"Table" Readings, Summary & Responses

During our course “journey,” you will “sit at” five different “tables”—each table focusing on a different and distinct perspective or set of questions pertaining to our overview study of contemporary curriculum. Another way to understand each “table” is that you and a small group of your classmates (up to 5) will “sit” together at a table, engage in readings (both a set of common readings and a reading that you alone complete), write and post a reading summary, and then respond to summaries posted by your table mates.

Description of Assignment

At the start of each “table,” you will make your way into a “table group.”  Once in a table group, you will note that 3-4 of your classmates have also joined you. With these classmates, you will ALL read a set of common readings. The common readings will address the table “theme” most comprehensively, thus, their selection for all to consider.

Next, you will select (from a list of additional readings), ONE “individual” reading. You alone will read your selected individual reading. Others in your table will select other readings from the individual readings list. Once you’ve selected an individual reading, be sure to post a message in your table discussion group (by using the "Table Reading Discussions" link in the left menu to choose which session you are in, then which Table you'll be sitting at) telling them the title of your individual reading (to avoid more than 1 person selecting the same reading!).

Having read all of your readings, you will write a reading summary. A reading summary is both a summary of each reading (common and individual) AND an opportunity for you to explore (in a personal way) the meaning of the readings to you and your “work.”

Your summary will include:

1. your understanding of the assigned readings including the central themes, questions, and conclusions
2. your effort to raise critical and/or self-reflective questions in response to the readings
3. your effort to make connections between the readings and current issues related to schooling, education, culture, media etc.
4. your effort to highlight problematic or unpersuasive elements of the readings in addition to the real world (or lack of) implications/applications within it.

NOTE: These summaries serve as an opportunity to not only demonstrate your engagement with ideas found within readings, but, most importantly, with your own thinking, beliefs, questions, etc.  I’m deeply interested in who you are, what you are thinking, the questions that grip you in authentic, even profound ways. Thus, please do NOT explore casual interests, but RATHER those that are most compelling to who you are as educator, researcher, community/family member, citizen et al.

Your summary should be substantive (demonstrating consistent engagement with common and individual readings); authentic (raising questions or making connections to issues that TRULY matter to you); and interesting (mindfully writing in such a way that “invites” comment (for instance, a “rant” is anything but inviting) … to be “interesting” is to relate ideas to one’s life, to experiences, to “real world” phenomena, to questions, etc.

What length should you aim for as you write your summary? Suggested length = 250-500 words. HOWEVER (and this is a B-I-G however), please do NOT allow this suggestion of length to in any way limit you! IF you need more words to complete your exploration of the readings, please do so. As well, please do not blather simply to meet the minimum words, to “impress” someone with your ability to write lengthy, summative, narrative. Yikes! Please free yourself from those kinds of limiting thoughts and obligations.

Finally, once you’ve completed your summary, post it to your table's discussion forum. Allowing some time to pass, you will next check back to find other group members’ summaries. Your task is to READ and to RESPOND to each group member’s summary. In your response, please raise questions, make connections to your own interpretation of ideas from the readings, share stories, etc.

 

You have successfully completed this assignment when you have:

1. Read the common readings.
2. Identified an individual reading and notified table members of your individual reading selection in your Table's discussion forum.
3. Read the individual reading.
4. Completed a reading summary AND uploaded it.
5. Responded to ALL of your table members’ summaries.