11th Field Experience Blog, EGL 440 Samantha Summers
My Top Ten Experiences from this Semester
1. Socratic Seminars in Action
In an eleventh grade AP class, students participated in Socratic Seminars that promoted close analysis of Toni Morrison's Son of Solomon. The Socratic Seminar activity lasted for a week, and involved students working in groups. Each group would have the floor on a particular day, and would discuss several chapters from the novel. In the outside circle, students listened respectfully and intently. Each student in the outside circle was expected to choose a classmate within the inside circle to observe. Subsequently, the observers would record feedback that they had for this chosen classmate regarding the classmate's contributions to the conversation. Additionally, students in the outside circle could pull up an additional desk and join the inside circle if they had something to add to the conversation.
In an eleventh grade AP class, students participated in Socratic Seminars that promoted close analysis of Toni Morrison's Son of Solomon. The Socratic Seminar activity lasted for a week, and involved students working in groups. Each group would have the floor on a particular day, and would discuss several chapters from the novel. In the outside circle, students listened respectfully and intently. Each student in the outside circle was expected to choose a classmate within the inside circle to observe. Subsequently, the observers would record feedback that they had for this chosen classmate regarding the classmate's contributions to the conversation. Additionally, students in the outside circle could pull up an additional desk and join the inside circle if they had something to add to the conversation.
2. Song Showdown
A teacher had her students compare two versions of a song from The Great Gatsby film soundtrack, "Happy Together." She distributed lyric sheets and students were prompted to analyze the differences between the tone of the songs. Students were also expected to annotate their lyric sheets. This activity culminated in an enriching discussion focused on the differences between the two renditions of the same song and how the content of the lyrics relate to the story itself.
A teacher had her students compare two versions of a song from The Great Gatsby film soundtrack, "Happy Together." She distributed lyric sheets and students were prompted to analyze the differences between the tone of the songs. Students were also expected to annotate their lyric sheets. This activity culminated in an enriching discussion focused on the differences between the two renditions of the same song and how the content of the lyrics relate to the story itself.
3. Learning is Fun!
During a self-contained special education English class, a teacher expressed excitement that her students seemed to be really enjoying William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily." The students had been making predictions on their own regarding the direction of the story, and were voluntarily offering their opinions on the characters. Even after the class ended, the teacher was still talking excitedly about how her students were very engaged regarding this story. This made me so happy and excited too! Not only did I love seeing students expressing genuine enthusiasm toward a work of literature, but I also loved seeing a teacher feeling so elated that her students, who had seemed rather disengaged in previous lessons that I observed, were enjoying class-time.
During a self-contained special education English class, a teacher expressed excitement that her students seemed to be really enjoying William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily." The students had been making predictions on their own regarding the direction of the story, and were voluntarily offering their opinions on the characters. Even after the class ended, the teacher was still talking excitedly about how her students were very engaged regarding this story. This made me so happy and excited too! Not only did I love seeing students expressing genuine enthusiasm toward a work of literature, but I also loved seeing a teacher feeling so elated that her students, who had seemed rather disengaged in previous lessons that I observed, were enjoying class-time.
4. It's a Ten...or a One...
A teacher invited her students to rank the novels that they read throughout the year in her class. Students went up to the board and numbered the books based on how much they enjoyed them. In the end, Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried ended up winning first-place as most enjoyable book, while Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea was ranked as the least popular amongst the students. In response to this feedback, the teacher decided that she would replace Wide Sargasso Sea with a different novel next year. I loved that this ranking exercise allowed students to take authority and to make choices. I also loved that the teacher was responsive to this feedback and utilized the rankings as data. This was a great example of teaching as a reflective practitioner, as the teacher realized that she could refine her curriculum next year in order to, hopefully, make it more enjoyable.
A teacher invited her students to rank the novels that they read throughout the year in her class. Students went up to the board and numbered the books based on how much they enjoyed them. In the end, Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried ended up winning first-place as most enjoyable book, while Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea was ranked as the least popular amongst the students. In response to this feedback, the teacher decided that she would replace Wide Sargasso Sea with a different novel next year. I loved that this ranking exercise allowed students to take authority and to make choices. I also loved that the teacher was responsive to this feedback and utilized the rankings as data. This was a great example of teaching as a reflective practitioner, as the teacher realized that she could refine her curriculum next year in order to, hopefully, make it more enjoyable.
5. Catcher in the Rye...it kills me. No kidding.
During a unit on The Catcher in the Rye, students expressed that they were enjoying the book and were specifically amused by Holden's very conversational, accessible diction. This made me so happy to hear because I absolutely love The Catcher in the Rye! The teacher also seemed elated that the students were genuinely enjoying it.
During a unit on The Catcher in the Rye, students expressed that they were enjoying the book and were specifically amused by Holden's very conversational, accessible diction. This made me so happy to hear because I absolutely love The Catcher in the Rye! The teacher also seemed elated that the students were genuinely enjoying it.
6. Full-Time Students, Full-Time Bloggers
In one class, students utilized EduBlogs throughout the year to create detailed close readings of passages as well as to read and respond to their peers' posts. Students were also invited to bring in their personal opinions on these blogs, and were allowed to use some "textspeak" to make the conversations more accessible. However, students were still expected to adhere to conventions of analysis such as citing quotes. The teacher had informed me that he had, in previous years, had students write these types of responses in physical journals. However, he found that the blogging style was effective as well as more engaging. While I observed, students were clicking away attentively on their ChromeBooks. They seemed to really enjoy the blogging format of response as opposed to traditional, physical writing in a notebook.
In one class, students utilized EduBlogs throughout the year to create detailed close readings of passages as well as to read and respond to their peers' posts. Students were also invited to bring in their personal opinions on these blogs, and were allowed to use some "textspeak" to make the conversations more accessible. However, students were still expected to adhere to conventions of analysis such as citing quotes. The teacher had informed me that he had, in previous years, had students write these types of responses in physical journals. However, he found that the blogging style was effective as well as more engaging. While I observed, students were clicking away attentively on their ChromeBooks. They seemed to really enjoy the blogging format of response as opposed to traditional, physical writing in a notebook.
7. Is the American Dream Still Alive and Breathing?
During an introduction to a unit on The Great Gatsby, students engaged in a discussion regarding the concept of "The American Dream" and how this "dream" has changed over time. Students then focused on the attainability of this dream in today's world, and how it might be more difficult than ever to achieve an idealized version of living nowadays. This discussion was both salient to students' personal lives and relevant to the setting of Gatsby. Many students were excited to offer up economy-related examples that they were familiar with, such as the massive success of tech company Apple and the continuing horrors of child labor. This discussion bridged the gap between an "old" story like Gatsby and the modern world.
During an introduction to a unit on The Great Gatsby, students engaged in a discussion regarding the concept of "The American Dream" and how this "dream" has changed over time. Students then focused on the attainability of this dream in today's world, and how it might be more difficult than ever to achieve an idealized version of living nowadays. This discussion was both salient to students' personal lives and relevant to the setting of Gatsby. Many students were excited to offer up economy-related examples that they were familiar with, such as the massive success of tech company Apple and the continuing horrors of child labor. This discussion bridged the gap between an "old" story like Gatsby and the modern world.
8. The Bard Technique
During an in-class reading of Robert Frost's "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening," the teacher presented the text in several different ways. First, she read it aloud to the students. Then, she asked for a volunteer to read the poem aloud. Next, she went around the room and had each student read aloud a single line of the poem. After class, the teacher informed me that this is called the "bard technique" and that it can increase engagement and understanding by having students read a piece of text in a bunch of different ways. I was really grateful for being introduced to an innovative way of conducting in-class reading instead of the typical popcorn reading type of activity that I have typically witnessed.
During an in-class reading of Robert Frost's "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening," the teacher presented the text in several different ways. First, she read it aloud to the students. Then, she asked for a volunteer to read the poem aloud. Next, she went around the room and had each student read aloud a single line of the poem. After class, the teacher informed me that this is called the "bard technique" and that it can increase engagement and understanding by having students read a piece of text in a bunch of different ways. I was really grateful for being introduced to an innovative way of conducting in-class reading instead of the typical popcorn reading type of activity that I have typically witnessed.
9. Lessons in Adult-ing
A teacher spent a class period discussing college essay ideas with his eleventh grade students. I was so glad to see this teacher's genuine interest and concern in the lives and success of these students. The students were enthusiastic about this discussion, as it's topic related directly to an important aspect of their lives. This is something I definitely would want to discuss with my future students as well.
A teacher spent a class period discussing college essay ideas with his eleventh grade students. I was so glad to see this teacher's genuine interest and concern in the lives and success of these students. The students were enthusiastic about this discussion, as it's topic related directly to an important aspect of their lives. This is something I definitely would want to discuss with my future students as well.
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