Tristan– Center for Lit?

It went well!  The way it works is you read the book before class and then participate in a 2 hour online discussion with Missy and Adam Andrews moderationg and leading the discussion and other students also participating.  You can answer verbally using a microphone or telephone (there is a raising your hand process so you let them know when you have a comment) or you can interact only with Missy and Adam through the chat box, and sometimes they will share your comments and questions from that with the class at large. 

Makayla enjoyed it and only used the chat box, she wasn’t sure she wanted to use the phone.  We have now received the 2 hour audio and transcript from the class too, so she can go back over it if she wants to listen again, etc. 

They run a school year class series in a few different options where this is the setup.  You read the book, then there is a 2 hour online discussion with a group.  Then you read the next book, etc.  Another option includes a writing component for each book and feedback from Adam or Missy.  They’re pricey for our budget for the year but something we’ll consider for one of her high school years most likely.  Not this year.  We will take advantage of the free summer classes between now and then!  It was a nice change of pace for Makayla. 

I also invested in their “Teaching the Classics” seminar this year at convention and it’s been helpful for me to begin these sorts of literary discussions on occasion, or to simply be better equipped to bring up a literary device or topic occasionally with examples with the kids.  It is one of those things we don’t plan to do all the time (a literary analysis discussion), but that as I have a child almost in high school I want to do more.  It has also given me wonderful ideas for narration prompts for Makayla as she is ready for more than a straightforward retelling of what she read.  This week, for example, she’s writing a comparison of two characters in a book she read. Will we have a full blown literary analysis of the book?  Nope.  When I plan to do one of those I let her know before she begins reading the book that I will be reading it too and we’re going to chat about it when we’re done.  Most of the time she’s just narrating, orally or in writing. 

Is that helpful?  Does it bring up any more questions?