I have been busy with all sorts of meetings and commitments, so the blog has been on the back burner.
I promised a quick update, so this will be quick.
The book clubs are going well. One of the observations that is striking me much more this go-around than it has in previous cycles is the importance of the social dynamics of a group in the quality of their discussions.
For instance, I overheard one young man relay to his friends outside my classroom, "I'm stuck in this group with all of these ditzy girls." Another young man who is usually a challenge to reign in during class discussions has sat silently during the majority of his book club talks and will entertain himself by using hand sanitizer or stroking the spider plant on my desk. These young men (the only male in their respective groups) clearly don't feel comfortable with their peers. Conversely, I am watching groups that gel well become engaged in lively conversations and tackle the tough topics raised in their novel simply because conversation seems to flow more easily in their groups.
All of this leads me to wonder if the formation of the groups (at least at this developmental level) needs to be more carefully crafted. I wonder if personality surveys or learning style surveys could help. Maybe even my simple idea to ask the students to select options of both books and classmates could lead to more successful book clubs. I'll have to keep mulling this issue over.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
What a difference a day can make!
No-Book Book Clubs were a surprise to me today! Just when I was feeling discouraged and ready to throw in the towel, the students surprise me with some insightful comments or reports about their discussions from yesterday. They still have me curious about a few things though...
In response to the poem "The White Rose" we asked the students to complete an assignment Cindy has used with her students. The students were to select 3-5 symbols to represent the section of the poem their book club focused on while reading. When the students went to work today they were all (almost without exception) focused intently on the task of creating their visual interpretation. Why is it that when students are given a blank sheet of paper and markers they become so engaged? Even the students who appeared unwilling to participate in class discussions were in the thick of coloring. Why is this? Any thoughts from the art teacher?
I am also wondering about how much group dynamics play a role in the success or failure of these groups and therefore their discussions. I am wondering about allowing the students to give me not only their preference for which book to read, but also for which students to work with in their book clubs. This adds another layer of complexity to forming groups, but I wonder if it could create more successful book clubs. Yet I'm also worried about this idea. Dragon Boy was working in a group with his friends--he would have selected at least two of the three boys he worked with--and that was not much of a success story. I'm just not sure. Is this pandering to them? Isn't the idea of civil discourse supposed to apply to any discussion, not just conversations with friends. Any thoughts on this idea?
In response to the poem "The White Rose" we asked the students to complete an assignment Cindy has used with her students. The students were to select 3-5 symbols to represent the section of the poem their book club focused on while reading. When the students went to work today they were all (almost without exception) focused intently on the task of creating their visual interpretation. Why is it that when students are given a blank sheet of paper and markers they become so engaged? Even the students who appeared unwilling to participate in class discussions were in the thick of coloring. Why is this? Any thoughts from the art teacher?
I am also wondering about how much group dynamics play a role in the success or failure of these groups and therefore their discussions. I am wondering about allowing the students to give me not only their preference for which book to read, but also for which students to work with in their book clubs. This adds another layer of complexity to forming groups, but I wonder if it could create more successful book clubs. Yet I'm also worried about this idea. Dragon Boy was working in a group with his friends--he would have selected at least two of the three boys he worked with--and that was not much of a success story. I'm just not sure. Is this pandering to them? Isn't the idea of civil discourse supposed to apply to any discussion, not just conversations with friends. Any thoughts on this idea?
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
I'm running away to join the circus...
wait, I'm already part of a circus. It is called my classroom.
At least that is how I am feeling right now. As Cindy so artfully described on her blog, our first few days with the No-Book Book Clubs have been a little rough. It hasn't helped that I wasn't in school yesterday due to a meeting and it seems that I'm bringing my C or D game to the classroom. Maybe it is time to bring someone up from the minors to pinch hit for me...can you tell that baseball was on in the background while I was grading this evening?
OK, I am going through a phase when I am particularly tough on myself...at least that is what my mentor said this morning. And Cindy, a teacher with more experience than me, seems to believe that the class is not a complete disaster, so I will try not to pack my bags just yet.
What I am struggling with is the fact that it appears that the majority of students are fairly disengaged with the class. Comments such as "I thought the story was boring" or listening to a student retell the entire story because another student clearly did not read are disheartening to me. Similarly, it appears that my careful creation of groups and foundation for quality discussions were in vain. One entire group sat and stared at each other today! It may be that my perception is off here, so I will keep watching and try to keep an open mind.
This all leads me to some bigger questions...
Why do the students not feel a stronger sense of personal accountability? What is it that has allowed the students to feel that they are not responsible for maintaining at least the appearance of a conversation? Does the fact that they are discussing with "just" their classmates play a part here? Would it be different if they felt they were going to be held personally accountable to me? Am I simply reacting in frustration because this group of students won't "play school" the way I think they should? If book clubs are an "authentic" experience with literature, do I try to put too many "school" parameters (sheets to fill out, cumulative assignments, etc.) on them? Without the school parameters would the book clubs function at all? Is it possible to create an "authentic" experience inside a classroom?
As I think about my own book club experiences I begin to wonder about this social aspect. I'll save my thoughts there for another post, but the preview is that if my book club didn't like a book we simply sat and ate snacks and visited...and we payed for and read the books! Is that what some of my students are doing? Is that OK? If it isn't (and every fiber of my being says it isn't), how do I motivate them to at least attempt a discussion?
At least that is how I am feeling right now. As Cindy so artfully described on her blog, our first few days with the No-Book Book Clubs have been a little rough. It hasn't helped that I wasn't in school yesterday due to a meeting and it seems that I'm bringing my C or D game to the classroom. Maybe it is time to bring someone up from the minors to pinch hit for me...can you tell that baseball was on in the background while I was grading this evening?
OK, I am going through a phase when I am particularly tough on myself...at least that is what my mentor said this morning. And Cindy, a teacher with more experience than me, seems to believe that the class is not a complete disaster, so I will try not to pack my bags just yet.
What I am struggling with is the fact that it appears that the majority of students are fairly disengaged with the class. Comments such as "I thought the story was boring" or listening to a student retell the entire story because another student clearly did not read are disheartening to me. Similarly, it appears that my careful creation of groups and foundation for quality discussions were in vain. One entire group sat and stared at each other today! It may be that my perception is off here, so I will keep watching and try to keep an open mind.
This all leads me to some bigger questions...
Why do the students not feel a stronger sense of personal accountability? What is it that has allowed the students to feel that they are not responsible for maintaining at least the appearance of a conversation? Does the fact that they are discussing with "just" their classmates play a part here? Would it be different if they felt they were going to be held personally accountable to me? Am I simply reacting in frustration because this group of students won't "play school" the way I think they should? If book clubs are an "authentic" experience with literature, do I try to put too many "school" parameters (sheets to fill out, cumulative assignments, etc.) on them? Without the school parameters would the book clubs function at all? Is it possible to create an "authentic" experience inside a classroom?
As I think about my own book club experiences I begin to wonder about this social aspect. I'll save my thoughts there for another post, but the preview is that if my book club didn't like a book we simply sat and ate snacks and visited...and we payed for and read the books! Is that what some of my students are doing? Is that OK? If it isn't (and every fiber of my being says it isn't), how do I motivate them to at least attempt a discussion?
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