Literature Circles: Creating Independence in the Classroom

Kimberly McElhatten

I noticed in December that my team had developed a group of dependent students. I observed that students were neither able nor willing to take the risk to research answers to their questions; nor, did they realize they had the resources to do the appropriate research. Furthermore, I noted that students saw teachers as the sole keepers and deliverers of knowledge, not themselves or their peers. The students had become dependent upon us, the teachers, for knowledge and not themselves or their peers. We had created a team of students who had no independence in the classroom.

In conversation with a team member, we decided to create a unit that would help students become independent learners. Using group work and individual learning centers, we imagined that independence among the student population would grow. It did not. During the course of the unit, student continually looked to my mentor and I for the correct answers. When give research activities, students came to us, searching for the correct answers‑or at least the location of the answers.

There are two primary reasons why this unit did not succeed in helping our students become independent learners. The most basic is that the unit was not long enough for students to change a learned behavior. To help students learn that they can construct their own knowledge, they must have many weeks to explore this unique and new opportunity never afforded to them before. "Students bring with them a past history that leads them to believe that there is one right answer or interpretation and the teacher has it" (Short 214). Teachers must provide an opportunity for students to explore this new intellectual territory. The second reason this unit did not meet our goals is because we were unwilling to let our students struggle through the unit‑on their own. When students asked for assistance, we gave it. It would have strengthened our cause if we had given students the direction in which they were searching. Having this failure behind me, I continued to struggle with the question, "How can I create a classroom learning environment that will help students realize that they have the answers or the resources to find the answers.

As I began to research, I discovered one instructional method in which I could help foster independent thinking in my classroom; literature circles. As I began to put several theories together, I developed circles tailored around the needs and challenges of my students. My primary goal was to help my students think independently. I saw literature as a good place to start with my students, because each student brings her own experience to the novel, thus she creates her own understanding. However, before I could implement literature circles I had three primary questions I had to answer:

· What is my role in the literature circle classroom? How does this affect group dynamics?

Greatly influenced by the work of Regie Routman in her book Conversations, I took a, risk; I decided that my role was "a participant, a coach, an evaluator, a demonstrator, a clarifier, and a learner" (Routman 191). In order for my students to see and value not only their own interpretations, but also their peers, my presence needed to be non‑permanent. While students were learning to interact within a group, I would move from group to group taking notes on their interaction, but not speaking. Any interference other than that, such as rescuing a struggling circle, would cause them to see me as the keeper of knowledge. In addition, "students learn more by problem solving on their own". (191) If I provided answers on how to interact within the group, students would expect me to provide answers for discussion questions.

· What do I need to teach my students before they dive into circles?

In conversations with teachers and in several of my readings, I recognized that teachers need to help middle school students learn how to function within a group; therefore, I developed "The Ten Links to a Successful Literature Circle." The links include the following tenets. (Routman 170b)

1. Helping each other

2. Coming prepared

3. Using respectful language

4. Referring to the novel

5. Staying focuses

6. Piggybacking good ideas

7. Debating opinions

8. Asking questions

9. Comparing Opinions

10. Listening to each other

· What procedures can I implement that will remove me from the center of my students' attention?

In order that students would not ask me many questions, I developed an agenda that students had the option of using as a guide to discussion. This helped deter such questions as, "What do we do next?" In addition, students collected their own homework and handed it into me. At which time I gave new literature circle assignments to be distributed within the circle, as per the circle's discretion‑without my assistance.

Having answers these basic questions, I set out to help my students become independent thinkers and to answer these following questions by the end of the unit:

· Can my students learn to function independently within literature circles? Can they do this without my presence?

· Will self‑assessment make my students more reflective of their learning and behavior?

· Will literature circles help my students become independent thinkers?

Preparing the Way

Harvey Daniels, in his book Literature Circles, suggests designing a role or responsibility for each student. I adapted his roles to meet the needs of my unit as well as my middle school learners. The directions on each role were clear and each role required different responsibilities for each student. This idea of individual responsibility would bestow value on independent thinking.

Having established 'The Ten Links to a Successful Literature Circle, "I created a bulletin board to highlight them. It looked similar to a handout I gave to the students. In creating 'the handout and the bulletin board, the philosophy of the literature circles was made visual. Each link connected to the next, emphasizing that everyone played an equal role. Last, I developed an assessment for the students around these ten links. I hoped that this would help students overtly focus on their behavior within their circles.

Students had the opportunity to choose their novels out of six choices. The choices included, Children of the River by Linda Crew, The Crossing by Gary Paulsen, Silver Days by Sonia Levitin, Slave Dancer by Paula Fox, Land of Hope by Joan Lowery Nixon, and Wildflower Girl by Marita Conlon‑McKenna. While the focus of these books is immigration, the main characters' offer a wide spectrum of interests for students. In addition, the books are of varying reading levels so that students could select appropriate titles for their needs and interests. Giving students' choice was important. This choice gave them ownership and investment in their learning.

The First Meeting

As I sat with each circle, I noticed students struggling to make conversation. I observed rigid conversation patterns, and overwhelming I observed students unsure of their own interpretations of the texts. In addition, when I sat within a circle the students turned and looked at me. Conversation stopped. Students stared blankly at me. Regie Routman suggests in Conversations that students must struggle through the first circles to eventually understand what authentic conversation is like (191). Believing in her and observing my own students' behavior, I decided to remove myself from all literature circles for several‑ meetings. I would observe and only intervene if I saw a group that was not using respectful language.

Each class picked different links to focus on for each meeting. Again, by offering students a choice, they had ownership of their literature circles. As I watched my students, I observed students asking each other, "Am I piggybacking ok?" or "Maybe we should refer to the book?" At the end of class, I asked students to assess themselves on their links to success. Their assessments reflected honesty and a willingness to improve. Students who rated themselves poorly in one area generally knew how and why they did poorly. In addition, they devised plans to help improve at the next meeting.

The first circle was awkward for many students; they did not know what to do. I watched students struggle to generate interesting and authentic discussions; yet, I did not interfere with these problems. Once students gained confidence in their own knowledge, authentic conversations would follow. I was sure through this struggle my students would become more independent, as well as confident learners.

The Last Circle

By the last meeting, all by two of my 30 literature circles were fully engaged in interesting and authentic discussions. In addition, they were engaged in debates. The debates proved to me that students saw their own constructs of knowledge as valuable and significant! I sat with each of the circles on their last day. Students were uninterrupted by my arrival. Their attention was not drive to me. Conversation flowed on. Answers to questions were not directed to me. Neither were questions! In addition, if I posed a question the same behaviors were observed. Students responded as though I was a member of the circle, no longer the sole keeper and deliverer of knowledge. By the seventh week of literature circles, students saw their own knowledge as valuable.

This is not to say every student or circle was successful. There were two groups that made little progress. It should be noted that these two groups were my only two groups made of all boys. In addition, students who behaviorally could not focus on discussion prevented circles from being successful. There are areas of further inquiry.

Conclusions

· Can my students learn to function independently within literature circles? Can they do this without my presence?

Yes. Evidence comes from the progress my students made from the first to the last meeting. Observations demonstrated that students became increasingly less dependent upon teacher generated knowledge and increasingly comfortable with their self-generated or student‑generated knowledge.

· Will self‑assessment make students more reflective of their learning and behavior?

Yes. Students became aware of how they functioned within their group. Students often asked each other if they were focusing on "The Ten Links to a Successful Literature Circle." Students called me to their group when they successfully piggybacked or referred to the novel. Students began to take pride in their success.

· Will literature circles help students become independent thinkers?

Yes. Students became independent thinkers within their literature circles. They no longer looked to me for answers. Moreover, no longer were my answers more valuable than theirs. In one circle, I asked a question and posed an answer. The group discussed the question as well as my answer‑eventually disagreeing with me! This was not a behavior observed prior to implementing literature circles. Last, students began to refer to their resources (the text) for answers‑another behavior previously unobserved. These new behaviors, prove that students valued their own knowledge and were willing to use their resources (the text) to support and share their views.

Future Recommendations

Starting the school year with literature circles would help transition students into this new intellectual territory of student choice, voice, and independence in the classroom. There are a few adaptations I would make. Instead of having small groups, I will have one large circle for the first text. In this way I hope that I can better model "The Ten Links to a Successful Literature Circle." After the first text, students who are ready to conduct a literature circle without teacher guidance will be free to form independent circles. Those who are behaviorally unprepared will remain with me until they are prepared. Students who were extremely talkative and unfocused disrupted successful literature circles. I hope to help these students prepare for discussion in a circle so that other students do not become frustrated with them. In addition, I noticed some of my students preferred not to participate in literature circles. This perhaps could be because they do not enjoy group work. Perhaps a teacher‑facilitated circle would better serve their needs.

As a conclusion, literature circles helped increase independent thinking with my students; however they are only a start. Within circles, my students are independent, but outside of them they are not. Circles provided me with one way to help my students become independent constructors of knowledge. I now must continue my research to find additional ways to help my students realize that I am not the sole keeper and deliver of knowledge. I must find additional ways to help my students discover that they have the answers and the resources to find them.

Bibliography

Daniels, Harvey. Literature Circle: Voice and Choice in the Student‑Centered Classroom. Stenhouse Publishers, 1994.

Moffett, James. Student‑Centered Language Arts, K‑ 12. Boynton/Cook Publishers, 1992.

Routman, Regie. Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating. Heinemann: New Hampshire, 2000.

Short, Kathy, Jerome Harste, and Carolyn Burke. Creating Classrooms for Authors and Inquirers. Heinemann: New Hampshire, 1996.