The Dilema in Blogging

Posed with two questions from Stephen Downes in his article, “Educational Issue”, I was at first stumped. He asked;
 “What happens when a free-flowing medium such as blogging interacts with the more restrictive domains of the educational system?” Because I have read the research supporting blogging, I immediately think of the positives. Students will have access to much more information than just in a textbook and be able to access people with diverse perspectives on topics. They will see that there is not always one right answer to every question and the use of critical thinking will help attain a much deeper understanding of information. Blogging will encourage collaboration, and if you look at the research on 5th and 6th graders, they are at a developmental stage where they need to work with others. I am often asked “why are we learning this?” The use of blogs in the classroom will help students see the real-world application to reading and writing and encourage them to continue to do so when it isn’t required.

The next question was, “What happens when the necessary rules and boundaries of the system are imposed on students who are writing blogs, when grades are assigned in order to get students to write at all, and when posts are monitored to ensure that they don’t say the wrong things?”  Will Richardson stated  that telling kids to blog defeats the whole purpose; I disagree. I realize that for some students blogging may be looked at as assignment they have to do but I am hopeful through a positive attitude by the teacher, this won’t be the case. There will need to be constraints and boundaries and after 12 years of teaching, I see how students crave these boundaries. Richardson’s next point addresses assigning grades and in my experiences I see that kids are extremely motivated by grades. My hope is that this motivation of gettting a good grade will get them involved at first and then once they experience the process, their motivation will come from the love of doing it. I also believe that blogs should be monitored. Unfortunatley, there are instances when kids say very cruel things to others. I want to make sure that these comments aren’t published so students feel comfortable taking risks in their writing.

While I understand the concerns, my rose-colored glasses and I are excited about the possibilities blogs will provide.

Blogging

I am currently taking a class on blogging and one of the questions posed was how does using this in the classroom meet  the national technology standards and will this impact the achievement of students. These are two critical questions as we move towards  standards based grading and reporting and are always searching for ways to increase student achievement. As far as the technology standards, or NETS, blogging is aligned with all six standards.  It allows students to show creativity and innovation as they share their perspectives with others and problem solve.  In addition, students are able to share their thoughts, comment on others’ thoughts, and work to solve real-world problems. Blogging can also be used to help in research as students seek out subject-matter experts, use critical thinking skills to solve authentic problems, learn about technology systems, and one of the most relevant experiences is that with digital citizenship. Students will learn safe ways to explore the Internet and also ways to credit others’ work. In classrooms where blogging has been used, students have shown a positive attitude and the desire to be life-long learners.

The next question for some may be how does blogging help student achievement. Students are given the opportunity to reflect on their learning, critically analyze their thinking and that of others, and are given ample opportunities to advance their reading and writing skills. All students are able to participate and collaborate with others to solve problems and see how reading and writing are used in the real world.

Metablognition

In Will Richardson’s blog, he discusses the idea of metablognition. When I think of this term I of course think of metacognition which is thinking about one’s own thinking. Metablognition to me means thinking about one’s blog, which further means to think about one’s ability to think and share these thoughts with others, reflect on their own writing, and comments others post to this writing. This form of reflection is especially useful for students who are questioning the relevance of assignments in school. Metablognition allows students to see the relevance of writing and reading due to the real-world application.

Welcome Incoming 5th Graders!

Though summer has just begun I am already looking forward to meeting all of the new 5th graders this fall. I am very excited to have you for homeroom, math, reading, or social studies. This will be my sixth year teaching 5th and 6th grade at Woodland and I also taught for seven years in Orange County, CA. I am taking technology classes this summer and attending the C4 Summer Institute because I am very excited about technology integration in the classroom. Last year we began Project Copernicus, a program where 5th and 6th graders could bring in their own laptops and it was a HUGE success! I look forward to meeting all of you this fall and learning more about each of you.

WD Technology Fund Drive

Just a reminder that tomorrow starts our WD Technology Fund Drive.

Tech drive dates are: June 2-8.  Donations of any amount are welcome.

 Our three main goals are:

 Mobis

Classroom Amplification

iPod Touch Cart

Cross Country Running

The Park Center cross country running meeting is on Thursday June 3rd in the Park Center Forum Room at 5:30 or 7:00. Attendees will meet the coaches and captains, pick up schedules, and much more.

Holiday Weekend

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Tuesday

all books are due back to the library

Thursday

Health – Mrs. Miller’s class will test

Friday

Health – Mrs. Wagenman’s class will test

last spelling test

last day of regular reading class

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday the 8th – Super Kids Day 10:00-11:30, Valleyfair sign up, BBQ lunch, last day for science and social studies

Wednesday the 9th – Eagle Celebration and last day of all classes

Thursday the 10th – Commemoration at 8:00 am, leave for Valleyfair around 9:25 am, return at 6:15 pm

Friday the 11th - 10:00 Sing Along and Awards, 2:30-3:15 yearbook signing, last day of school (full day)

The Week of May 24th

We are finished with the social studies book so are now working on chapter 9 in health. There is a test tentatively scheduled for the end of next week. Students have a study guide.

Math – we are reviewing concepts taught this year in the context of real-world problems. Students were given a choice board on Friday with assignments to complete before Thursday June 3rd. They will have some class time to complete these assignments but some may need to work at home. There may be a few assignments given between now and the last day of math (June 9th) but it won’t be consistently every night like it was this year.

Friday

Orchestra concert at 2:45

Last day to check out books from the media center

spelling tests

Mile Run Tomorrow!

The mile run is tomorrow during our phy ed time, 10:15-10:45. Please make sure your child wears comfortable clothing,  has shoes to run in, and can bring a water bottle.

The Week of May 17th

Monday

6th grade band concert at 2:30

Tuesday

Social studies test  (chapter 13) for Wagenman’s class

Wednesday

Brooklyn Junior band concert at 10:15

Social studies test  (chapter 13) for Miller’s class

Thursday

Talent Show at 9:45

Ch. 12 math test