The Learning to Teach Through Discussion: The Art of Turning the Soul

Description

This sequel to Sophie Haroutunian-Gordon’s acclaimed Turning the Soul: TeachingThrough Conversation in the High School presents a case study of two people learning to teach. It shows them engaging two groups of fourth grade students in discussion about the meaning of texts—what the author calls “interpretive discussion. The two groups differ with respect to race, geographical location, and affluence. As the novice teachers learn to clarify their own questions about meaning, they become better listeners and leaders of the discussions. Eventually, they mix the students from the two classrooms, and the reader watches them converse about a text as the barriers of race and class seem to break down. In addition to the detailed analysis of the case study, Learning to Teach Through Discussion: The Art of Turning the Soul presents philosophical, literary, and psychological foundations of interpretive discussion and describes its three phases: preparation, leading, and reflection. A tightly argued work, the book will help readers learn to engage students of all ages in text interpretation. Contests Preface 1. Introduction to Interpretive Discussion 2. Finding a Shared Concern: The Project Begins 3. Finding a Shared Concern: The Project Continues 4. Mixing the Groups 5. Learning to Question 6. Learning to Lead Discussion 7. Implications for Educators Conclusion Appendix A: Discussant Participation Appendix B: Cluster of Questions for The Giving Tree Appendix C: Cluster of Questions for “Jean Labadie’s Big Black Dog” Notes Index