The Literature Workshop: Teaching Texts and Their Readers

by Sheridan Blau

In this groundbreaking book, Sheridan Blau introduces the literature workshop as the most effective approach to solving many of the classic instructional problems that perplex beginning and veteran teachers of literature. Through lively re-creations of actual workshops that he regularly conducts for students and teachers, Blau invites his readers to become active participants in workshops on such topics

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Research, Academic, Textbooks

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2003

Reviews

[Nina Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blau is amazing! He gives great theory discussion and classroom applications.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, stylistically I was turned off. I get that Blau is an academic and thus speaks and writes like one, but it doesn't necessarily make for a motivating read.

As far as to the purposes of the class I read this for, I'm not planning on teaching undergrads. While he talked about high school students, he seemed mostly to focus on advanced students in the discussions. I KNOW it can be applied to younger/less-experienced kids, but it was still rough.

But then he'd throw in these gems, these "Of course!" bits of knowledge. He has amazing advice. He knows exactly what he's talking about, and why is nobody in Education (hi, reformers) listening to people like him?

Truly the hardest part was the dry voice. The rest was pretty good. The last chapter was amazing. Made up for everything.

There's so much from this book that I plan to use in my classroom.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheridan Blau takes his readers through ways of approaching conversations about literature in the classroom (some even transcripts of actual classroom discussions). Touches on the origins of interpretation and how to deal with conflicting interpretations, "intellectual authority," meaningful writing about literature, metacognition in reading, and about all - encourages and enables students to take risks in the literature they read.

[J. Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book on teaching literature I've ever read (it doesn't have a lot of competition, but still). Blau writes with an ethos of expertise and yet a strong sense of vulnerability. His practical notes are excellent, and the deeper philosophies behind his teaching ideas are downright admirable. Everyone who teaches English or who hopes to should read this book.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight and a level-headed approach makes this one of the better "education" books I have read. I can't imagine not revisiting it in the future.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ouch. My brain hurts. I loved this book and have used it all semester to help students build confidence in forming their own analysis of literature.

[Alan Gerstle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book may be off putting; luckily it's made of pudding. It deserves a better title because I think it's the best book on how to conduct a classroom full of students so that they get more engaged with literature. I read this book about Part of the process is to get them more engaged with themselves. I read this book 15 years ago, then decided to go back to see whether I still thought it was as good. It is, although students care less about literature than ever and teachers teach literature even more poorly than they used to.

It isn't easy to apply many of the ideas because few students in conventional classrooms care about literature. Maybe it's partially the teachers' faults. Sheridan Blau doesn't provide grades in response to his students' writings. Rather, he makes observations, suggestions, and raises questions. He also tries to be friends with his students. I'd recommend that you find a copy of the book, and if you do teach a literature class, try experimenting with the exercises. It's generally known that what motivates students the most in a classroom is fear: fear that you'll look like a moron by responding in a way that doesn't follow the party line. The greatest fear, though, is that the student will get a bad grade. Not that this book will effect change, but the last line of 'The Sun Also Rises' provides a helpful attitude to adopt when you accept that fact.

I had a professor that lectured at a conference of English teachers, and advocated that all the teachers throw away their textbooks. Someone in the audience got up and asked, "If we get rid of textbooks, what are we going to replace them with?" The response was as follows: "That's like saying if we get rid of cancer, what are we going to replace it with." I had some cool college professors.

[Troy Zaher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt my favorite book on pedagogical theory. There isn’t a single chapter in this that I didn’t feel like I took some powerful piece of knowledge from. If you’re an educator of Literature, this book (or those that reference it) is an absolute must read imo. It truly helped so much in forming my values as an educator of English, and about this field in general. Regardless of what career choices I end up making, this book was an excellent read for me.

Read for my Master’s class: Teaching of Literature

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible advice and insight on how to teach literature and reading in a creative, intentional, and open way.

Blau advocates for considering different interpretations, working through literature questions to arrive at a solution (instead of arguing blindly for one such solution), and teaching how to read instead of what is read. Blau gives many examples of workshops she’s done to help people make sense of texts and figure out why stories are important.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for class, summer 2017


I really enjoyed all of the activities and content included in this book.

[Jen H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars for the dry, academic writing. Four plus for the content. Blau speaks wisdom for literature teachers like me.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pairs nicely with Pirie's Reshaping High School English. I need more of this kind of book.

[Mr. Emanuelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A guiding light for teaching and appreciating literature.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

p.46 To move ahead in the wrong direction is not progress. But to move backward in order to correct your course is.
p.75 Textual evidence itself is subject to interpretation.
p.142-3 I want to assert, in fact, that rereading is the most powerful strategy available to all readers for helping themselves read more profitably, especially when they are reading texts.

The work contains a treasure trove of lessons which can be implemented into the classroom. Poems are the focus of the text. Explication lessons, metacognitive read alouds, student journals, and wrestling with a poem are some of the ideas which are presented in depth within the text. The breadth of the poems within the collection is impressive, it is a list which could be delivered to many grades levels effectively.

While there are interesting strategies for dealing with a difficult passage and introducing megacognitive skills, the bulk of the teaching ideas within the work show their age. Many of the ideas for classroom discourse have already changed since the publication.

[Jonathan Brammer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, Ok. Most of the books I'm reading right now are for grad school, of limited interest to anyone who isn't an English teacher. This one, however, is a wider scope because Blau talks a lot about his the undergraduate literature courses he teaches, uses examples of specific poems and the discussion surrounding them, and seems generally more erudite than the average high school English teacher. He seems a little out of touch with the realities of the high school English classroom.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the ideas in this book; however, this takes a more theoretical--instead of practical--approach. Blau advocates for students taking the lead in their learning and teachers supporting and extending students' learning.

I'd recommend this book if you are looking for ideas of how to teach poetry.

[Sirpa Grierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was skeptical that this would not differ from the Elementary through middle school model called the literature circles approach, but after sitting through Sheridan Blau's session at NCTE I was hooked. It speaks to the work we do in secondary and college level English classrooms. An excellent book for discussing how we can read, retread, and use discussion to dig deeply into a text.

[Luke Hawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you teach Lit, you need to read this book. Blau's ideas about what ought to be learned in a Lit class are refreshing and, at the same time, common sense. I can't rate the pedagogy of this book high enough.

[Burke Scarbrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it for the third time this year, and it remains about as level-headed an approach to reading and teaching literature as I've ever read.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides realistic approaches to teaching literature to secondary students by dispelling some of the initial intimidation.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book every English teacher needs to read!

[Karinna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice from a wonderful teacher!