Teaching: Lesson 7

On class day 7, I'm dissatisfied with the course again. I was too timid to try another group activity, and my efforts to have the class see how tension works in sentences seemed quite blunt to me. My short lecture on Chinese culture went better, but was still, after all a lecture.

I want to plan another session that applies in-class writing exercises to have them understand passages, but I need to find more examples of how this is done well. I think I have to :

• Return to basic summarizing of the text -- make them bring these into class!
• Have them search for passages, sentences that touch on our themes (characters, relationships; sequences, tension, climax) 
• Write about the passage. Just say what they touch on. Just write!