Literature circles, due to both their flexibility and subjective nature, vary in composition from teacher to teacher. This flexibility is also a weakness of literature circles. It is hard to measure the effectiveness of the circle. Standardization allows teachers, parents, principals and school boards to suggest changes to improve a literature circle.
Literature circles rise and fall by their group discussions. Most sixth grade students have never experienced small groups. This could distract teachers from the books since they may spend a lot of time promoting small group learning to both the students and their parents. Furthermore, many students are not able to handle some of the distractions caused by small groups.
With literature circles, the class divides into several small groups. Even with the help of teacher's aids, the teacher has many groups to monitor both academically and behaviorally. Peer pressure can increase with the small group dynamic. Even if the group is focused on the book, loud and animated discussions can disrupt other groups in the class.
Some classes may not have enough leaders to facilitate the literature circles. Some children will form groups based on their friendship and not their love for the same book. Challenging students is part of the educational process; overwhelming them is not. Literature circles expose students to many firsts at one time, such as small groups, curriculum choices and leadership. If not handled properly, this added responsibility can be too much for developing children.