Collaborating Constructively With Lit. Circles

Lit. Circles, I have to admit it they are not so much fun to do. I know everyone else would rather slouch on the couch and watch  T.V. But it is part of our education, and (for Alex) a big concept on our grade. But since we made 'The Twist" Lit circles are now not half bad!Working with people is great, well at least for me it is. The greatest thing about it, (for me) is getting to hear other peoples opinions and ideas, I always like a having a wide range of creativity in whatever I am working on. It can lead to many benefits, challenges,(good or bad) and finally new understanding, about the project and the person.


We probably all or saying inside our heads, that we absolutely love Lit. Circles now, and I know why most of us do. Half the work! Instead of doing everything doubled, with a partner its only one. So this is definitely a benefit for me. But there is more, with a partner you get more feed back, and more feedback means a better Lit. Circle, and a better Lit. Circle obviously means a better grade. So again this is a huge benefit. And the last partner benefit, comes from him or herself, and it is help. Like I said your partner can help you with peer editing, but thats not the only way. Lets say you don't understand a part in the book that you and your partner are reading Well all you have to do is ask them, and I'm sure they'll have the answer. Or maybe you really cant  think of a question, or the one you have isn't good enough? You can look it over with your partner, because two heads are better than one! But then again I can not promise you the road for working together will be smooth you'll definitely have some challenges along the way.


Everybody will come to a day where they don't agree with someone. It's happens to everyone all the time, especially in groups. Lets say you had just finished writing your response to your question, and your partner wants to change it up a little, you don't like it so you change it back and so on. I always try to avoid these things and try to come to an agreement so the whole group is happy. Not so one is fighting with another. Besides I know  that when I grow up I might have to work with people I absolutely hate! So I would take the time now to learn how to cooperate with others well. So that in the future it is not so bad.


Finally and I think the best and most important thing you gain from collaborative Lit. Circles is, not only as I said before how if you do not understand something you can go back and discuss it with her/him. There is just one more way of understanding the novel. And that is from your partners opinions. For example your partner has just finished reading their passage, connection, question and response. You not only have gained understanding from the information on what they wrote. You have also gained understanding from their opinions. With this, you can uncover more "secrets" about the book and about your partner. So I think this is the best way to understand to novel.


So all in all, I think Collaborating Constructively With Lit. Circles is the best way to go!

Lit Circle Blogpost

  

     Every week we have a literature circle due, (lit. circle) and every when that lit. circle is due, we have a discussion with a group who as well reading and doing the assignment on the same book. But for the first time we are told to write a blog post to reflect upon the discussion, and this is what I am writing to you now.

     The book I am currently is Called The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, and it is the most challenging book out of the four. Personally I think it is challenging, the vocabulary is much more advanced than the one I normally use so having a discussion was very helpful to helping me comprehend the book a little better. When we are having the disscusion, and hearing everyone's ideas and opinions, helps me recap and understand bits I didn't in the book, this is why I think discussions are important, you will always hear "different sides to a story" when having a discussion, and there is never any right or wrong.

     Which brings me to my next topic, familiarities in the discussions. For example, my latest discussion between my group (and my first) was only based on two chapters and the introduction, so obviously we had many passages, and questions alike. And this I think is bad. The reasons to support this state are simple, I think having the same opinions are bad mainly because this shows that either the book has no meaning and no value, or the readers are just not paying attention or putting ant effort into their discussions about the book. But besides these negative statements, I enjoy discussions with book club members because of the predictions and estimate we debate on.

    After every discussion my group and I discuss and like I said, debate on what the following events are going to contain. This I think is the most enjoyable part of Lit. Circle because it is interesting to hear other peoples ideas, interpret them and then possibly make your own prediction about the novel.


     All in all I must admit that the discussions in Lit. circle are fun. I hope that this idea of teaching and learning is appreciated and is used for many more years to come.