To the best of my knowledge, 2009 marks the first time Madison teachers have used student blogging as a teaching/assessment tool, and it’s been a really positive experience for everyone involved. It’s been so successful that I felt compelled to make it the subject of this week’s post.
Teachers from all over the district have incorporated blogging into their curricula. At Island Avenue, Mike Ginsburg created student blogs for each of his 4th graders to work on their writing and communication skills. The quality of this student’s blog demonstrates how technology can be a real motivator for our younger writers. Additionally, reading specialists at all three elementary schools have embraced “the read/write web” to instill critical thinking skills. Vanessa Lamb, Doreen Shirley, and Stacey Collins created blogs this year to start virtual Interactive Reading Clubs (IRCs) for more advanced readers. According to Mrs. Collins, “The kids are using higher level thinking skills (analysis, synthesis and evaluation) from Bloom’s Taxonomy in order to answer questions/make comments posted on the blog. I am encouraging them to comment on thoughts their classmates post as well.” In addition to reading on a deeper level, students also appear to be having plenty of fun blogging. “The students find it challenging and exciting to interact with other students via technology. Students can blog from home or school. Some even blog from their iPOD touch! It is very exciting learning and we are all having fun,” says Ms. Lamb.
Meanwhile, at Polson Middle School, Christy Paradis has her own blog where she has her 7th graders respond to her posts and each other’s comments about the novels they are reading in literature circles for their “Exceptionalities Unit.” She sees the most beneficial aspect of student blogging as the honesty it can foster in her students’ comments. “Some students have a difficult time speaking up in class, others would rather be funny than serious in front of their friends. The blog is a place where students can express their thoughts and understanding of the novel without having any pressure from their classmates.” (To make this happen, Christy set up her students with anonymous usernames for her blog.)
Finally, student blogging in its most advanced, real-world form can be found in Marcie Roccio’s Advanced Web Design course. Here DHHS seniors design and run their own blogs about topics they are passionate about. Topics include Rock Music, Animal Rights, Hi-Tech Gadgetry, NASCAR, Video Games, and World Issues that demand our attention. Instead of succumbing to “senioritis”, these students find themselves truly engaged in this form of writing. According to Marcie, “The first thing they do when they get to class is check to see who has commented on their blogs. The really get a kick out of hearing back from their readers.” Click on any of the links above to see what these bloggers are writing about, and encourage them to keep writing by posting a comment or two. A full list of these blogs can be found by here.
For more information on how and why educators are incorporating blogs into their units of study, check out this article.
Still confused about what a blog is? Click here.
