Mrs. Winters knows that her students are competent with reading and discussing what they’ve read, at and beyond the literal level. The Contender by Robert Lipsyte, a contemporary novel at or below the students’ independent reading level, will be assigned as homework in manageable portions, and discussed in Socratic Seminars in class.

Mrs. Winters is in the process of shifting the responsibility for asking questions and discussing literature to her students. Notice how she fades from prominence during the lesson.

Below are the links to Mrs. Winters’ lesson. For a complete view, follow the series in order by using the Next or Previous buttons to navigate through the lesson. It may be beneficial to print the observation checklist included with the Resources before you begin and complete it while viewing the lesson.