Student+Engagement

=Share your ideas for engaging your students in the classroom.=

John Haggerty

As a way of dipping my toe into the Wiki pool, I'm going to post a couple of the ideas that I shared in our Division Meeting on 12.09.09. These are strategies that can be used to engage a higher percentage of students in discussion of literature - but probably have application in other activities, as well:

1. The "Buzzsaw"

This is an activity intended to guarantee that every student in the class actively participates in analyzing a poem or short text. The organization requires that deskls be arranged in two (or more) rows facing each other. Initially, each student is responsible to analyze one line of poetry (or one paragraph of text, etc). Once that preliminary work is completed, each pair of students offers their individual insights to one another. Students ask questions, cl;arify, take notes. Then, everyone shifts one desk to the left (the students at the end of each row move around to the other side) and the process continues. By the time everyone has been paired with everyone else (assuming the tasks have been portioned out correctly), ​each student should have some detailed notes on each line (section) of text being studied.

Depending on the task, I can imagine applying time limits (that might add a dimension of "evergy") or concluding with a quiz (that might add accountability).

I'll be interested to see if anyone has ideas on how to refine or adapt this basis idea.

2. The "Mime"

This approach was inspired by Mary Stamler, who one day - having reached the point of frustration with my tendency to impose my interpretations on the class - suggested that I try to "shut up" for at least one day and let the students talk. Picking up on her challenger, I began the next class by explainming that after my intrioductory directions, I would not be saying another word until the bess rag. It would be the class' responsibility to discuss the day's topic without verbal intrusions from the teacher.

While I successfully kept my mouth shut, I found that it still __is__ possible to interact without speaking. My role that day was to "call" on students by pointing; to occasionally highligh key words or ideas on the blackboard (often drawing elaborate arrows from one idea to another); and to communicate enthusiasm or doubt about the insights being offered through non-verbals.

At least on this initial foray into silence, I found that a greater number of students did enter the discussion, and that their capacity to "make meaning" was (almost!) as good as if I was leading the discussion verbally.

An added benefit seemed to be that the "strangeness" of the experience made an impression on the group.

3. The "Jigsaw"

This would be an activity that might be used prior to reading a text:

Instead of beginning with the poem (or short text) itself, make a xerox copy and then cut up the text into sections. Give each student one line/section to read and consider. Then, challenge the group to reassemble the pieces of the text into the order in which it makes most sense.

The value of the activity is in getting them all involved right from the start of their study. It's literally a "deconstructive" approach to literary analysis.