Reactions to Chapter 4

"everyone together is smarter than anyone alone" when engaging in "the purposeful work of negotiating and creating truth". Richardson, page 57.

As a new teacher, collaboration with my team members is essential for two reasons. One, I do not know all the skills, strategies, tools, routines, etc. that are efficient and effective when teaching middle school aged students. I benefit from collaborating with colleagues because the unknown becomes known. Second, if I expect my students to collaborate with their peers, I must be willing to do so myself.

Students, especially in a discussion-centered Language Arts class, benefit from hearing and reading the insights, thoughts, and opinions of his or her classmates. I can incorporate wikis in my classroom through a variety of activities- writing projects (research articles and editorial writing), notes-from-class, and book reports. These activties that incorporate wikis can be collaborative- students working in small groups- or individual.

The only way for wikis to work in the classroom is if students have accountability. Teachers must make sure they set guidelines, procedures, and rules. For example, when assigning the project, also set a date of when the contribution must be made. Set a minimum length for each student's contribution. Participation of students must be tracked, or else, some students will not contribute, leaving other students to do all the work.

Interesting edit to the serenity prayer on page 69.