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Ms. Libby created student groups to begin work on the lit circle genre posters. She encouraged the exploration of genres by providing a variety of texts to spark curiosity and recognize patterns in literature. Students created flexible spaces to engage in thoughtful study of structure and purpose. This instructional strategy also benefited all group members by providing accessible information from collaboratively produced visual designs.

Ms. Libby provided ample warning to conclude group work to review the calendar. She employed truth and humor to reestablish the instructional focus and class attention. Ms. Libby then created the expectation and necessity of establishing roles supporting the literature circle outcome(s). She emphasized the coming job assignments through a detailed explanation of tasks and the importance of active involvement and team support.

After Ms. Libby revealed the main idea, she instructed the groups to reconvene. I was witness to the power of thoughtful grouping and its importance in fostering a love of reading and literature.

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Mr. Petersen led a lesson on analyzing imagery alongside figurative language, building on students’ prior understanding of ethos, pathos, and logos. He provided a clear overview connecting new ideas to familiar concepts, and he emphasized how imagery engages all the senses. Using August Wilson’s Fences as a foundation, he guided students in exploring how imagery reveals emotional reactions, inner conflict, and Troy’s motivations.

The lesson encouraged students to identify and contextualize imagery, examine its emotional impact, connect it to themes, and consider tone and mood. Mr. Petersen then brought the material to life by acting out a scene, shutting a window dramatically to illustrate how imagery creates indirect characterization. Mr. Petersen's energetic and clear approach, combined with strong classroom management and a collaborative classroom culture, created a space where students actively engaged with complex literary ideas.

From Mr. Petersen’s lesson, I learned the value of connecting new concepts to students’ prior knowledge to make complex ideas more accessible. His use of Fences and a dramatic demonstration (I loved the window-slam moment) brought imagery to life, and made the analysis engaging and memorable.

I was also inspired by his use of a student’s writing to showcase how tying ideas together strengthens an argument. This approach easily reinforced key points but also encouraged confidence and collaboration. His infectiously energetic teaching created an environment where students actively engaged with challenging material.

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Ms. Libby’s class demonstrated a strong culture of collaboration and mutual respect. Students worked enthusiastically in literature circles to create detailed genre posters, focusing on four elements organized in quadrants: definition, themes, representative books, and character examples.

The students' high level of engagement and organization showed a clear understanding of routines and expectations, which enabled them to transition seamlessly between collaborative tasks and the choral reading of task instructions. These practices, which were clearly established very effectively earlier in the trimester, reflect Ms. Libby’s intentional classroom management and instructional design.

Ms. Libby’s use of humor similarly established a sense of accountability in the classroom, as it created a supportive environment where students not only took responsibility for their own work but also actively supported their peers. The class exemplified a dynamic model of shared learning, with students having significant input and voice in their activities.

From my visit to Ms. Libby’s class, I gained valuable insights into establishing a culture of collaboration and mutual respect that I can bring into my own teaching practice. Particularly impactful strategies were the clear routines and expectations she established early in the trimester, which created created a well-organized and engaged learning environment where students were able to transition seamlessly between tasks and to participate confidently in collaborative activities

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Mr. Mosby knack for integrating real time technology into his instruction provided immediate engagement and active participation. Students also instantly experienced the brainstorm ideas of their peers, which promoted discussion and sharing. I definitely recognize how my classroom can benefit with the incorporation of real time practice as a strategy to develop culture and relationship building.

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