It Works For Me

Using microthemes this past academic year was a plus for me and my students. Microtheme writings ranged from practice topics relevant to the GACE Content Test (teacher certification test) to responses to textbook & professional readings.



Initially (Fall Semester, 2010) the microtheme assignments were cumbersome for students, and I felt as if I was teaching 7th grade English rather than a reading methods course. As I got to know my students and fully understand their writing needs, I knew something about the microtheme topics were ineffective. Since I would have most of the students next semester (Spring 2011), I finished the Fall semester with more emphasis on peer reviews of impromptu writings.



This semester, microtheme writings are based solely on the discussions and readings of a professional book that all students are assigned. All writings are done in class and students receive up to 20 points for each writing ( 5 writings presented with no make-up writing if absent). Self-selected groups are assigned specific chapters of the professional book, and each group must facilitate discussions, design & administer an assessment of their chapter to their peers, grade assessment, and forward grades to me Furthermore students conduct peer-reviews, and I comment only if asked.



I will most likely use microthemes again, but the specifics will depend on the writing needs of the next group of teacher candidates. I think having a significant number of the same students for an academic year really helped.