In a recent post, I discussed the Ladder of Questioning method. Since then, I have presented a PowerPoint and short story “Marigolds” explaining this to my Pre-AP English 10 students.
Today during Writer’s Notebook time, each student developed sample questions for each level of questioning using John Keat’s poem “A Song About Myself” as a the source.
Now for the fun! Within each lit circle group, I appointed a discussion director to whom I extended an invitation through Google Docs to share and collaborate on a graphic organizer these three levels of questions.
Not a single moan and groan!
The heavy is now on the discussion director (who had to obtain each club member’s gmail) to quickly invite the other clubbers so that the whole group can go to work. The discussion director may either invite/share with me or email me this document when the group’s work is completed.
The assignment? Each club member is to add two questions to each level…and, of course, no question may be repeated. As soon as the student hits the “save” button, all the other club members will be able to view his/her question selections. Instantaneous interaction!
Yes, we now have online lit circles…at the convenience of each club member, just as long as each student inputs his/her questions by Monday morning!
I really, really (yes, to be redundant!) like this tool! Very much, I like this technology!
Tags: English 10 · Lit Circles · Online Technologies · google docs
This past weekend, I spent several hours working on an internship that will conclude my journey to obtain my hours in curriculum leadership. One of the requirements of this internship is to include “program artifacts” from all of my previous curriculum courses.
What a trip…both down memory lane (all those hours spent working for that “A”) and also over the super highway of technology…oh, the growth a few years can make! Okay, maybe I was not on the super highway several years ago, and I may not be there yet, but I have certainly taken a detour for the better!
These hours spent (and unfortunately the hours still to be spent) on this internship/portfolio has reawakened the desire to help my students create a portfolio, one that will reflect their own growth as writers and as users of technology.
Here is where I started this summer. Here is where I still am. For this to become a reality, I have to begin.
Dr. Helen Barrett, also a blogger, is the geru in this area. So here’s wishing: I would love to attend one of her workshops. Imagine having the time to just sit and absorb. That is what I call exciting: even if that does equate to my being a nerd!
So what is the holdup? Time. Just not enough time in a class period to do all that I would love to achieve. Maybe by the time I retire, I will have determined how to fit in everything. Maybe?
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