Researcher's Chair Notes ~ Thanks Rebecca

Monday, July 2
Renee’s Researcher’s Chair: Part I

I. Background on Project Presented
A. Renee directs the group to the questions on her blog, passes around the handouts for her writing circles, and gives some background on writing circles
B. Renee describes a discussion from her inquiry group and directs the group to the Sunday, July 1st post on her blog: revising the wording of her question—points us to the “streamlined” word

II. Critical Thinking Discussion
A. Natalie: Discussion is the epitome of critical thinking
a. Jason C.: Agrees the discussion is important because it allows for the questioning of the ideas of others
B. Renee recounts looking up the definition of critical thinking—can be a critical thinker without talking about it
a. Stacey: role sheet helps, but it doesn’t become critical until you have to justify it
b. Natalie: You need to defend your idea to make it critical thinking
c. Stacey: When annotating a text a student is alone—can do critical thinking alone, but not all students achieve this without direction
d. Jason C: suggests extending the definition of “discussion” as verbal—could be someone reading a text
e. Jason M.: Clarifies that you need to have someone else read the annotation to make it critical thinking

III. Discussion and Social Setting Discussion
A. Renee points out her assumption that discussion is important to critical thinking
a. Jason M.: What is your goal when you put those kids in that circle?
b. Renee explains that she is trying to get them to get some feedback, create a social setting, but she recognizes that she is also working in reality where she is dealing with time constraints
i. Renee asks WHAT HAS GOTTA GIVE?
B. Jason M.: Are you trying to get the social aspect through writing circles?
a. Cindy: Body of work that deals with learning through talk that can’t be learned elsewhere
b. Jason M.: Are you really trying to find out if the social part is helping the kids?
c. Renee explains that it is important just so students don’t say that Language Arts is boring

IV. The Time Factor
A. Renee asks “How much time should be given to workshop?”
a. Stacey: Do you want to wean them off of the sheets?
b. Renee explains that the sheets should help so that after they’ve used them for awhile they can do it on their own
i. Renee mentions that some of her kids wanted to get rid of the roles
ii. That is the ultimate goal—having the kids be able to do all of the roles
c. [Editoral choice: at this point folks begin discussing the exact time periods they have used in their classrooms—to sum up: less is more]
d. Cindy: Tried to become Nancy Atwell after reading her work
i. What she tried to do was lit for half a semester and writing for half the semester
ii. Did writing workshop whenever they were working with a specific genre

V. Semantics/Goal Discussion
A. Natalie: Are you asking how you can streamline writing circles? What do you mean by “streamline”?
a. Stacey: I don’t think you can streamline the process based on own writing group experience
b. Renee explains why she started to question the word “streamline” and asks for feedback on the revision of “How should I structure writing circles to be efficient?”
i. Renee offers the explanation that she learned from her experience with literature circles—this provided structure and the roles really helped and she wanted to create that kind of effect in the writing classroom
B. Natalie: What is your goal? Is this time?
a. Renee explains that her goal is not so much time—everything that she has looked at is loose and appears that that looseness could be confusing
b. Stacey: 8th grade they are in a transition area and writing groups are a loose idea and they can’t be efficient until the group creates that dynamic
c. Cindy: What makes you think that they aren’t efficient right now?
d. Renee [accurately J] diagnoses that the group is stuck on the word efficient
C. Natalie: What is your picture of the ideal writing circle? Cites Renee’s earlier example of the student wanting to escape the limits of the role. Efficient means that they all know and do their role.
D. Cindy: I keep hearing you talking about the issue of time? Is this a product of your integrated teaching context? Is this really an attempt to figure out what is the optimal use of time?
E. Renee explains that she is doing this in the hope of helping other Language Arts teachers who won’t do this because it takes too much time

VI. Structure/Logistics Discussion
A. Stacey: Anytime that you offer kids this unstructured time—you are empowering kids. Those loose frameworks are the chance for teachable moments
a. Natalie: Providing the structure will get them to the point where they will function on their own
b. Renee agrees, but reiterates that the other part is to help other teachers incorporate this into their classroom
c. Jason C.: I completely abandoned peer review the first year I taught
I think you might mean productive instead of efficient.
B. Steph: there has to be some degree of ownership or motivation on their part to want to do a good job; sometimes kids are too worried about the process and not as invested in what to do; you can give them the tools to be independent; quality vs. quantity: how do you get the students to care—how do you instill this?
a. Natalie: with 8th graders simply corralling them and getting them all thinking on the same focus is an achievement; The roles are just the beginning—not the end; structure helps them get to that point
C. Cindy: someone like Jason C. would be your audience—how can you help me do this and help me become better writers
D. Stacey: Some kids will see the value of it; wonders about the difference between reading something ahead of time and something read on the fly
E. Steph: Do they have each others papers in advance?
a. Renee explains that would be a logistical nightmare—she has them read in class in lit circles
b. Jason C: Do you have them read aloud to each other?
c. Renee explains that they do author’s chair—some students liked it and others found it repetitive with their finals
d. Jason C.: That is the chance to hear the voice
e. Renee explains that they like sharing out loud and they are super proud