Week 3 Blog 2

 

http://misslwholebrainteaching.blogspot.ca/2013/08/proud-canadian-blog-award.html

I've been motoring through this weeks assignment trying to see how on earth this would all fit into My classroom, I've also discovered a little about myself. The most startling realisation is (drum roll please).. I can do this. Yes me a 43 year old single mother of two, and self confessed "techno-tard"can create Blogs, Wikis and Weeblys oh mi!! It was a hard slog, I was second and third guessing myself, but I persevered.

I did ask my trusted Professor to bare witness to this feat and here's what she sent me.


So the Dark Side here I come!!

My focus this week will be entirely on Blogging and where I see that fitting into my future classroom. One thing I must be cognitively aware of is that it's not all about me! It's not about my comfort zone or what I'm comfortable with, that is reserved for my students. My task is to guide them and support them but not to dictate what is useful and beneficial for their purposes. The only way that I can be a supportive guide is to experience these spaces myself. There is little doubt that my students will be very schooled in many technologies I am not. I just need to immerse myself and show confidence rather than blind fear!

When I Googled the Question of "Blogging in the Classroom" I was surprised what I found and the number of articles supporting this method.

Reading and writing texts on line are basic skills that students need to be literate citizens in the 21st century. Teaching with blogs provides the opportunity to engage students in both of these literacy activities, and the strategy has the additional benefit of enabling students to publish their writing easily and to share their writing with an authentic audience.
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/teaching-with-blogs-30108.html

This idea of using Blogs supports the idea of engaging students and making their learning almost serves a dual purpose. The subject matter is taught and learnt but also the ideas and skills involved in creating an engaging Blog are taught and explored but both student and teacher.

In my fantasy classroom (that being Senior English) I'm seeing Blogs used to enhance my students' learning of the material. The students will be encouraged to write about their learning topics, what they are wanting to learn or perhaps projects they'd like to do. They would write their blogs not just for my viewing, but for the viewing of their classmates. They can support, comment on each others ideas by commenting and we could review blogs in class. This would also command that students be aware of their tone, language used and topics being discussed. They need to understand Code of Conduct in Blogging and remember to respect one and other in their comments and ideas.

http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/teaching-with-blogs-30108.html


http://www.ewebmarketing.com.au/blog/ceo-blogging-for-the-first-time/


I am beginning to believe technology 2.0 does have a greater purpose in my future classroom. One of my greatest fears is that the Old Masters would have no place in this modern society. That is just my fear and ignorance rearing its ugly head. As I delve further into this modern world of blogging, my fears are quashed and my curiosity is heightened.

I have found an amazing blog discussing just this idea. Old Masters in a new world. Blogger Sally Law writes

From the linguistic perspective, studying classic literature from the Western canon (Shakespeare, Dickens, Orwell and so on) affords students of English the opportunity to understand, analyse and evaluate language quite different from their own.
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/dec/11/teaching-classic-literature-schools

If my students learn about the past, and blog about it. It's encompassing two very important aspects of learning. First, learning where we've come from -literally speaking- could give my students a great respect and understanding for the importance of these texts. Second, Blogging about what they're learning, sharing with classmates and expressing how they feel through their blogs, keeps them relevant in the 2.0 world.

My plan is to explore this idea in greater depth in weeks to come.

Thank you ...yours in Blogging
Marsha

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