It has been a while since I have last typed on here, but we have had Spring Break, so I didn't use the blog in my classroom as much. Since it had a been awhile, I was worried that the students might have gotten over the "fun" of it all. Luckily, I was wrong. When I returned to school on Wednesday (I took two extra days..) the first thing they asked was, "Can we blog some of our answers?" That really made my day.
Now that we have been blogging awhile, I am thinking a new lesson is in order: How to write properly on a blog. I think that since they see it as being on the "web" they don't have to worry about punctuation, spelling, etc. Well, what I plan on doing is printing off all the posts, cutting them up, and having them edit them next week. I hate that when some people read the blog, they might worry about their punctuation and grammar. I wanted to take things slowly and I feel this is a great next step.
In a few weeks, we will begin studying poetry and figurative language. Right now, we have just used the blogs to answer questions about the book we are reading. I am sure in a few weeks, they will be using it to publish their poems and such!
Hot Topic/Warning: Not sure if any of you read FOL, but this thread is getting pretty heated. It is just a reminder to me to make sure that IF we are on our computer when our students are in our classroom, we should be doing classroom things. If you haven't read it, you might want to check it out. There have been many times when I have read something on FOL and then something from administration has came out later on the topic.
Teacher's Personal Blog
http://www.frisco-online.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=7&threadid=215538&enterthread=y
Have a good evening.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
My Reply to the Parent and A Question I Wonder About
Here is my response to the parent who questioned why use blogging in my classroom and why teach them something they will learn on their own eventually.
I completely understand your concerns and your questions are quite valid. When I first heard about blogging in the classroom, I had the same thoughts. But after researching the topic, I have found some reasons why I feel this is appropriate to do in my classes.
One of the main reasons that I wanted to do this is to present technology and all the things that go with it is as valid educational tools. So many times we see the computer for playing purposes (like most of us thought blogging was). Even though blogging can be used as a social network, I want my students to know and understand how they can use it for educational purposes rather than just the “social” aspect that they will learn about in the future. As a teacher, I would rather them learn how to use it from me for that purposes, rather than a friend in the future just for “social” purposes.
Blogging has also reached some of my students who didn’t have much motivation or who are shy. Some of the questions that are asked on the blog are the same questions that I would give in whole group discussion. When we talk in whole group discussion, not everyone wants to speak up in class. With blogging, they feel comfortable in expressing their answers, thoughts, and sometimes their feelings by “blogging“ the answer.
In the future, we will be working on editing our pieces (right now I just wanted to get them used to the process). Blogging will help them with their editing skills, because they will know that what they write their classmates will see.
Another thing that I like about blogs is that it expands the walls of the classroom. I have some projects on there that students may work on outside of class-some have taken me up on it. Students are able to discuss the book and work on an assignment from home. That gives them ownership of their work and helps me feel connected to them and I hope in turn me to them.
One feature that I have added is that I have to prove every comment before it is published. I do try and skim through the blog each day, but this way I can keep any unwanted comments off. Please let me know if you have any more questions or comments, I hope I was able to answer your questions. I can send you some links to some websites that discuss using blogging in the classroom as well as a few pages from a text that I have read.
So that leaves me with this question: Will the students be okay with not seeing their comments on the blog right away? I think they might, but I do worry that it might discourage some. We shall see.
I completely understand your concerns and your questions are quite valid. When I first heard about blogging in the classroom, I had the same thoughts. But after researching the topic, I have found some reasons why I feel this is appropriate to do in my classes.
One of the main reasons that I wanted to do this is to present technology and all the things that go with it is as valid educational tools. So many times we see the computer for playing purposes (like most of us thought blogging was). Even though blogging can be used as a social network, I want my students to know and understand how they can use it for educational purposes rather than just the “social” aspect that they will learn about in the future. As a teacher, I would rather them learn how to use it from me for that purposes, rather than a friend in the future just for “social” purposes.
Blogging has also reached some of my students who didn’t have much motivation or who are shy. Some of the questions that are asked on the blog are the same questions that I would give in whole group discussion. When we talk in whole group discussion, not everyone wants to speak up in class. With blogging, they feel comfortable in expressing their answers, thoughts, and sometimes their feelings by “blogging“ the answer.
In the future, we will be working on editing our pieces (right now I just wanted to get them used to the process). Blogging will help them with their editing skills, because they will know that what they write their classmates will see.
Another thing that I like about blogs is that it expands the walls of the classroom. I have some projects on there that students may work on outside of class-some have taken me up on it. Students are able to discuss the book and work on an assignment from home. That gives them ownership of their work and helps me feel connected to them and I hope in turn me to them.
One feature that I have added is that I have to prove every comment before it is published. I do try and skim through the blog each day, but this way I can keep any unwanted comments off. Please let me know if you have any more questions or comments, I hope I was able to answer your questions. I can send you some links to some websites that discuss using blogging in the classroom as well as a few pages from a text that I have read.
So that leaves me with this question: Will the students be okay with not seeing their comments on the blog right away? I think they might, but I do worry that it might discourage some. We shall see.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Open House
Overall, open house was a huge success. There were a few basic questions: Can they log on from home? How many times do they have to comment?. Comments of that nature-which were easy to answer. I had already sent a note home discussing this so it didn't catch me off gaurd.
Most of the parents enjoyed writing a note to their child at open house. I had a post where their child could teach them to blog. It was very cool to see the children teaching their parents. The students also enjoyed seeing what their parents wrote to them. It was nice because I had a parent who was worried because her husband couldn't come. She wanted to know if there was anything he could do to let his little girl know he was thinking of her. I showed her after school how to use the blog and in turn she showed her husband. He then left his daughter a note that she read when she was teaching mom how to blog. Her eyes lit up when she saw that her dad had written her from his office.
However, things were not perfect. I had one parent who questioned the use of the blog and wasn't sure she wanted her child to use it. She has an older child and I think she has only seen it be used as a social tool. I told her that I do monitor the blog at least every other day (which she looked at me like "really?" and that I delete posts that aren't appropriate. I also told her that I understand and respect her choice whatever it might be. I didn't think much of it until today. The same parents sent me an email today questioning me on why I should use it in my classroom (basically she asked what is the point?) and why push the students into something that they will learn on their own later on in life. (Which scares me because wouldn't we want to teach them how to use it properly first?) I still haven't answered her email, but will soon. Luckily, I have 24 hours to email her back-which will give me time to come up with some awesome reasons to give her.
Well, I am off-specials is over. Must get back to teaching.
Most of the parents enjoyed writing a note to their child at open house. I had a post where their child could teach them to blog. It was very cool to see the children teaching their parents. The students also enjoyed seeing what their parents wrote to them. It was nice because I had a parent who was worried because her husband couldn't come. She wanted to know if there was anything he could do to let his little girl know he was thinking of her. I showed her after school how to use the blog and in turn she showed her husband. He then left his daughter a note that she read when she was teaching mom how to blog. Her eyes lit up when she saw that her dad had written her from his office.
However, things were not perfect. I had one parent who questioned the use of the blog and wasn't sure she wanted her child to use it. She has an older child and I think she has only seen it be used as a social tool. I told her that I do monitor the blog at least every other day (which she looked at me like "really?" and that I delete posts that aren't appropriate. I also told her that I understand and respect her choice whatever it might be. I didn't think much of it until today. The same parents sent me an email today questioning me on why I should use it in my classroom (basically she asked what is the point?) and why push the students into something that they will learn on their own later on in life. (Which scares me because wouldn't we want to teach them how to use it properly first?) I still haven't answered her email, but will soon. Luckily, I have 24 hours to email her back-which will give me time to come up with some awesome reasons to give her.
Well, I am off-specials is over. Must get back to teaching.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Open House: What Will the Parents Think of the Blog?
Tonight is Open House. I had students (well those that have returned their permission forms) write a comment on our blog for their parents. I am also going to have a post where the students can "teach" their parents how to blog. When they "teach" them, their parents will have an opportunity to make a comment to their child.
I am a bit nervous about what the parents might say. I hope they see the value of the blog. I have one parent who has said she doesn't want her child to participate in the blog (and I am not sure why, given her current job position). It scares me to think that other parents might see it and say, "I don't want my child doing this." I hope that if they do think that, they will come to me so that we can discuss this. I have seen students say, "Can I blog? I am done with my work." For some students, they say this and I am shocked. It is the first time I have seen them work hard on something-they want to blog.
Well, conference time is over. I will let everyone know the responses I get.
I am a bit nervous about what the parents might say. I hope they see the value of the blog. I have one parent who has said she doesn't want her child to participate in the blog (and I am not sure why, given her current job position). It scares me to think that other parents might see it and say, "I don't want my child doing this." I hope that if they do think that, they will come to me so that we can discuss this. I have seen students say, "Can I blog? I am done with my work." For some students, they say this and I am shocked. It is the first time I have seen them work hard on something-they want to blog.
Well, conference time is over. I will let everyone know the responses I get.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Welcome
After ten years of teaching, I have learned many things. However, a few months ago I learned something that has sparked energy in some of my students when other things have not. We have started blogging in my classroom. During the last months, I have had many thoughts. Many of those thoughts I wished I had written down. Well, now here I am-using a blog, to write my thoughts down about blogging in my classroom.
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