Synthesis #2

One of the tools we have used throughout the year int he classroom is open discussion. This is very important because it not only stimulates new thoughts, but also forces communication int he classroom as well as introducing us to a plethora of new or revisited ideas. I really enjoy the discussions because it allows us to come up with theories on the text and explore the meaning as a class and on a personal level. It is also intresting because oftentimes, what one person gets from a text is very different from the next, and can tell us a lot about a person based on their comprehension and perceived meaning of a text. With each different book, we are forced to consider new, different dynamics than what we had to use for the last. This was particularly true with regards to Ceremony. This is because it was based on an entirely different set of symbols, language, and ideas. it is interesting the way we must change our comprehension of a book based on details like the era, location and background of the author. Everything adds its own dynamic to the equation.