My undergraduates are in the beginning phases of their student teaching experience. They will be in the classroom for at least ten weeks. Many of them are meeting new students and attempting to build community within the classroom. Building community is something that must be done throughout the semester or year. A first-day lesson can set the foundation by opening up conversation about literature and students. To model this kind of lesson in methods, we usually read an excerpt from The Things They Carried and have students share meaningful objects with the class. This lesson is typically successful because it fosters conversation about literature which we then relate to the lives of students. Thanks to Lynn Masterson at Texas State University who taught me this! Here is what we do: 1. Read excerpt from The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. I’ve included a quote from that excerpt: The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives,heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy,cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits,Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water. Together, these items weighed between 15 and 20 pounds, depending upon a man's habits or rate of metabolism. Henry Dobbins, who was a big man, carried extra rations; he was especially fond of canned peaches in heavy syrup over pound cake. 2. Ask students: What do you think of what we just read? What does it say about the connection between what we carry and what is meaningful to us? What would you carry? 3. Ask students to choose three things from their pocket, bag, or backpack that represent something about them. 4. Organize students in pairs and ask them to tell each other about the three things. The person talking should explain the object and what it represents about them. The person listening should take notes and be ready to share with the entire class. 5. The presenter should practice to make sure that they are appropriately describing the relationship between the object and the person. 6. Once the pairs are done sharing, students share with the entire class. To be clear, one pair talks about the other pair and specifically highlights the relationship between the objects and the person. While they talk, I take notes to help me remember something about the student. It’s a great way to build relationships from the start. Feel free to use this idea in your classroom.
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AuthorProfessor in English Education at UNC Greensboro Archives
June 2016
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