Class Discussions. The Glue Between Reading, Writing, and Understanding

Class Discussions The Glue Between Reading, Writing, and Understanding

Ti m Foley tfoley@d125.org Speci al Thanks: Joe Fl anagan and Thomas McCann ( Tal ki ng i n Cl ass: Usi ng Di scussi on t o Enhance Teachi ng and Lear ni ng) My col l eagues at St evenson Hi gh School

CCSS

Why NOT? I t s di f f i cul t t o l et t he st udent s dr i ve. I t s t r i cky t o get ever yone i nvol ved. I t s bor i ng t o l i st en t o. I don t know how t o scor e i t or gi ve f eedback t o st udent s.

WHY? Gener at e Meani ng Test - Fi t I deas Pr act i ce Ar gument at i on Soci al i ze wi t h Ot her s GOAL: Make t hese l ess epochal event s, and embed t he ski l l s i nt o t he r egul ar wor k of t he cl ass.

SCORING 4: HOME RUN ( You r eal l y get it.) 3: TRI PLE ( You get i t. ) 2: ON BASE ( You don t qui t e get i t yet.) 1: STRI KEOUT ( You r eal l y don t get i t. )

BUILD ON, CHALLENGE, CLARIFY

Scenario-Based or Text-Based Scenario-Based Have a tendency to be more lively Can be used to generate criteria and expand background knowledge/ contexts. Can be used anywhere. I usually do these at the beginning or if I hit a slump in the middle of a book. Text-Based Can seem awkward if there are pauses as students look up evidence. Can be used to generate ideas students can use in their own writing. Work best at strategic points-- usually the end.

Any Questions?

1: Scenar i o-based: Thomas Kinsella: A Case Study

WHY HAVE THIS DISCUSSION? To gener at e and t est f i t i deas about r esponsi bi l i t y, adol escence ( common exper i ences and uni que ones), and over comi ng obst acl es. Hel p st udent s devel op a concept ual f r amewor k si mi l ar t o t he one t hey ar e goi ng t o be r eadi ng about i n Cat cher i n t he Rye.

Preparation for the Discussion: 2 Periods + Overnight Read t he scenar i o/ evi dence i n cl ass. Read t he suppor t i ng document s ( t hi s coul d be el i mi nat ed/ made opt i onal --NF r eadi ng was hel pi ng addr ess a di f f er ent t ar get. ) St udent s shoul d di scuss t he speci f i c evi dence t hat woul d suppor t / r ef ut e each posi t i on. I assi gn t he gr oups t he day of t he di scussi on and col l ect t he st udent s packet s af t er t hei r di scussi on.

Group 5: Taylor, Allison K., Nick, Hunter, Sasha I s Thomas exper i ence t ypi cal of t eenager s, or i s hi s a uni que one?

Group 1: Journi, Braeden, Abby, Amy, Ana, Anton What i s Thomas s pr obl em? How woul d we descr i be i t?

Group 2: Elizabeth, Camden, Jack, Jenna, Ashraye I s i t possi bl e f or Thomas t o successf ul l y r emedy hi s own si t uat i on? I f so, how? I f not, what assi st ance or suppor t wi l l he r equi r e?

Group 4: Tony, Claire, Jakayla, Jay, Allison Z. I s Thomas wor t h savi ng? Shoul d t he communi t y i nvest i n hi s r ecover y/ r ehabi l i t at i on?

Group 3: Jacob, Eugene, Robert, Joshua, Melanie Who i s t he most r esponsi bl e f or Thomas cur r ent si t uat i on?

2: Text -Based Initial: WHO OR WHAT IS TO BLAME? For H olden leaving Pencey Prep?

WHY HAVE THIS DISCUSSION? Al l ow st udent s t o demonst r at e under st andi ng of t he t ext. Al l ow st udent s t o demonst r at e t hei r abi l i t y t o ci t e evi dence. Al l ow st udent s t o pr act i ce ar gument at i on. Al l ow st udent s t o check t hei r under st andi ngs of t he novel agai nst t hei r under st andi ng of t he scenar i o.

Preparation for the Discussion: ½ Period + Overnight St udent s compl et e t he gr aphi c or gani zer wi t h t hei r evi dence ( at t hei r t abl es of 4). The next day, st udent s ar e pl aced i n f r esh di scussi on gr oups. Col l ect t hei r not es af t er t hey have had a chance t o di scuss.

HOLDEN S FAMILY IS TO BLAME Sasha, Ashraye, Jay, Amy, Robert, Allison K., Camden, Tony, Journi

THE STUDENTS ARE TO BLAME Allison Z., Ana T., Josh, Nick, Jack, Claire, Braeden, Jacob

THE SCHOOL IS TO BLAME Anton, Melanie, Hunter, Jenna, Jakayla, Abby, Eugene, Taylor, Elizabeth

3: Text-Based Final What is Holden s problem? How should he fix it? Eugene, Elizabeth, Camden, Sasha, Jenna, Hunter, Jack

WHY HAVE THIS DISCUSSION? St udent s sol i di f y t hei r under st andi ng of t he t ext. St udent s pr epar e f or t he f i nal r eadi ng/ wr i t i ng assessment. I wi l l f r om t i me t o t i me r equi r e t hem t o r ef er ence a st udent s st at ement i n a wr i t t en r esponse. Pr obabl y a l i t t l e t i r ed of l i t er ar y anal ysi s act i vi t i es. Ti me f or a sub? ( The pr ep par t. )

Preparation for the Discussion: ½ Period + Overnight St udent s compl et e t he gr aphi c or gani zer wi t h t hei r evi dence ( at t hei r t abl es of 4). The next day, st udent s ar e pl aced i n f r esh di scussi on gr oups. Col l ect t hei r not es af t er t hey have had a chance t o di scuss.

Is Holden a phony or not? How do you know? Nick, Amy, Jakayla, Allison K., Robert, Taylor

What does Holden really want? How do you know? Ashraye, Joshua, Jacob, Anton, Tony, Abby

Is the ending of the novel optimistic or pessimistic? Journi, Melanie, Ana, Allison Z., Braeden, Jay

What do the kids not in the center do? Gr eat Quest i on ( gul p)

It s not perfect, but...

Other Options St udent s t ap- i n, t ap- out Socr at i c Ci r cl es St udent s not e t he qual i t y of t he di scussi on St udent s r at e a par t ner St udent s r espond on paper t o 2-3 peer s. St udent s scor e t hemsel ves at t abl es ( r ecor ded?)

Procedure: Prep Di vi de t he st udent s i nt o gr oups of 5 or so. Det er mi ne t hat number of di scussi on t opi cs, as wel l as t he t i me. 10 Mi nut es or so wor ks wel l f or me/ 2 mi n. each. Al l ow st udent s t i me t o pr epar e ( r ough dr af t t hi nki ng) usi ng t he gr aphi c or gani zer. They shoul d not pr epar e wi t h t he same st udent s t hat ar e i n t hei r di scussi on gr oup. Set up t he onl i ne di scussi on/ s. Wr i t e st udent names/ gr oups on t he r ubr i cs

Procedure: During Ar r ange desks i n t he cent er of t he r oom- -home base. Di spl ay ALL t he gr oup r ost er s. Have t he f i r st gr oup move t o t he cent er. Set t he t i mer. Tel l t hem how many mi nut es t hey have. Al so show t he onl i ne pr ompt. Ar r ange scor e sheet s on your desk so t hat t hey r ef l ect t he same or der as t he way t he st udent s ar e seat ed i n t he cent er. Sel ect a st udent and di r ect t hem t o begi n t he di scussi on. Scor e t he di scussi ons.

Scoring (same for live and online) Par t i ci pat i on: t he r i ght. Hash mar k of f t o t he l ef t, speci f i c not es on Respondi ng: I use a B/ CH/ CL t o i ndi cat e what i t i s. Gener al l y, t he t op t wo go t oget her --par t i ci pat i on and r espondi ng. Evi dence: I wr i t e t he page number t hey say. I f i t s par aphr asi ng, I put a P. Pr epar at i on: sheet s. Add t hi s l at er af t er you ve col l ect ed t hei r

Procedure: After Once t he t i mer r i ngs, col l ect t hei r pr ep sheet s. Gi ve t hem a bl ank r ubr i c and ask t hem t o r ef l ect on t hei r own par t i ci pat i on f or t omor r ow. Swi t ch out t he gr oups. Remi nd ever yone t o be par t i ci pat i ng onl i ne. DON T FORGET TO GI VE THE STUDENTS THEI R FEEDBACK

General Notes St udent s shoul d be t al ki ng t o each ot her at t he t abl e, not t o you ( of t en, I l ook down at t hei r scor e sheet s and listen.) Ther e may be l ul l s i n t he conver sat i on. I t r y t o r esi st t he ur ge t o pr ompt t hem unl ess i t s wi t h a who haven t we hear d f r om? Someone usual l y al ways j umps i n. Rar el y wi l l I speak up. Usual l y, i t s because a st udent i s r epeat i ng/ monopol i zi ng, or i f I can t hear.

Thank you! Any Questions?