I have being trying to help students connect the literature to their personal lives all semester. I just think this is more fun! My hope was to help them see that understanding other peoples’ journeys can help us understand our own experiences. In my last blog post, I was excited about a multi-faceted way to address compelling and engaging and relatable LatinX literature as means to introduce both the thematic and analytical foundations for the text.
We have looked at two different pivot points in each text: the interaction of dreams and decisions. When do people make decisions to pursue their dreams? What obstacles prevent people from staying consistent with those decisions? How does a person’s environment influence a person’s ability to make good decisions?
In the final project, students are putting together a dreams and decisions portfolio. They are including a personal creative writing component, an analytical mini-writing, an analytical essay about theme or characterization and a personal essay about dreams and decision making. The hope in this final portfolio is to show how they investigate these ideas with both creative and analytical tools.
Finally, the students will follow and compare the perspectives about human nature through the different texts. They will hopefully be able to investigate each author’s perspectives on human nature and then come to their own conclusions about how decisions and dreams connect in all of our lives?
My remaining questions are:
My remaining questions are:
- How do I help draw out the synthesis and comparative analysis pathways between the texts?
- What better ways can I include opportunities to link themselves to the protagonists’ journies?
- What would be some good extension reading options for my most engaged readers?