What is Media Literacy and How Do I Get Smart?
Help your teen objectify the lifestyles and values that are represented in the media, and identify how these messages are used to entertain, persuade, or sell a commercial product or an idea, from beer to ways that women are perceived. Once your teen begins to crack the code and question how the media works, he or she may be more empowered to make critical evaluations and independent choices. First, you need to know what they’re watching. “It is important for parents to partake in the media that their kids partake in,” said Sherri Hope Culver, Director of the Media Education Lab at Temple University. “They need to educate themselves so they can make good, effective decisions.” Ask your teen what he’s seen or listened to lately so you can stay current. Watching popular YouTube videos, playing Halo 3 on Xbox or browsing the profiles on MySpace may open a window into your teen’s media experience and help you shape his or her response to it.
