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Learning Trajectories

“I naively believed that I could – as a novice – produce the same results as Hutchinson.
I often found myself thinking, ‘Why can’t my tenth graders have discourse similar to Hutchinson’s seventh graders?’” - Travis Bristol

This page brings together reflections on the practice of orchestrating group discussions at different stages in teacher’s careers. It includes a retrospective account of Hutchinson’s development, in class reflections from students in Grossman’s class (including Venson and Bristol); and interviews with Bristol and Venson in their second and third years of teaching which include their thoughts on their own efforts to orchestrate group discussions and on what they learned in the process.

Hutchinson's (2001) reflections on Where I began / Where I begin
Travis and Emily participating in a discussion of Yvonne's website in Pam's class (2003)
Emily reflects on Pam's group discussions unit (2003) (video)
Travis’ reflections (video) following a class involving group discussions in his 2nd year of teaching.
Travis’ reflections (audio) on group discussions, what he learned from Yvonne, and his teaching overall at the end of his second year (2005).
Emily’s reflections (audio) on orchestrating group discussions following her literature circles unit in her third year (2007).

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