For the bulk of trimester two, sixth graders read The Giverby Lois Lowry. Often considered the first dystopian novel written for a young adult audience, The Giver provides an exciting but accessible text on which to practice our large group discussion skills. Students were taught explicit “talk moves” in order to share ideas and theories of their own, as well as build upon or disagree with the ideas and theories of others. For some students, speaking in front of the whole class provides a challenge in itself. For others, sharing the floor with other (potentially opposing!) ideas proved to be the real challenge. Students navigated our daily discussions with increased grace, awareness, and appreciation of each other’s perspectives.
– Rebecca MacKillop, sixth grade English teacher
