The Heart of Literature is Conversation

Abstract

After a year of participating in a professional literacy community, I have learned that the true heart of literature is conversation and that discussion of children’s literature is just as important for teachers as it is for our students. I have rediscovered the joy of sharing rich literature; reading with colleagues and getting excited about “jewels” in children’s literature. These discoveries have informed my Professional Development workshops and I will continue to look for new ways to respond to literature in the classroom. I would like to pass on to teachers comprehension strategies that lend themselves to opening the kind of rich discussion that supports concepts of tolerance, diversity and acceptance of all. It is the perceptions, the responses, and personal connections that we make with texts as well as our conversations with others that really bring stories to life. And that helps us all to connect to the human experiences we share in life.

Keywords

• literature response
• professional development
• teaching