Working in our literature circles we were able to interact with text and individuals were able to share perspectives that had not even crossed my mind. I think this would be beneficial for students to experience because it is often nerve-wracking for students to share their thoughts and opinions in front of a large group, especially when it is concerning thoughts and opinions. I think this encourages students to think beyond their own thoughts of a particular text and therefore engages students in a more meaningful interaction with a text.
In creating a teaching plan I was able to observe the endless possibilities that could be used within the four wall of my potential classroom. As a group we created a massive teaching plan that would probably take a whole semester to teach. Culling the ideas down to five, although challenging, allowed me to recognize the importance of incorporating truly meaningful responses and extensions to reading a particular text. As a group we placed a large amount of importance on preparing students for both texts, as well as extending and exploring particular scenes and topics found throughout both texts. I think these aspects are reflected throughout our teaching plan.
Creating a personal response log was highly valuable to me. In class we have been learning about our responsibility as teachers to motivate students to read and engage on a deeper level with a text. I often respond in paragraphs of text (much like I am doing now); however this assignment forced me (willingly) to commit to responding in a variety of ways. This allowed me to see the beneficial aspects to each method of responding as well as the potential pitfalls. I think actually engaging in these activities and discovering the benefits will positively transfer to my own classroom. Incorporating a variety of responses allowed me to connect with each type and therefore will allow me to encourage a student to respond a particular way based on their interests and where they are at in their own learning to read process.
I have always considered myself more of an aesthetic reader. I often find myself reading at a surface letter in order to escape into a fictional realm within my brain. Although I think there is a lot of value in this type of reading, I think that I got to this point as a result of engaging with texts on a deeper, more meaningful level. My love of reading was developed on a foundation of personally and critically responding to texts. I attribute this to teachers who themselves were passionate about reading and often looked at a text from a student’s perspective in order to find ways to envelope a student into a love of reading.
My own reading process relates to reading instruction because I too had to go through the process of connecting with a text on a level that I am not used to. Even in university English classes you are often told what to look for and how to respond. This assignment allowed me to see the benefits in providing students with choice of how they wish to explore a text. I think as teachers we have to remember to make the text connect with the student rather than think that the text should connect with the student because it connects with us. I found myself stuck at the “reading” stage of the reading process. Although it was hard for me to get past once I did this I was able to see the wide variety of benefits. I think this will be relatable to students who have a hard time extending beyond the reading process. I hope to be a ELA teachers who encourages students to truly find meaning in texts as well as to encourage students to connect on a deep level in order to enjoy and engage in this wonderful thing we call reading.