Expect Unexpected Engagement When you try Hexagonal Thinking in ELA

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First Chapter Friday: Nancy Tandon Reads
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In this episode, I share my experiences doing international teacher collaborations and then give four general best practices for collaborations and five specific ideas for shared projects.

I’ll review these best practices and projects ideas in just a moment, but first, jump on over to my Facebook group Creative High School English and click to join, so you can find a partner to collaborate with in our wonderful online community!

Four Tips to Make a Collaboration Succeed

#1: Don’t be too ambitious! Pick a project and dive in. You don’t need a million specifics!

#2: Let students spend time getting to know each other before you start the main work. Match students and do letter or e-mails, record a class getting-to-know you video, etc.

#3: Build in several specific requirements that you can grade.

#4: Make time to reflect and process what you’ve all learned together at the end.

Five Ideas for your Collaboration

#1: Read a shared text and learn from each other as you process it.

#2: Share a showcase project like a poetry slam or play performance. If you don’t know what a showcase project is be sure to check out Episode 001: Using Showcase Projects to Engage Students.

#3: Do Online Portfolios and let students comment on drafts or final works.

#4: Create a Writing Unit relating to place. Let students share poetry, personal narrative, memoir, sensory detail writing, etc. relating to the place where they live with their collaborative partners.

#5: Let student partners create something together – a video, an anthology, a website, etc. Students present the final projects in their own classes and turn in a reflection on how they shared the work with their collaborative partners.

If you enjoyed this podcast, don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes! SO MANY great shows are coming for you and I don’t want you to miss a single chance to get great teaching ideas while you are doing the dishes, grocery shopping, running, or eating lunch in your classroom on a busy day.

Would you like to get creative teaching ideas sprinkled into your inbox all year long? I’ve put together a series of ten creative lessons for you that will be on its way the moment you put your e-mail in below.

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