Students are sometimes asked to express reactions and feelings, sometimes to develop ideas and analysis, and sometimes to compose one or a series of questions. Mabanglo usually requires each student to prepare an individual response. However, because of her emphasis on creating a powerful learning classroom community, Mabanglo sometimes places students in pairs or groups and asks them to compose a joint journal entry reflecting their collaboration. Insights developed in journal responses often become the impetus for other written assignments students must complete. Formal Peer Responses Students write three essays about literature during the semester, each a minimum of seven pages in length.
Students bring completed essays to class.
Mabanglo then gives each essay to another student who must study it and compose a formal critical response of at least two type-written pages. Mabanglo instructs respondents to examine mechanics, but emphasizes that they analyze the essay s organization and ideas. She encourages respondents to make use of what they have learned from writing their own journals and essays and to engage the student essay with the same seriousness that they would a published work. Student responses are returned to the essay s author who, in turn, composes a written reaction to the response. Essay, student response and the essayist s reaction are then submitted to Mabanglo.