#ela

Facilitate a Socratic seminar for 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Preparation: 1. Students read a specific section and prepare responses to open-ended questions (e.g., 'How does Harper Lee define courage?'). 2. Arrange classroom in a circle. Seminar Structure: 1. Set norms: listen actively, build on others' ideas, cite textual evidence. 2. Pose opening question. 3. Students lead discussion, teacher is a silent observer. 4. Inner/Outer Circle: half of students discuss for 15 mins while outer circle observes and takes notes on specific behaviors (e.g., use of evidence), then switch. 5. Closing: students reflect on the discussion and their understanding of the text. Assessment: based on participation quality, use of evidence, and listening skills, not quantity of talk.

Diversify an ELA curriculum with culturally responsive texts. Audit Current Curriculum: Analyze current book list for author diversity, character representation, and cultural perspectives. Goal: ensure texts serve as 'windows' (seeing into others' experiences) and 'mirrors' (reflecting students' own identities). Selection Criteria: 1. Authenticity: written by authors from the culture being represented. 2. Complexity: avoids stereotypes and presents nuanced characters. 3. Relevance: connects to students' lives and contemporary issues. Example additions: replace a classic with a contemporary work by a BIPOC author (e.g., 'The Hate U Give' by Angie Thomas, 'There There' by Tommy Orange). Pairings: pair a canonical text with a counter-narrative (e.g., 'The Great Gatsby' with 'Passing'). Involve students in the selection process.