you, and why does it matter?

Media literacy means the ability to understand messages from various mediums of media. Media consumers must learn how to digest what the media is projecting to analyze how their views affect society. 

Why do you think it's valuable for students to explore news stories in your classroom?

Students are exposed to media now more than ever. They need to be taught how to critically judge what are safe sources, evaluate the information, and recognize fake news and bias. 

What is one tip or resource that you would like to share with other educators who want to help their students strengthen media literacy skills?

My students and I utilize BrainPOP for almost every lesson, as it contains culturally relevant topics that are impartial. My 4th graders enjoy watching its content because it is fun and easy to understand complex ideas.

Explore more units by Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellows here, or get started with this lesson plan: "What Is Media Literacy and How Do We Practice It Using Pulitzer Center Reporting?"