Blog Post #6: Final Project Brainstorm

It is like pulling teeth to get teenagers to read an actual book. They constantly ask me if there is a movie version that we can watch instead of reading. They fall asleep at their desks during a read-aloud. They don't remember the basic story elements of the text because, as they lovingly tell me, they "just don't care," even when I try to make the texts we read relevant, hip, cool, straightforward, or fun. 

But I'm their language arts teacher. My role is help them find the deeper meaning in stories. I am supposed to guide them to see themselves in the pages of a text. I'm meant to equip them a skill set that helps them critically analyze any text they read, evaluating it for significance, bias, or meaning. How can I do that if my kids will just not read?

In thinking about my final project, this is the question that puzzles me. It's a big question when put succinctly--how can I get my students to read? It feels as though stories told in the pages of a text have lost their significance in the world today. I'm quick to wag my finger and blame it on those "dang screens," but that leads me to my how. I can use those dang screens to get them invested in stories. I can leverage digital resources that immerse my students in the stories that they read. I don't want them to just read, either; I want them to experience the stories.

My "why" pertains to engaging my students in a meaningful way that helps them grow not just as learners in my classroom, but lifelong learners who are citizens of the world. When we jump into the texts we read together, I want them to experience the stories for every element they have to offer, and unearth the deeper meaning by immersing themselves fully in the world of the story.

I think that this in part reflects a need for texts that reflect our students' unique identities, or to which they feel drawn. When I think of the how, part of my process for immersing my students in whatever texts we read is giving them choice of text. This would be hard to enact in my current curricular context, as the text we read are prescribed and meticulously outline, but in a dream world, I would provide my students with a list of texts all pertaining to certain theme, idea, or standard, and allow them to choose the text to which they feel most drawn. They would all be provided common assessments that are amenable to the specific plots of each story, but I am always searching for opportunities for more student choice and agency.

But ultimately, the meaningful engagement with texts for which I am searching from my students requires be to find ways that expand their understanding of the story beyond the text--the "what." When I was pursuing my Advanced Google Educator certification, one instructional opportunity that was detailed was that of a virtual field trip with students by using Google Earth. Google Earth has a feature that allows users to create "projects," which are like itineraries that can take you from stop to stop. I wondered if this would be an effective way to immerse my students in a text, by having them visit the specific settings of a story.

Take, for example, Around the World in 80 Days, the famous novel by Jules Verne. That would be a rich opportunity for a teacher to take their students on a virtual field trip, wherein they visit the various stops on the story's itinerary and take note of what they see in those specific locations, such as terrain, architecture, or any other visual markers that may be relevant to the story.

I want my students to lose themselves in the plot of a story, and I believe I have some really rich digital platforms that will allow me to help my students really dig into the story elements of a text. So many themes in even ancient texts are of a pervasive nature and serve a really important purpose in today's world. I want to give my students access to those stories and themes, but help them engage with the text in a way that really speaks to them.