Perspectives on case study

Submitted by benslivnick on 29 September 2010 - 5:43pm

What
are the key lessons you learned from Hillary’s case?

The biggest take away from this case study reinforced the topic of a PD at my school: learning can't happen until motivation has been established. Students need to be invested in their learning in order to take responsibility for it. 
What are the most common
strategies for teaching literature in your classroom? 

The most common strategies I have for teaching literature are the most typical. I focus on the stories and the strategies. I have tried before to make the content more friendly to my students and their interests, but in the context of a 42 minute period, I fear that brining in something like Kanye West takes away from Harper Lee.
What are the benefits
and potential drawbacks of these strategies? 

Noted above.
As you begin to take on more
responsibility for instructional decisions in your career, what principles will
guide your decisions in teaching literature?
I know that I need to take responsibility for my decisions. Just as students can't learn if they're not invested, I know that I can't succeed to my fullest potential if I'm not taking ownership of my lessons. I have felt the crush of the pacing guide before, and I know that the pessimism that it induces effects my teaching. I know that these feelings also become excuses. It's not my fault I'm not succeding, I'll say, it's the cirriculum guide. I know I need to focus on my work and own it for it to be all that it can be.