One change I want to make in my classroom next semester is doing more structured group work, so that my students can write more of their own work and teach each other through it, and also so that they can digest the literature they read more, instead of me spoon-feeding interpretations to them. I have wanted to do this ever since I wrote my English Methods paper on implementing interactive writing workshops in the classroom. My desire to make work-shopping (both reader's and writer's workshops) routine has only grown since Ron Seller's visit to my classroom, in which he urged me to push students to write every class period (as that alone was what separated the proficient high schools from the not proficient ones in Doug Reeve's 90-90-90 study). Since teaching students to write via lecturing has been found to be ineffective, I need to (a) enhance student-to-student teaching/learning procedures and (b) increase individualized feedback time (translation: independent practice), teacher-to-student. In order to reach (b), (a) must be the groundwork, so that in that time that I am individually consulting with students over their drafts, students have tasks to do - in other words, they can operate a learning environment without me controlling or overseeing it. I have high hopes for this, since from what little I have seen in my feeble attempts to implement more social learning last semester, giving ownership to students in their writing (and in anything they produce while in school) does seem to foster greater overall mastery, student interest, imaginative work and productivity. What a dream, huh!
Don't worry, I still have bearings in reality. This can indeed be a disaster if not approached carefully. I am considering making one day per week work-shopping day, in which group work is a set thing (and can be revoked if abused). That way, direct instruction can be balanced with days heavy in independent work. Or would it be better to combine these two elements everyday -- if I take this route, I think I will group desks in four-somes. Or maybe, to be a bit less ambitious come January, I could just partner desks together, then progress to bigger groups later. The only thing I fear are resistant students, who abhor having to work with others or who realize why I have grouped them with someone who is doing better than them. They get either insulted or conceited -- it can bring the worst out of them, as you might guess. I have been surprised, though, that sometimes, when students get to choose partners of their choice, they are far more productive than forced pairings. Oh! The marvels and wonders of working in a school. Any tips from fellow English teachers about how to build indicidual student-teacher conference time into the school day? I do want to do another writing project to go with the next novel we will be reading, The Giver.
Don't worry, I still have bearings in reality. This can indeed be a disaster if not approached carefully. I am considering making one day per week work-shopping day, in which group work is a set thing (and can be revoked if abused). That way, direct instruction can be balanced with days heavy in independent work. Or would it be better to combine these two elements everyday -- if I take this route, I think I will group desks in four-somes. Or maybe, to be a bit less ambitious come January, I could just partner desks together, then progress to bigger groups later. The only thing I fear are resistant students, who abhor having to work with others or who realize why I have grouped them with someone who is doing better than them. They get either insulted or conceited -- it can bring the worst out of them, as you might guess. I have been surprised, though, that sometimes, when students get to choose partners of their choice, they are far more productive than forced pairings. Oh! The marvels and wonders of working in a school. Any tips from fellow English teachers about how to build indicidual student-teacher conference time into the school day? I do want to do another writing project to go with the next novel we will be reading, The Giver.
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