For virtually every class I've taught, I've offered choice. Many times the choice of the first textbook is only between 2 or 3 and those are the "whole book" part of the coursework/classwork, often pertaining to grade levels, such as early childhood, primary, intermediate, middle school but including information it's truly important for every student to take from the given class. But for the 2nd (and beyond) books, I offer much more choice, perhaps as many as 20. Not only do the students get to dig in deeply to something they really need at that time, the jigsawing/sharing information elevates the whole classroom time.
When I teach math, there are fewer choices and common threads are available for the second book: problem-solving, communication, geometry, algebraic thinking, etc. For literacy classes, as well as Teaching Kindergarten and Teaching the Primary Grades, there are always so many components of the coursework, and so many differences among the students in education and experience, that I've found many choices work best. For instance, in balanced literacy, the obvious choices are shared reading, readers' workshop, writers' workshop, shared writing, etc. For a writing class, in addition to level (which is a good way to differentiate the main class text), there is setting up a writers workshop, mentor texts, craft lessons, minilessons, reluctant writers, writing conferences, etc. What the Next Best Step is for any teacher depends on what she has already explored and where she's at now. All this being said, I've very rarely taught classes that are requireds for graduate programs and require a common syllabus and a university-chosen textbook requirement. The other thing that's important for me to say is that very rarely have I had students let me down, but it has happened. The few students that have would include people who are in the class for someone else, not for themselves. A desire to learn is a natural trait, but some people seem to have suppressed that. That's when I personally intervene and try to "guide" that student more than the others. Let us know how your class comes out! Bev Probably the greatest compliment I've ever received on an evaluation was something like this: "Mrs. Paul teaches us just like she teaches kindergartners! She expects us to choose what we need to explore and supports us as we get better and better. I wish university teachers would stop teaching us as if we were all the same student. Mrs. Paul wants every one of us to grow and learn and help each other, just like kindergartners." The only caveat to this is probably how you schedule your classes. I usually have whole group time, lit circle time, and a time when grade level groupings get together. I can switch back and forth between those two or three groups at the end. On Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 12:25 PM, Mena <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks Lori...do you think this is true irregardless of age and class > size. This is the first time I am trying lit circles with my grad students. > The class is about 30 students..UGH! Any other advice is truly appreciated. > From, Mena > > > > Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel, Ph.D. > Florida Atlantic University > Dept. of Teaching and Learning > College of Education > 2912 College Ave. ES 214 > Davie, FL 33314 > Phone: 954-236-1070 > Fax: 954-236-1050 > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: EDWARD JACKSON <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tue, Jun 1, 2010 10:53 am > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Need text suggestions for Trends and Issues in > Reading ...draft list > > > > It has been my experience when working with lit circles that are organized > around central themes and relevant discussions that the instructor needs to > present books which support student choice without taking readers away from > those themes and discussions. Too much choice can also overwhelm. Perhaps > your > next logical task would be to do a preliminary sift and narrow your list to > 4-6 > titles that are most relevant to your course. > > Lori > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > > -- "There is nothing so unequal as equal treatment of unequals." Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes _______________________________________________ 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.
