I’m technically cheating here, doing a series of lesson debriefs on what is really a unit. But since I’m making the rules, I imagine that breaking them is allowed.
I’ve mentioned before that I am collaborating with a colleague in a wiki-based, cross-class literature circle experiment. The long descriptor there gives a pretty good sense of just how complicated it feels sometimes. We’ve decided to have each class break into literature circles and choose to read either The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravtiz or The Catcher in the Rye. Our in-class literature circles are quite standard, with members assuming roles and completing related handouts.
Each in-class literature circle is teamed up with another lit circle from my colleague’s class to form a larger virtual literature circle. That virtual team is expected to summarize and extend their respective discussions online via our class wiki. The end goal of all of this is for students to compile a detailed portfolio of the novel that they can use to create a book trailer.
What I like
- I enjoy collaborating with a colleague in my department. While I appreciate the connections I make online, and the learning that happens here, it’s great to be trying out ideas with someone who I can visit with in the hall.
- I’ve honed the literature circle role sheets that I use and they seem to be working well for this grade level. Students are using them to get a fresh perspective on the novel.
- The two novels – Catcher and Duddy Kravtiz – work really well together. Reading them, I frequently laugh out loud.
What needs work
- When a circle is missing students, then the discussion aspect suffers. This is a unit that is particularly hampered by absenteeism, which is a bit odd since so much of it is being taken online. It seems that if there isn’t some face-to-face conversation immediately following a reading, then it’s more challenging for students to summarize ideas and extend them online.
- Although a wiki is a straightforward tool, I should have had students complete more activities with it prior to beginning this fairly intensive unit. Some students are still learning how to work with the technology rather than spending their time on content. (Having said that, working with the technology is one of the goals here, so I’m pleased to see progress.)
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