Thing 2 Student Blogging

Thing 2- Student Blogging

I can’t agree more with the Teach Through Tech guy; giving the students a “free post” is a great idea. I have a few tricks that get students to open up about themselves and you really learn all about them- the good, the bad and the ugly. But, you really get to know them and I always use that information carefully and judiciously. Having students blog really reaches them in their comfort zone- online and fast!

I have had my teaching partner, Jessica Bates,  set up blogs for our students and I am pleased with the results. I am looking forward to setting up my own student blogs for other classes I teach alone. It really is amazing- if I ask students to answer a question on Google Classroom I get the usual griping and a bit of non-compliance. I have yet to here a complaint about a blog post.   

I love this poem from Shelley Wright’s article, “Blogging the New Persuasive Essay,”:

I love writing essays.

There’s something satisfying about rendering the chaos of thoughts into an elegant form.

But I love blogging more.

It feels like playing. (KQED News)

That says it all!

Also, according to Wright,

“Part of the problem is that our current school systems — and not just in Canada — aren’t great at producing independent thinkers. Without this ability, it’s hard to create a great thesis statement, anticipate the arguments against it, and then compose your own argument in light of what you understand about the pros and cons of an issue.” (KQED News)

My huge issue with the entire Common Core is that it stifles nearly all creativity- it’s get in line, follow the protocol, regurgitate and move on. I’ve seen the willingness to take chances, to attempt new skills and dive into something new disappear over the 28 years I have been teaching. The kids have learned that it’s strictly about passing the test. When I finally get them as seniors it is a huge task to get them to to take risks, to think for themselves, to synthesize what they know into new ideas.  Blogging is one key that gets them open up and I want to do much more with it. Next year, I want to start on day one and then continue either daily or at least weekly. The best part is that they don’t even realize they are opening up about themselves, but it works and I want more.

I like what Aaron Hogan wrote in “Top 10 Tips For Student Blogging”  (guest post by @mrodz308)

“What happened in my classroom those next few months of school was nothing short of amazing.  My classroom shifted. We went from a classroom to a community, from students to guides, from rule-followers to leaders… independent problem solvers, collaborators, creators, innovators, and explorers.  Learning became contagious. Students kept a “Blogger’s Notebook” and worked hard to find reasons to write, and they wrote often.”  

This is what I want in my room. I am preparing kids for life after high school and although we are strapped to the New York State ELA Modules I can still get students to think for themselves through their writing and, hopefully, blogging. College professors demand that students are able to express themselves freely in their analysis of every subject imaginable, blogging will help get them there.