I have never before used a blog in my everyday life. I think this is due to two main reasons. The first reason why I don't blog is time. I don't have time to put pen to paper, let alone sign on and blog about what is going on with me. Second, I worry that what I say would not be important for anyone else to read. To me, it is easier to write in a notebook that only I read because no one will read and critique what I wrote. I guess I have to realize that writing a blog is not only for others, but for me too.
Blogs have not been utilized in my classroom either. This is due to both my lack of knowledge of how to best use blogs and the lack of technology use at my school. I guess I would like to learn how to better use the technology and how it will help students a)learn to write b)learn to write better c)learn to love to write d)learn to want to write more.
In the classroom I have used Nicenet and google sites. I used the google site to disseminate the daily lessons to online students. Nicenet is a conferencing website and was used as a place where students would reply to both journal prompts and each others' replies. Right now I am using Ning in my reading and recovery classroom. It is being used as a place where they can learn what is going on in the classroom (day-to-day) and also respond to forum questions. After they respond to the forum questions, they respond to each other's posts - much like what we are doing. I hope to figure out what is the best digital media technology to use for my population and in my classroom.
As far as enhancing or hindering communication... I think that having them log could get the students to write more, but I wonder what caliber writing will come out of it. And as far as using blogs in the classroom, what control should I (as the teacher) have in giving them topics or reining them in if they are not staying on the topic.
I guess that is all for now.
Okay, trying this again. Original post was 9/20...
ReplyDelete09.20.09
Hello Amy Lou! I am not a public person with my writing either. From listening to you, I do think you have plenty to say that others would enjoy hearing. You have a child and the wonderful events and daily life that accompanies raising a child, being a mother and wife are great nuggets for writing. The population you teach would also be great opps for writing. CHeck out Chris Crutchner! He used to counsel and teach challenging students with pretty crappy lives, and now he uses that in his books. Kids and boys in particular love them. So would blogging give you a place to put all your future books? Yes, but the time thing is a real problem for me, too. Between this class, my classroom and just personal interactions, I am online more than I want to be. I can't keep all my passwords straight, as you witnessed 2 weeks ago. ;-)
I hear you about the caliber of writing using a blog. From what I have seen on my classroom blog, the 8th graders write a response in minimal form without any prompting. After reading chapter 6 in Rick's book, I was thinking, "Hmmm" the high school teacher who gave prompts and asked them to respond then reply to someone else got just that. I worry that as it is used more frequently in my classroom, students will do the minimum and not get to levels 3 or 4.
I have thought that it would be important to start with topics, but then let the students start them. I also worry about reigning them in when off topic, but so far, my students have done a good job of calling each other out on that (that would be the 2 times I have asked them to blog). But I have thought that I might pop in and reply to a few students in each class, like Rick does to us so they know I am reading and watching. Very big brother like. Word might spread that I do pay attention to what they write. I am also spotlighting the students who write THOUGHTFULLY with detail.
Chapter 6 also described the AP teacher's use of blogging. Her group was very homogenous and motivated, so I wondered if that would work at a middle school level with writers who struggle. Not sure yet.
Do your classes have the wide range of abilities that is typical in public schools? I am guessing that they are.