Leading class discussion, which you will do in collaboration with a partner or a group, is worth 15% of your grade.
Partnered discussion-leading: once in the semester.
Discussion-leaders should cover the following ground, in whatever format they choose:
• Introduce the key ideas from one or more of the week’s texts. What worlds are being built? What was difficult? What was exciting? What moments and passages are most significant and memorable? In what forms is social justice being practised here?
• Bring in examples (from the readings themselves or from anywhere you like: life, the universe, the internet) that can help us explore what the readings mean. You can make a handout, use a Prezi or PowerPoint, or make a blog post with links.
• Ask questions to invite discussion. Your questions should be open-ended (not yes/no or one-word answers). They should not have obvious answers; good options are things that you are uncertain about yourself.
You should aim to run the class for approximately 30 minutes, though you are welcome to bring me into the discussion at any time and should consider me a resource for additional context or clarification (though I can’t promise to know the answer to all of your questions). Feel free to be creative: you don’t have to simply talk to the class! You might consider small-group discussion, writing exercises, role play, arts and crafts…
I expect discussion-leaders to collaborate, not simply divide class time into two unrelated discussions. Email me your plan for discussion-leading, including the examples you plan to use, at least 24 hours before class.
You can sign up to lead discussion at ELMS.
Group-led discussion: week 14.
In week 14, our discussion of Octavia’s Brood will be collaboratively organized and led by the class. In groups of 5, you will select which stories we read; your group will then be responsible for leading the discussion of the stories you chose. This discussion will account for 5% of your grade.
