Providing options today...
Back in Term 1 my Y13 class and I had this EPIC day where we discussed and co-constructed text selection for the coming year. I'd chosen texts based off of what I thought would be suitable for a Y13 year with thematic connections and historical themes as well. However, they'd already tried reading the text the year previously and were not keen on the film.
That day we looked at film trailers and I took them over to the English department where I asked them to have a look through the texts that they were interested in. They came back with three texts: 'Animal Farm', 'The Book Thief' and 'Loves Me Not'.
When we got back to class - we talked more about these three texts and they began their reading from that point. Some continued reading several texts, some read and then stopped and started. Some finished. Some didn't.
Being Term 3 - with the knowledge that the texts needed to be read by now and that I wasn't sure whether they had or not (my problem - I should have been making them more accountable with their reading and shoulf have given them their novel study booklets back in term 1 and provided some sort of way to track their reading throughout the term... All learning and reflection!) I gave them the novel study booklets and very briefly went over the essay questions.
Last term they'd been wanting essay practice. I want them to be there - but without having read the text we can't do anything.
So today - I said, "If you haven't read the text yet - email me and tell me. I will send you a short story." I've since had two students own up and be accountable, emailed me and we now have a plan moving forward.
Awesome! Hopefully any others will still email me. And the majority will have finished/re-read the text by Week 3.
Week 5 exams!!! 😭❤️😂👐 So many emotions. We'll be sweet for film study essay. We'll have more time to do novel essays after the exams and prior to the externals.
If I can just have all my students feeling a LITTLE or a LOT more confident in their writing - then I've won. Therefore - we soldier on and finish close viewing.
A HUGE thank you Kim and Jaime from the Trident English Dept for their resources and benchmark exemplars, my incredible mate Pip at Mount Maunganui College for her ongoing support and to my incredible friend and colleague Tina Carlson from WHHS for the moderation during the holidays ❤️ #NgaMihi
#Y13 #evolutionandimagination #blogging #engchatnz
