Two teachers in G-Town are giving blogs a try in the classroom. Crystal is using a classroom blog to post questions for students in her college level computing fundamentals course. I can see her students struggling to move beyond the level of commication they’re accustomed to on IM and myspace. Crystal remains dedicated to the content and is helping her students move over to a new technology, a new way to communicate, and at the same time, learning about her content through a connective tool. Crystal is an innovator, the kind of teacher who hears about a good idea, thinks it through and implements about five minutes later. We need more teachers like her.
Steven is using blogs in his English 12 class to post assignments on the “mother blog” to which students respond in posts on their own blogs. This has been interesting as students tackle content while linking to websites and then responding in writing. The writing remains the part of the task that many dislike. I’m anxious to see what happens when Steve moves over to allowing students to post on their blogs about content that’s exciting to them. He is one of our most creative educators so I’m sure his students will produce some terrific content. I’m looking forward to the day when students start to receive comments to their posts.
And as both teachers and the students they touch move forward, they routinely handle the “techie” stuff that comes up, no big deal. I’m glad they’re in G-Town, moving us forward.
Pingback: Teaching to reach every single student » Inspiration from G-Town
Kim,
This is really good to read about. I have been spending the last week or so, getting a classblogmeister system set up for my classes. I should have the first group started next week.
I have a standing assignment with my 7th and 8th grade science students. Each week, they are to find an article that is science oriented and write a response, specifically reflecting on the article and how it is written. The context for me is developing their literacy. The extra piece that I believe blogging will add is the part of creating a conversation with other class members and myself.
Thanks for your leadership.
Hey Kim…great to see some movement down the road. Just as a suggestion, it would be great if Steve pointed to some of the students’ blogs in the “mother blog” and in that way showed them best practices and also started some conversations. Barbara Ganley is the best I’ve seen at this…the class blog becomes the hub.
Hope you’re doing well…I’ll be back up end of next month.
Very nice pat on the back for two of your teachers, Kim. Not only is their work exciting but the encouragement from you spreads through the whole staff. Keep up the great work!