Observation Dates: An Open Invitation

My English 12 students are beginning to read Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. If anyone would like to stop in and observe our Complex Fishbowl student-led discussions, please note the dates below. (This is the last sequence of student-led discussions for the year, apart from a very few in May.) 

We start each class-period with an assessment of some kind. These take anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes at the start of the class period, so if you want to observe the discussions, please try to arrive by 9 for the 1B class, by 11 for the 2A class, or by 2 for the 4B class. Barring any unforeseen events or special schedules, the available dates are below:

1B: 9-9:50 on 3/13, 3/17, 3/23, 3/25, 3/27, and 3/31.

2A: 11-12 on 3/16, 3/18, 3/24, 3/26, 3/30, and 4/1.

4B: 2-3:05 on 3/13, 3/17, 3/23, 3/25, 3/27, and 3/31.

Because State Music contest is happening on March 16th & 17th, we may have to revert to Simple Circle discussions on those days, so if you want to see how that format works, those are the likely days.

If you bring your device, I can share the students' prep-doc with you so you can see how they use it, as well as the chat function, during the discussion. 

In the 1B class, we're experimenting with gendered discussion groups, as this class has struggled with group-dynamic issues. The girls have also decided they want to try using TodaysMeet as a second (& public) back-channel; I will project it on the screen as they discuss the reading for the first couple sessions. If they like it, we'll stick with it; if they don't, we won't!

You don't have to stay for a full hour, though you are welcome to do so. I think it takes about 30-40 minutes to get a real feel for the format, but pop in or out whenever you need/want to. 

You don't have to know anything about the novel to get a sense of how discussions like these could work in your class or your discipline!

I have told the students we may have visitors, so don't be shy!