Book Trailers and Literature Circles

Book Trailers

“But technology is not the goal. Student writers and readers are at the center of our instruction. And we, as mindful teachers, must thoughtfully and deliberately prepare all of our students for success by critically exploring the new technological tools and then using the ones that can help us and our students to powerfully convey what we think and know” (Kajder, 2008, p.4).

Kadger (2008) makes an important point about not using technology for technologies sake, a concern I have about utilizing it in the classroom. Technology cannot be used as a substitute for good teaching. If the technology or the way the technology is used does not supplement the students learning then it has no place in the classroom. “Student writers and readers are at the center of our instruction,” and the technology is only an element of this overarching goal. When used probably, technology can be a valuable component, especially in this technological era when students need to be able what they “think and know” in increasingly complex and innovative ways.

Kajder, S. (2008). The book trailer: Engaging teens through technologies. Educational Leadership 65 (6), pp. 1-4.

Literature Circles

“In our own Chicago schools, teachers rarely use role sheets, but instead have kids capture their responses in reading response logs, on sticky notes (the favorite tool by far), on homemade bookmarks (great for nonfiction), by using text coding, in drawn and graphic responses or written conversation” (Daniels, 2006, p. 12-13)

Though Daniels (2006) decries the overuse of role sheets for literature circles, it might have been my inexperience but I still found that assigning students roles was a significant part of my success with them. Due to the low skill levels of my students I felt that the role sheets truly helped them focus on the skills that I wanted them to practice. The more free response avenues that Daniel’s seems to want to implement would have been to confusing for my students I think. In that way role sheets I think are least an important early phase implementation for literature circles. Perhaps early in the year in the first literature circles role sheets can be used to teach the students the skills. As students increase in skill level then “reading response logs, on sticky notes,” etc. would work well to continue challenging the students.

Daniels, H. (2006). What’s the next best thing with literature circles?. Voices from the Middle. 13 (4), pp. 10-15.