Reflecting on experiences I have had in my educational career, some of the most powerful are connected to literature and the impact these stories have on our lives is noticeable years after the book has been put back on the shelf. I know first hand the influence a book can have, therefore being able to bring in some meaningful literature into my classroom is a goal of mine.
In planning for my practicum, this is a focal point and I have begun to slowly introduce the idea of the significance literature can have to my students. Specifically, this week I engaged my students in a short story and introduced the idea of literature circles, which I will be continuing each week until my long practicum begins. The concept of laying the foundation for the tasks and scaffolding the roles for my students allows them to have the skills and routines in place before they engage in stories individually. Therefore (hopefully) when the students pick the novels they will delve into, they will not have to think about routines and get to get lost in the words on the page. So I suppose the point I am trying to make here is about the significance of routine for information retainment.
As with anything you introduce into your classroom, the students need to be in a place to be able to soak in the concepts, skills, or idea. However, if they’re not in the right mindset, anything you present to them, even if it is presented in the most articulate way possible, will be diminished. The students need to be in the correct mindset and a reliable structure or practiced routine aids the students in getting to that open mindset in your classroom. If they’re comfortable and know what the expectations or procedure is, then they can focus on the content and not the routine. Therefore, I am introducing those structure and routine now so when we apply the context of the novels we will be studying in a few months, then the students can work towards taking in the meaning of the words, the themes of the book, and the enjoyment one can feel in connection to a truly wonderful literary experience.