Final Reflection

Due: 7 May 2006 at noon

The purpose of the final reflection is to give you the opportunity to use writing to reflect on your learning. Writing is "thinking on paper." You have been exposed to a number of ideas, concepts, and philosophies this semester. You have read many young adult books. You have participated in literature circles and other learning experiences that may be new to you. It is important to pause, to take time to think about the ways this course may have begun to influence your beliefs, values, and teaching/learning practices.

What are some of the characteristics of a quality reflection?
A good reflection:
· is honest.
· answers the questions or responds to the statements.
· contains examples and details to support opinions and thoughts.
· helps the person who wrote it understand him/herself better.
· informs the audience (teacher, classmates, self).
· shows that the person really thought about the question before writing down a response. In short, it shows thinking.
· comes from a personal perspective.
· is easily understood by the reader.

The final reflection has two parts.

A. Please respond to the question about your course goals. (5 points)

B. Then choose to write on two out of five of these questions. (10 points each).

Be specific in your responses. Share insights gained from literature circles and/or class discussions, projects, and presentations as well as your experiences outside of the classroom. Your complete final reflection should be no more than three pages in length.

Email your final to me as an attachment by May 7th at noon: storypower@theriver.com. I will read your work, comment and return it to you via email.

Required (for 5 points):

1. Review your course goals. Which did you achieve? Of those, which was the most significant to you and why? What are your plans to achieve the goals as yet unattained?

Choose two of these (for 10 points each):

2. Read and respond to one of the articles placed on the LRC 585 course eReserves. In addition to sharing your thoughts and questions related to the article, please include the answer to this question in your response: Why did you choose this article?

3. If you were teaching in a middle or high school that used the traditional ("dead white guys") literature canon as the reading component of the language arts program, what would be your rationale for changing the curriculum to include young adult literature? How would you gain support for this revolutionary proposal?

4. We have raised many social, political, and educational issues in this course. As you discuss the issue that has been most critical to you, include an example of young adult literature that typifies this issue.

5. As an author/teacher/librarian who recognizes the power of YA literature to educate, heal, open, and/or inspire the hearts and minds of young adults, how will what you have experienced in this class impact your future work?

6. Which LRC 585 learning experience was most meaningful to you and why? (Note: If you choose this question, your answer must be different from the most significant goal you achieved in the course.)

Note: If these questions don't "speak" to you, you're invited to ask and answer one of your own, plus one of these. Please email me your self-generated question BEFORE you write on the topic.