I love literature circles too. As a way to get started with so many students, it might be a little easier to have an entire class reading the same text. Run the circles as you normally would -- small groups, self-directed, etc. Keeping the text constant would make it easier for you at first, and it might help you differentiate the PROCESS instead of the content.
I agree that the jobs smothered my kids' thinking, so I abandoned roles too. I found it helpful, however, to create a shared code of things we were looking for. We created symbols to mark where we found an interesting word, made a connection, loved the language, inferred, predicted, and had an a-ha moment. The kids used stickies to "leave tracks" in their books which served as a great starting place with each meeting. It was a good in-between place for students new to the process. Good luck! -----Original Message----- From: kimberlee hannan [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 6:56 PM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] overwhelmed I LOVE literature circles. Harvey Daniels is a good start, but I found the jobs stifling after a while, so eventually I let the kids go in whatever direction they chose to prepare for a study. One article I read, written by Daniels himself, says he had intended the jobs to be a starting point and eventually move on to doing these jobs independently. I haven't tried lit circles with my 7th graders, yet. However, I am seriously thinking about it. I have 120 kids and I think if I start with one group per class at a time, I can balance the chaos. I can only conduct one study at a time. I feel I need to be a participant as well. After one is done, I select another group of kids. I agree, it helps you get to know the kids as individuals because you actually get to talk to the kids face to face more than in passing. Kim On 2/20/07, Caudill, Amanda <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I teach in a 6th grade reading class (55 minutes). I am working on my > Rank 1 and I have been swimming in articles on differentiation. With 125 > students, the idea of this seemed impossible. However, literature circles > have been my savior. I completely immersed myself in Harvey Daniel's > books. I started with only one of my reading classes (guinea pigs) and then > began introducing it to the rest of the reading classes. I have really > gotten to know them as individuals. Lit circles can be conducted in any > content area > > Harrison County Middle School > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > sixth grade reading teacher > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Christine Halliday > Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 10:20 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [MOSAIC] overwhelmed > > Hi, > I'm a "nontraditional" teacher in my 5th year teaching 4th grade. Have > read > "Mosaic", "reading with meaning" and parts of Fountas & Pinell for 3-6. > Went to an inspiring in-service with Ellin Keene @ a week ago. Despite > all > that, I feel a bit overwhelmed and, consequently, at sea. Matching state > & > district requirements to what I've found in the research seems impossible. > Am especially stumped by my district's requirements to do "Differentiated > Instruction":( i.e. homogeneous grouping) for 30-60 min a day. This goes > against everything I believe in: that we can all learn from each other. > Meanwhile, ELA and Special Ed students are being mainstreamed with no > back-up or extra personnel. > Does anyone else feel overwhelmed? Sometimes, I fall back on a routine > simply because I don't know what else to do. Thanks for letting me > vent! I > want to teach my students in teh best way possible, and some days I don't > know what that is! > Chris/4/PA > > _________________________________________________________________ > Play Flexicon: the crossword game that feeds your brain. PLAY now for > FREE. > http://zone.msn.com/en/flexicon/default.htm?icid=flexicon_hmtagline > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > -- Kimberlee Hannan Department Chair Sequoia Middle School Fresno, CA _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
