Blogging for the first time in the classroom can be very exciting and scary for students and teachers. It is a powerful educational tool that can provide many opportunities for learning through writing while providing an audience. As a Reading Intervention Teacher, I have the opportunity to work with several groups of students from different classrooms throughout the day ranging from second to third grade. Blogging is away I can bring my students together as a community through discussion topics and by publishing student work. However, taking that first step into the unknown is usually the hardest, so starting out slow when implementing blogging is important. By posting assignments, announcements, and class links onto a class blog, students will start to get comfortable with online communication (Richardson, 2010). Once that interest is created, the learning possibilities are unlimited.
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms (Third Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
When teachers first start using blogs, I do agree that is a good idea to start very small so that the teachers and the students can become more comfortable with the process. One of the suggestions from our reading literature this week was to get students to just start reading blogs first. It would help to assist students with understanding the purpose of web blogs.Blogs are an excellent learning tool to incorporate into instructions if this strategy is used effectively. Blogs can help teachers, students, and parents communicate more often allowing time for meaningful collaboration.The multiple uses of blogs will provide so many different kinds of learning experiences which will help to keep students engaged and make learning more fun.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you are beginning to use blogs in your classroom, especially at such a young age. By using blogs you are definitely able to connect all of the students that you teach. Students are already accustomed to using Face Book so it is important that they understand the proper ways to utilize a blog. Last year I incorporated blogs into our classroom and before we ever began our own we discussed and explored blogs and what their purpose was. This helps that students appreciate how effective blogs can be and how beneficial they are to your classroom.
ReplyDeleteIt would be wonderful to get students in 5th grade that are already familiar with blogs and their unlimited uses. Your students will probably be very eager to find a different format to share their reading activities on. Just seeing the excitement and empowerment from the students in the video from Mrs. Martin's sixth grade class (Laureate Education, 2010), shows the value of using blogs.
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Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Spotlight on technology: Blogging in the classroom. Baltimore: Author.
Sheila, My twelve year old son has been blessed with the individual attention of a reading specialist at school. He is bright and capable, but he had to work SO hard when he was little to learn to read, and we’re still working on his writing. Without a doubt he sees the value of his work, but he does not read or write as a pastime. It’s too much like work, and offeres little enjoyment for him. The physical integration side of his character LOVES technology. He is one of those kids who does things with technology that you would never find him doing otherwise. I was excited to tell him I had set up a blog! He was actually engaged in a detailed conversation with me! (Hard to do with any twelve year old). My point is, you probably have students who respond to technology in a manner similar to my son. I, for one, would have been thrilled to have his teachers embrace his love of learning through his love of technology. I’m sure your students will be proud of you!
ReplyDeleteI also agree that it is a good idea to start our small when you are trying to blog with a classroom. You do not want to overwhelm the students or yourself. Blogging is a wonderful tool when used correctly in the classroom. What are some ways that you plan on using the blog within your own classroom? I myself plan on having the students communicate with other students in the building. Whether it be older students working with my students or younger students working together. We need to integrate the technology so that each student has a chance to learn and grow in our curriculum.
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