Literature Blog #3

So, I'm a little overwhelmed at this point in the literature content block. There are so many terms to know, so many theories and strategies to remember and use. I just hope once I get into the classroom, it will all come back to my remembrance. I really never realized there was so much that went into teaching literature. When you were in elementary school, you don't realize what all your teacher had to take into account when he/she chose different activities to go along with different stories or books. I remember doing worksheet after worksheet in some reading classes, and then doing really fun and interesting things in other reading classes, too. One of the coolest things I remember doing was in my freshman English class. We were reading Romeo and Juliet at the time, and our teacher told us to take one scene from the play, form a group, and rewrite it as if it were from a different time and place. My group rewrote it to be in the ghetto. It was so funny, but we were learning all at the same time. We were really having to dissect what the meaning of each line meant. I hope I can incorporate that kind of creativity and and excitement into my classroom while still promoting learning. All of things we are learning are very interesting and have totally given me a different perspective on teaching literature. But on the other hand, it's made me a bit more nervous about it, too. I guess I will become more comfortable with all of this once I get into our practicum so I can see these things implemented in a real classroom.

Literature Block Post #2

I have really been enjoying the literature block so far. Even though it has required a lot more reading than last semester, it's all been very informative and interesting. My favorite part of the semester so far has definitely been the read alouds. I can't wait until I get to start using those in my practicum! They're not just for students. I know as a teacher, I'll enjoy them even more. Our interdisciplinary lesson plans are due this week, and I'm really nervous about having to create that. Even though I enjoy reading, it makes me nervous to think about being responsible for coming up with new and creative ideas to incorporate into things like read alouds. I guess there's no better time to learn and experiment. I hope I can become more confident with teaching in general. The closer I get to student teaching, the more nervous I become about the whole thing. It's not just a particular content area that scares me. It's the fact that I'll be responsible for teaching students all they're supposed to learn in a whole school year. Hopefully, I'll become more confident with each content block.