Chapter 5

Talking - great idea. I enjoy that this chapter assigns value to conversing. As an educator, this is a tool that we can utilize to jumpstart any other form of production. For instance, we may have a discussion on current events that springboards us into a journal entry that challenges students to consider their own constitutional rights. We may use reader response to inspire students that may not have enjoyed an ending or introduction to a short story to rewrite that particular portion.

Dimensions of Talk:
These ideas can help steer us into lesson plans. What is the CC or goal of the lesson? Once there is a clear goal or project in mind, I may then incorporate a specific dimension from the list on page 47 to help create a constructive environment for conversation.

Setting the Stage:
This is something I am very curious about. Clearly, the book is referring to how well students know one another and how comfortable they are expressing themselves. However, I think there is value to all of the other components of comfort. I have often wondered how the floorplan, size, or lighting in a classroom can affect the comfort level of students. Can we all sit in a circle, on the floor, with low lighting? Can we sit on top of our desks in bright lighting to stimulate conversation in a "laid back" approach to comfort? I may consider this topic for a future article analysis, or just for fun.

The Bottom Line:
How can I use my own conversational thoughts and experiences to motivate (or perhaps manipulate, or even trick) students into producing quality work on their own behalf? This text provide numerous tools and techniques that I believe to be valuable. However, I believe that nothing holds more value than my own desire to extract any possible work out of my students. Theoretically, a positive attitude and excitement are both contagious diseases. I would like to create an impact on my students by demonstrating zeal in anything that we do as a class. Utopian classroom? Yes. Decent concept that can be implemented into a real life classroom by toning it down and formatted into a realistic lesson plan? Yes.