The Zines

After reading NCTE article about the Zine project, I realized how essential authentic reading and writing are to students. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the project or a zine, the author of this article, Tobi Jacobi, defines it as “typically single-authored, handmade, do-it-yourself, creative publications centered on themes and issues that explore the personal and the political, the extraordinary and the mundane.” Furthermore, this project is an eight week program where university students and high school students work together to share in the writing and the publishing process. This article also illustrates that students who take part in the Zine project are the curricular anecdote to the current pressure teachers face to teach to the test.” In addition, these students write about societal issues such as racism and use their writing to produce a “creative rebellion.”

One parallel between the Hobbs reading and this article is the focus on gender and race stereotypes and propaganda in the media. In the Zine article, it is stated that “Zines have also been…referred to as an act of civil disobedience; a tool for inspiring other forms of activism; a medium through which girls effect changes within themselves, including confronting their own weaknesses, such as racism, homophobia, and other forms of prejudice.” Similarly, In the Hobbs reading, the assigned chapters focus on propaganda and race in the media and the classroom. In Hobbs book, she discusses how as teacher we rarely discuss concepts like race and propaganda when these are extremely important topics in our students lives.

After reading Hobbs and the NCTE article, I realized that English should focus on what is happening in the world. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed English and writing was to expose prejudice and other problems in society. I think that the Zine project will help students write about what is important to them, which is what teachers should try to help their students do. As an English teacher, I know that I would be able to help students do this. I am passionate about exposing societal injustice, and I look forward to helping my students explores these venues.