Andy:
I taught my lessons on a fairly new school of literary thought—reader-response. I decided to teach the facets of this theory because it focuses so wholly on the reader’s interpretation of the text. This gives a lot of flexibility to the essay writer, so it is appealing to those who want an essay that is based in their own ideas rather than one with a set of rules for proper critical interpretation. Many high school students would like to have more freedom when writing papers, so reader-response provides this. The fact that reader-response is so focused on personal conception of the text speaks to the egocentric nature of adolescence, so students will apply this theory more easily than they would other criticisms. I tried to make my videos concise while touching upon the main points, with the white board to help with note taking, lesson pacing, and visual learning connections.
Colette:
As adolescents develop cognitively, they become capable of multiple thinking, which involves recognizing that more than one point of view may be valid in a given situation. Their ability to understand metaphors also improves. When I applied feminist literary criticism to Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, I discussed the various ways in which critics have interpreted the ending of the novel, encouraging students to form their own conclusions about Edna’s (the protagonist’s) fate, and consequently, to engage in multiple thinking. I also examined what Edna’s descent into the sea at the end of the novel might have represented, in order to encourage students to interpret the event more figuratively than literally, as a metaphor for Edna’s failure to rebel against societal norms. These exercises would place students at the analysis stage of Bloom’s taxonomy; considering the morality of Edna’s decision would bump them up to the evaluation stage.
More generally speaking, I tapped on the white board and moved around frequently during my presentation, in order to involve more than one sense in the learning process. I also wrote key terms and information on the white board, in bright, vibrant colors, because adolescents are more likely to remember information that is attention-grabbing and well-organized.
Jenna:
I wanted to cover Marxist criticism in a manner that wouldn't intimidate beginners. So, I decided to utilize the white board in order to present my subject matter visually, with key vocabulary words, in addition to the aural component. I also hoped to touch on the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically synthesis, with the notion that addressing foreign political systems would allow the student to relate the material to their personal schema. Literary criticisms is not only a method of analyzing literature. I hope through this process, students can analyze their own values and preconceptions as well.
Sean:
I tried to appeal to multiple intelligences in my lesson. I utilized both graphical and textual visual references, and then engaged spatial intelligences by moving the words around on the white board. This helps to hold the viewer’s attention, and ensures a more universal model of teaching. I also tried to consciously target the viewer’s working memory by repeating key terms and using careful pacing. Finally, in my application of the literary approach, I applied pragmatism in my choice of Lord of the Flies. The text promotes metaphoric critical thinking in the context of the real-life themes of morality and society.
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I taught my lessons on a fairly new school of literary thought—reader-response. I decided to teach the facets of this theory because it focuses so wholly on the reader’s interpretation of the text. This gives a lot of flexibility to the essay writer, so it is appealing to those who want an essay that is based in their own ideas rather than one with a set of rules for proper critical interpretation. Many high school students would like to have more freedom when writing papers, so reader-response provides this. The fact that reader-response is so focused on personal conception of the text speaks to the egocentric nature of adolescence, so students will apply this theory more easily than they would other criticisms. I tried to make my videos concise while touching upon the main points, with the white board to help with note taking, lesson pacing, and visual learning connections.
Colette:
As adolescents develop cognitively, they become capable of multiple thinking, which involves recognizing that more than one point of view may be valid in a given situation. Their ability to understand metaphors also improves. When I applied feminist literary criticism to Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, I discussed the various ways in which critics have interpreted the ending of the novel, encouraging students to form their own conclusions about Edna’s (the protagonist’s) fate, and consequently, to engage in multiple thinking. I also examined what Edna’s descent into the sea at the end of the novel might have represented, in order to encourage students to interpret the event more figuratively than literally, as a metaphor for Edna’s failure to rebel against societal norms. These exercises would place students at the analysis stage of Bloom’s taxonomy; considering the morality of Edna’s decision would bump them up to the evaluation stage.
More generally speaking, I tapped on the white board and moved around frequently during my presentation, in order to involve more than one sense in the learning process. I also wrote key terms and information on the white board, in bright, vibrant colors, because adolescents are more likely to remember information that is attention-grabbing and well-organized.
Jenna:
I wanted to cover Marxist criticism in a manner that wouldn't intimidate beginners. So, I decided to utilize the white board in order to present my subject matter visually, with key vocabulary words, in addition to the aural component. I also hoped to touch on the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically synthesis, with the notion that addressing foreign political systems would allow the student to relate the material to their personal schema. Literary criticisms is not only a method of analyzing literature. I hope through this process, students can analyze their own values and preconceptions as well.
Sean:
I tried to appeal to multiple intelligences in my lesson. I utilized both graphical and textual visual references, and then engaged spatial intelligences by moving the words around on the white board. This helps to hold the viewer’s attention, and ensures a more universal model of teaching. I also tried to consciously target the viewer’s working memory by repeating key terms and using careful pacing. Finally, in my application of the literary approach, I applied pragmatism in my choice of Lord of the Flies. The text promotes metaphoric critical thinking in the context of the real-life themes of morality and society.
If you want to know more about us, make a suggestion, ask a question or any combination of the three, fill out our contact form below! Specify if you'd like to direct your letter to a specific member of the site.
We love hearing from you!
