After viewing some of the links in Blogs in Education, it's interesting to see how blogging and expressing yourself through the use of technology is happening more and more. Through The Diary Project, teenagers are able to choose from various topics that may be occurring in their day to day life. What a great way to express emotions, opinions and thoughts. This could be a way for a teacher to reach out to a student who is going through a difficult time in the home and possibly help out in anyway possible. However, the project alone, is an excellent way to give kids an outlet where they can share how they feel.
This is a website I would encourage students to use. Not only do students have to be going through a difficult time in their personal lives, but there are links where students can share their opinions on a given topic, poetry. It is a website that will allow them to realize that there are many kids out there who may be struggling with the same problems and know that they're not alone.
On another end, Albert the Bear's Blog is a very cute and creative way to incorporate blogging in the classroom. Students are given the chance to take Albert the Bear home and share their experience by blogging.
This was a creative way to incorporate blogging in the classroom. This could be done with younger K-2. Students can take home the "class toy" or "class mascot", and have something to blog about the next day at school. If the student's cannot type yet, they can tell the teacher their experience and see it posted on the blog!
At first, I considered blogging to be mainly teacher-to-student/parent. But I am ABSOLUTELY going to do something similar to Albert the Bear when I have my own classroom. I myself remember taking home The Courtesy Bear (haha) in kindergarten or first grade, and I would have LOVED to blog about it! Parents can help their children type, if need be, or teachers can publish the child's thoughts. What a great way to connect written words with their experiences, enhancing literacy!!
ReplyDeleteMegan,
DeleteI remember having a similar experience and I loved when we came back to school with our class bear, sit in a circle and share our experience. Now that our kids are being born into technology, it's even better when what they have to share with the classroom is published through the use of technology. I think it's a great idea to start in kindergarten or first grade.