Four Major Strands of Work

Communication

Communication is always a great way to express literature with children it if is used in a great way.  The exposure that we had working in our literature circles was wonderful.  It was great to find tactics that would allow us to create a learning environment that enabled them to take away a great interest in literature by discussion.  I know that at the beginning of the semester most of the students were not as open as they were at the final days.  It became more than one word answers we were able to implore our reasons of why we like the book or not.  It became a joint effort to listen and communicate in order to understand in a great learning environment.  Communication is always two-way because the students had to be able to relay the information to share with everyone.  It also worked that way for me because I had to communicate with them in order to build their comprehension of the book.

Research

Research is always important especially when reading a book with such historical references.  Our book centered on the World War II era and it was important to set up the background of the book to build their comprehension of the book.  For our group it was important that we complete this research alongside them.  Therefore we did our own research and when the time came we were able to guide them to ensure they were on track. Even while researching our genres and literary elements it was a great way to think outside our normal realm.  I never thought much about fantasy books.  However I have to admit that I have altered what I once believed.  Research enabled me to learn more about a genre that I found boring. 

Technology

Technology is important because of the various forms it takes on and uses.  I have found technology to be useful in all the major strands of work.  I enjoyed using tripod but it felt difficult to maintain because of my accessibility of the internet.  However if it is available technology is beneficial.  I enjoyed working with the students because they have technology available to them with their laptops.  We were able to make use of that opportunity by engaging them involved on researching the era of the book.  They were able to look up information to engage discussion in a matter of minutes.  It was nice to be able to have a visual of certain vocabulary words in the novel. 

Collaboration

Collaborating is inevitable and a great skill to have.  It was important while working with our literature circles to collaborate and make sure we were on the same page to get across to the students.  Whenever we met to discuss the type of progress we were making with our students it allowed us to share ideas of what worked in our literature circles.  Seeing things in a greater perspective enabled us to make those connections with the students that would have taken longer to reach alone. 

Five Dimensions of Learning

Confidence and Independence

I feel that I have gained a large amount of confidence from working with the students.  I remember coming in and wondering how I would start.  I would often think if what I would say to the students would matter or if they would listen.  I also wondered if the students would learn anything from our literature circle.  I felt that it was important to share my positive face with the students in the literature and praise them for their participation. 

Knowledge Content

The amount of knowledge that I have gained this semester has beneficial.  I know more about the various genres and literary elements.  Every time that we had a presentation I felt that I took a lot more away from the presentations than I would have if I were just t o read about them.  I have sat in on a few book talks but this was a different tone because it was a younger crowd.  I enjoy the discussion and practice I was able to have while working with the students from Tibbetts.   I learned how to keep them interested and thinking about the book more than they thought they could.  Many of them were not too thrilled at the idea of a literature circle mainly because they did not know what it was.  However I feel that through this experience we have all gained an immense amount of knowledge.  Everything we have done this semester has proven to be worthwhile and useful.  The poetry performance I was very skeptical of but I had a lot of fun trying something different.  I completed storytelling in the third grade classroom that I was working in and it was sooooooooooo much fun.  I enjoyed becoming an animated character for the students to enjoy. 

Skills and Strategies

Strategies were difficult at times because what works one day may not work quite so well the next.  Therefore I became pretty good at finding what their interests were and working off of that.  I began to quickly realize their favorite activities and how I could incorporate those into our literature circle.  It definitely engaged the students to open up and talk more about the book.  We definitely made a lot of real life connections with the book.  I absolutely love the little sets of prompts that Francis gave us to work with the students.  They were useful and the students were able to answer

Use of Prior and Emerging Knowledge

All four strands definitely were embellished upon before this and it was great to be able to use tactics that I had before.  Communication has always been a great skill that I have and it has always been rather easy for me to talk.  I do a lot of grant work that requires working with students at the middle school and high school levels.  Therefore I felt that was a great start however it was geared towards a different direction.  I love to read books and that was definitely a great thing.  I was able to talk to the students about the types of books that I like and they were able to share with me what they were reading.  My research techniques were rather good because of the number of classes that require them.  It always helps because of the amount of research for the background of the novel we read for out literature circle called for it.  Not to mention the genre that we needed to research along with the literary elements.  I was able to generate conversations by creating ice breakers so that the students were comfortable sharing with me and others.  

Critical Reflection

I know that I have learned a lot from this semester because of the amount of juggling that I have had to do this semester.  I believe that a lot of it was the amount of sharing that was required of us.  I was glad to hear what everyone shared with the entire class on their websites and in class.  I look back at what I wrote in the first half of the semester and I make those connections because I was at a different place then.  However those reflections enable me to learn and grow because I am able to see what works.  I am definitely not a website person.  I have never maintained any type of page before taking one of Francis’ classes.  I have difficulties doing so because I do not relate to things in that form unless I have to.  However I was grateful to have the opportunity to learn how to make one and maintain it.  I had a wonderful experience working with the students in a literature circle and have learned each day with them.  I have learned the importance of building a portfolio to present and I strive to make sure that it reflects me in a positive way.  I thank Francis for being understanding in all situations whether it is personal and love her energy!  I believe that was the only way I was able to not miss a single class this semester because she kept in my mind the importance of being there for the students who look forward to our presence!