Always Learning New Ways of Teaching

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As I write this post, I am reminded of a favorite introduction to a book.  The book is The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen, and the end sentences to the intro, titled "Tuning" is this:  If books could have more, give more, be more, show more, they would still need readers who bring to them sound and smell and light and all the rest that can’t be in books.

            The book needs you.

        You can download the entire passage from the link here.

       

         I've been facilitating several book groups over the recent weeks, and want to share one thing I've not done as formally until recently.  As luck, and planning needs required, I've ended up reading Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, two groups in a row, in different classes.  I enjoy the book for so many reasons, its fast but thoughtful pace, the strong voice in this scared young boy that gains in character as the book progresses, and Gary Paulsen's beautiful writing that is so useful to show off to budding writers.  

          Each of those ideas listed above could be a post, but today it's time to talk about

text to self, connections.  There are character traits we identify in Brian (the main character) that I ask the readers to keep track of as we read.  Often, our identification of traits depend upon our look at a main character's interactions with other characters, but this time readers must watch more carefully at only Brian's actions and thoughts. They list and give examples for determined, honest (doesn't lie to himself), persistent, resilient (a trait I suggested so they could know the word), intelligent, brave, courageous, grateful, thoughtful, and adventurous.  Although they give actions to show how he displays those traits, I also ask how having those traits help him survive, which furthers the importance of having them.  

          And in the continuing discussion, I've asked them to imagine how the traits, if they believed they had them, could apply to their own lives. We've had such rich conversations about this, how being brave or courageous could help when they had to do new things, or things they perceived as challenging.  And others shared that being thoughtful would help make friends, or even have friends.  There was more, and this next time, I will ask for a trait they believe they have, and how it helps them (or could help them) in their lives.  Brian is a great role model.  The students are fascinated that he could survive this hard time, and can figure out so much.  We also have discussed that survival pushes ourselves in different ways, and how we are surviving our lives, just not in desperate ways, so need these traits too.  By the way, both groups were mixed genders and the girls have been just as interested in the conversations as the boys.

         I really have never dug this deeply in this particular way. Perhaps it has been the thought-filled readers that have led me down this special path, I'm not sure.  But I'm very glad it happened. I would love to know if you have encouraged this kind of conversation, and with what books?