Due 2/12/07: Reflect on Your Literature Circle Experience
Now that we've taken on some official Literature Circle roles and used them as the basis for structuring small group reading and discussion (2/7), reflect on the experience. Was it a better group dynamic than when the groups were less structured? Do you think that students would enjoy working in LC's? Do you appreciate their utility? If not, what concerns are you still considering? Will you use them in your classrooms? Why, or why not?
posted by Bucky C. @ 8:39 PM
17 comments
17 Comments:
I think the literature circles went well in class on wednesday. I also liked that we had to perform certain tasks about our book before coming to class. I personally think that my groups discussion went well with this process. It also helps being organized and having roles and task to perform with so many minutes. I do believe that students will enjoy doing literature circles once they get the hang of how they are supposed to be conducted properly.
I REALLY think we are moving forward in the practice of literature circles as a class.Our experience in out circles on Wednesday was completely structured with all of us having roles. I found it very interesting how my group pretty much had completely different roles picked out.We all brought alot into our circle. I especially like our group artist. She did a good job with the character of Melinda. I really look forward to using literature circles in the future with my classes.Students will be able to enjoy the group work without everything being so repetitive, because they CAN take on different roles at different times. Although, like I said in class before, I think the teacher plays a big part, because she should keep her students on task.I look forward to what Bucky has in store for us in lit circles in the future~~!!
Concerning the first part of the blog topic, I cannot really say about better group dynamics because we were missing 2 of our 4 members. No complaints against the missing members, of course, I just mean that there can only be so much "dynamic" amongst 2 people. =)
I can, however, see the potential benefits of structured LCs; members can really focus on specific aspects of the book, but they in turn share that specific information with their group members. I do think I will try to implement LCs into my future classroom, and I do think my students would enjoy the experience.
Even thought I was not there on Wednesday (sorry guys) I really see the benefits of literature circles and having specific responsibilities and activities to contribute and be a part of the group. But I still question how to handle those students who will not participate. I don't know if it is of their own will, or if they are just unable to do it because of lack of prior reading tools implemented in their education. I personally love the challenge of research and what not, but I am among a minority in that catagory.
Shannon Mc, can you clarify what you mean when you say "I personally love the challenge of research and what not, but I am among a minority in that catagory"?
It makes me think that you all might be hearing elsewhere that research shouldn't play a part in your pedagogical training, and that perhaps the theory/practice schism is something we need to discuss in class.
Also, I do not want you all to start thinking that literature circles and classroom management are two seperate issues, that you can't have one without the other. If you think about it, they are actually very inter-related. I'm not claiming that you won't have issues in LC's, but they'll be some of the same sort of issues you'll have regardless of your classroom set-up. You may even see that the freedom and choice in LC's actually motivates reluctant folks to work more..
Also, I think it is good that you all are trying to consider how to keep children "on task," but I would just assert that having control of a classroom does not have to look like the teacher who hovers above the students, stalking the rows waiting to smack a ruler on someone's desk.
I'm reminded of an instance when my middle school students were in small groups, working towards a task and debating issues. As I walked the room checking in on groups, and listening in, a vice principal came to observe the noise and fun. "I'll come back when you're actually teaching," she said, completely unaware that if she just listened to the noise, she would have seen students working out issues and ideas on their own, and that soon we'd come back as a class to share our musings and learnings.
This gets at another fear I have conserning what assumptions some of you may have: That appearances are more important than realities. Sure, you want job stability, but the best way to get that is to use best practices, and to convince your principals that your students are learning based on your strategies instead of just structuring your instruction to fit what might be out-dated and inefficient ideas of teaching in your school or in the minds of your administrators.
That's why on-going assessment and data collection is important, i.e., having student folders with work that can show improvement over the course of the semester. (Sounds like a portfolio, doesn't it?)
As you get more experienced and educated, I think you'll see that real learning and quality instructional techniques actually require a little mess, a scene that may seem chaotic, but that actually has productive noise and productive activity. Just think about the chatter in our classroom when we do our group work. It's a noisy scene with the sounds of multiple speakers in multiple groups intermingling, but it is the sound of productive, engaged minds.
This post wasn't designed to dump on you, Shannon Mc. I just noticed some things in the overall posts that I thought I'd speak to or ask about. Please do post again, though, to clarify what you mean by the statement I quoted from you.
Good work on the posts so far, my busy bees!
Clarification: when I said in regards to classroom management and LC's that I didn't want you all thinking that you can't have one without the other, what I meant to say is that I don't want you thinking that one doesn't include the other or that they are separate to the point that one can't properly manage a classroom if it uses LC's.
I totally agree with you Bucky. It may seem from what I said in previous posts, that I am "afraid" of literature circles. I am definitely not by an means. I welcome the idea into my classroom in the future. I can definitely see what you are saying about the principal in middle school who "over-looked" your assessment of the class. That happens SO OFTEN...and it really sucks!
I think that the literature circles were better with more structure. Our group happened to pick out all different roles in the LCs and it really brought a lot of new thoughts and sides to the story that some of us may not have thought about. It also improved upon our discission because we actually had "set" ideas and points to discuss about the novel. I like our group because we all have different points of view so we have good discussions with each other. I think that students would enjoy working in LCs because it gives you a way to share your ideas and to improve upon your understanding in the story. If I ever was to teach children that were old enough to participate in LCs I would probably use them in my classroom.
I thought LC's were great. While I enjoyed the freedom of not having roles the first time, I felt that it was not as productive as the second time. With roles, are energy was directed in a productive direction, we were able to analyze the literature more efficiently and quickly. I will definately use LC techniques in my future classroom. This is a GREAT learning tool, it really gets the kids INVOLVED.
Our LC group is really cool. We each covered all the roles without even planning to. I think kids will Like LCS, evrn though initally they may seem a lot of work.
I enjoyed roles much better compared to the more relaxed structure at the beginning of the course. I was a little confused on how to structure my discussion plan. So I gave an example of each. I particularly like the opportunity for students to contribute to a functioning team. With roles for the members of the LC they can feel that each role is just as important as the other. Another benefit of the LC roles is the opportunity for students to use their interests and skills. An artistic student can be the ilustrator, the history buff the investigator, and so on. I look forward to having a few more members of our group present this upcoming week to get a better experience of the groups.
I think the literature circles went well. Structure is good, but there is not a major difference because everyone in our group participates. However, structure makes it less of a rambling and more of a specific destination. I think that literature circles are a good tool to use when teaching, because students learn better when in groups with their peers.
I think that the more structured the LC groups are the better! I am so looking forward to teaching them in my future classroom. I can remember my teachers using them and it was one of my favorite times as a middle school student. LC's make learning fun and gives every student an equal opportunity to participate in literature.
the liturature circles were a great way to explore and get a better idea of WHAT LCs are...before we performed some of the tasks i was still very vaugue on the concept so this was a wonderful way to expand my knowledge of the LCs
I think the last literature cirlce was a success. It helps being organized with different roles. I really think that the literature circles are a good thing
I believe that Literature Circles are wonderful. Giving students different roles to fulfill helps bring the circle together. I was not in class on Wednesday due to my daughter being in the emergency room, so please forgive my absence. Our group members all seem to work together and contribute to the circle discussion. As for my tasks, I had done the artist, the connector, and the word wizard using "Feed." I hate that I missed our discussion. I am sure that the two of them did well! I look forward to trying out Literature Circles in my regular ed classes, but if I teach Special Ed, I do not think i can use them. Any suggestions?
i think the literature circles re playing a very important role in the classroom and I really enjoyed working with my group. The circles in there self and us having different tasks has help me understand the reading a little better and listen to what others have to say about the same book. I believe they are a great idea.
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