The book clubs were, as promised, definitely a nice break from our regular class session. It was very interesting to see the variety of different ways that different groups implemented the book club, especially given the variety of readings we had.
One thing I realized, both from leading my own book club and participating in the others, is that leading discussion really is tough. Some groups took a lot more proactive approach to really trying to get people to share ideas and helping the conversation along. Some groups really just let things go where they would and didn’t seem to mind. I’m not sure that either format is really “better.” It just depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you really want people to have some intellectual discussion about a particular reading, you’re going to guide the conversation more along those lines. On the other hand, if the goal is just to make sure everyone has a good time while talking about what they read, the conversation is going to be more free-wheeling.
A couple of other observations: one is that one of the toughest things in group discussion is getting everyone to really participate. There are always going to be some people who are more comfortable talking in this type of format (I’m usually one of them), and some people who aren’t. Even when the people who enjoy talking have good ideas, and in our group they usually did, it’s hard to say, “No, we don’t want to hear from you. We want somebody else to talk now.” Especially when no one else wants to talk. This didn’t happen per se in our group’s discussions, but some people definitely were more active participants than others. That’s all right, but you still want to have a balance, and getting there can be tough.
Last thought: I kept feeling at first during our book club group like things were getting derailed, or the discussion was going off on wild tangents, and we were “losing control.” At some point, though, I realized that people really were discussing interesting questions related to our reading, and things that we wanted to talk about, even if it wasn’t going the way I’d envisioned. One of the toughest things, I realized, about leading this type of discussion is you have to be willing to “lose control” to some degree and just let things go as they may!
I appreciate your thoughts on willingness to give up control. Conversations can be fruitful if not on topic. I think as a former teaching and recreational control freak, I automatically get stressed out when that happens, but it's good to remember that book clubs are not the time and place for that! It's an opportunity to let the mind wander.
ReplyDeleteI also like your perspective on sharing the floor. There is a tendency to "blame" people who over share (which I myself am actively guilty of), and as someone who regularly "Hermiones" class discussions, I have tried to be more aware of this. But if I leave a class disappointed that I didn't get to share my opinion, I have to reflect on who is ultimately responsible. I think there has to be a balance of Hermiones like myself ceding the floor, and others taking it.
I agree with you and Naomi about trying to balance sharing. Sometimes, it's just not possible or even fruitful to fully balance voices, especially in a volunteer setting. It's important to remember that some people don't want to participate, or they are getting what they need by simply listening. Participation isn't for everyone all the time. It is important, however, that dominating voices don't make others uncomfortable or make it impossible for others to have opinions.
ReplyDeleteAnother complicated question when it comes to people participating, I think, is how important it is to make sure everyone is talking. Some people may have a really good time listening to a book club discussion and thinking about it without volunteering their opinion too much. If the goal is just enjoyment, we don't necessarily have to force people to talk--but it's hard to say if people are just not naturally inclined to speak up, or if they are intimidated.
ReplyDeleteGreat point about lost control. As Naomi wrote, those of us who have been teachers are used to being the ones of ultimate control. But what's the fun of going to a library book club if the librarian is going to be the bossy one? :)
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