Okay, I'm all about putting my money where my mouth is (remember that commercial or did I just date myself?) so here's what I'd like for everyone to do.
Last time we posted about are our children too young/not too young to use blogs. Well, let's see. I want you to create a blog for your students (go to Google, go under Even More, Go to Blogger, follow instructions, see me if you can't figure it out and/or it doesn't work). Then I want you to write the following sentence on your blog: "What makes you feel happy?" Then I want you to model how to answer the question on the blog for your students. My answer would be "Clean sheets on my bed make me feel happy." Then allow students to tell you what makes them happy (perhaps they have already written it down--let's agree spelling doesn't have to count so much today) and allow them to blog. Then everyday for a week (no crying for the teacher!!!! lol), I'd like you to post something like that. Just a sentence the students can blog about on your site. (Yes, I used the bullying book because I'm all about killing two birds with one stone. You may do whatever you'd like.) Then blog about your experience blogging with your children. BE REAL. It may be ugly; it may not work or you may be surprised. I'll come help you. Call me.
Then after you blog about your real experience with blogging in your classroom, blog about chapter 4 and wikis and how you feel they "fit" into your classroom. Remember to respond to one another.
I set up a blog and got all of my students to it...which I might add was a horrendous feat in itself! They were not able to comment because of the Lightspeed filter. Christy worked a long time in my room but was unable to resolve it. Robbie told me about the function on Scootpad.com that looks like the wall of Facebook but it is for the kids in the class to respond or chat with one another. I posted a question and each child answered it and they were all able to see the answers on their wall. They can send messages back and forth on the chat option as well. I will be using this for my blog questions. The kids really enjoyed it, so much that we were late for lunch today!
ReplyDeleteI think blogs will be an easy and beneficial tool that my third graders can use with many things once we are able to access these.
DeleteI love this feature on scootpad. It is great because the kids just log in and go. The only problem we had was spelling various words. But we have started a chart of common words and hopefully this will help. We used this feature 3 days last week.
ReplyDeleteScootpad sounds like a neat and easy website to use!
DeleteI need to go check out scootpad. It sounds like a great tool for our students to use that will help them interact online in a fun and easy way.
DeleteThis sounds great. I want to try this.
DeleteI love using scootpad. It is easy for the students to use, except for the spelling. I think that is a great idea to start a chart of common words. I am going start a chart for my classroom. I feel like it will really help my students.
DeleteI created a blog but have not attempted letting my students log in yet until we hear back from Christy. http://learningaboutbullies.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteWikis would be a great way to have students collaborate and create a group project. For example, my students will be working on a group project about habitats this 6 weeks. My students could use a wiki to add information they have found all in one space. They could provide links to websites about their habitat and include pictures. The only hurdle to this is getting it all set up and being able to access this.
That sounds like a neat way to utilize wikis with your class. I think the students would be actively engaged throughout the length of the project. I hope it works out that you're able to do it that way!
DeleteI think wikis would be great for my project-based learning group. Like you mentioned, students could add information and pictures in a common place. My problem will be finding the spare time needed to set it up.
DeleteI created a blog for my speech students: kesspeechblog.blogspot.com, however due to the issues with students not being able to access it from their computers we haven't done much with it. I did allow a few students to blog from my computer just to get some participation, but it's just not the same!
ReplyDeleteI was unaware until reading chapter 4 that we could make changes to wikis that already exist online. That amazes me! I'm not really sure how I could use wikis as a part of my speech class, other than to learn more about the student's specific speech-language deficit, but I think they are a fantastic idea for the general ed classroom. The possibilities seem endless! What a great way to collaborate with students from class to class, school to school, state to state, and even country to country!
I didn't realize we could make changes to wikis that already exist either, especially Wikipedia! I can see how this would really need to be monitored with kids.
DeleteI created a blog (http://arnettthirdgrade.blogspot.com). I have not started using this with my students yet because of the lightspeed issue we are having. I didn't realize that students could use scooppad as a blog. While reading about Wikis I learned a lot of new information. I didn't realize that just anyone could go in and edit a Wiki. It's amazing that there is so much correct information on their especially since anyone can edit it. While thinking about ways I could use Wikis in my room I came up with a few different ideas. I could post a Wiki and have my students verify that I posted correct info. After they did their research they could edit my post if necessary. This would test their research and accuracy. Also if other third grade teachers use Wikis, my students and other students from other classes could research and edit each others information. I wouldn't mind introducing my kids to Wikis and letting them use Wikis, but for my six week project I think blogs will work out better.
ReplyDeleteWhat great ideas! I especially like the idea of having students verify/edit the info that you posted. I think wikis could have an important place in classrooms/grade levels.
DeleteI have created my blog (thirdgradepbl.blogspot.com) for the project-based learning group I lead each morning. We have not been able to access this site yet since it is blocked on their student computers, but I think this blog will be great to give students helpful websites to conduct their research, allow them to record their thoughts, respond and collaborate with each other, or maybe even participate in a book study. Wikis could also be a great tool for students to use as they collaborate to create these group projects. Wikis could allow them to easily keep their information organized in one place. The only problem I see with a wiki is finding the spare time necessary to learn how to properly set it up.
ReplyDeleteI think you have some great ideas for your enrichment groups. They will love all the collaboration involved in blogs and wikis. The smaller class sizes will also facilitate the introduction of these activities thus allowing your enrichment students to possibly be "helpers" back in their homerooms as these concepts are implemented.
DeleteI think that students will enjoy blogging. Keeping it simple, in the beginning, just to get students used to receiving information online and responding to short questions seems to be a good start. I have used Wikipedia to access pictures of the various topics that my reading groups have read about and also never realized that I could edit the information. The idea that anyone can edit anything anytime they want is a little unnerving but with there being more people wanting to make it right than wrong that does keep it well checked I am sure. What a great way for students to learn to collaborate!
ReplyDeleteI'm like many of you. For years now, I have used Wikipedia thinking it was an on-line encyclopedia, never realizing exactly what it was. Now I know. Although I may not regularly use a wiki with the struggling K and 1st graders that I see, I can acknowledge the potential of wikis and blogs. Students can acquire many of the 21st century skills we are focusing on through the collaborative environment that wikis provide. Students can learn how to work together, how to create community and how to manage in a world where more emphasis is being placed on group efforts to create knowledge and information.
ReplyDeleteI love using the scootpad. It is easy for the students to use. I posted a question and they responded. I enjoyed reading their responses. As Mrs. Worthy said earlier, the only problem was spelling or inappropiate words kept popping up when the students would try to post. This took a little time to help them type the correct spelling. The students really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI also used scoot pad with my class to blog. This was easy to use as long as the spelling was correct. The kids enjoyed blogging like the big kids do! They also enjoyed reading each others comments. I will use this again with my class.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about wikis yet mostly because I feel out of place with them. I asked my kids if they knew what a wiki was and felt a little better that they had no more of an idea about it than I do. This will be a learning experience for both of us. Can't wait. I will let you all know how it goes.