ABSTRACT
Most of the time literature circles do work—honestly. Because they are based on the genuine and enduring literacy phenomenon called book clubs, they have an inherent integrity that usually helps them make the jump to classrooms successfully. This chapter focuses on all the things that can go wrong, the questions that teachers ask and the problems they share in workshops. The most prevalent problem that teachers face as they try to implement literature circles is patience. Literature circles are one of the most powerful structures for making heterogeneous grouping work and also one of the very best opportunities for kids who are different to really shine. When lit circles are working well, kids pick books—and work in discussion groups—that are roughly at their own level. Literature circles are designed to be essentially self-leveling, with kids picking books that seem both interesting and readable to them.
