Wednesday 24 November 2010

How We Read (Again)

I continue to torture my students by insisting on questions and resisting answers (as if I had many).  The latest sticking point: "Anecdote of the Jar".  Determined not to occupy the one-with-the-answers position, I said nothing at all about the poem before dictating it a line at a time, pausing after each line so students could annotate their reading.  This resulted in much doodling, much "I don't get this" and "I hate this."  That was Monday morning.  By this morning, Wednesday, I'd resolved to continue saying nothing, although I was rather impatient with those kinds of responses and in fact did scold the class, for about 10 seconds, about their own readerly impatience.  Then I read the poem aloud, handed out some blank paper, and asked them to draw the poem.

I've spent the last hour scanning 14 of these into a powerpoint thing to show them on Friday.  Not sure what I'll do after that.  Any suggestions?

3 comments:

Bernadette said...

Oh, man, you make me glad I had Dr. Shami for my English 100 prof!

That said, I'm so glad you're doing what you're doing, Gerry. And I think the images will prove to be a useful entry into a discussion of imagery and symbolism.

And, do we get to see the rest of the pics?

Brenda Schmidt said...

Then put a jar upon a Hill. You should be able to balance a wide mouth mason on that noggin of yours.

Gerald Hill said...

Thanks you two, I think. Brenda I was running around Luther today looking for a jar. Couldn't find one. How about bringing one with you.