In my eighth grade reading and language arts class, one of our classroom objectives is writing for an authentic audience. A blog could provide the means to do so, beginning on a small scale as students make their writing available to classmates. However, I anticipate that this effort could expand to include a larger audience: other students, administrators, parents, and interested individuals beyond the school community. Students' understanding that they are writing for an expanded audience would encourage more thoughtful response. The critical element to impart to students, however, would be the fact that "blogging is a genre that engages students and adults in a process of thinking in words, not simply an accounting of the day's events or feelings" (Richardson, 2006). The purpose of the blog would be analysis and critique--skills that promote close interaction with ideas and words--not simply a surface reaction. Seeing others' responses to one's ideas would provide motivation and create a sense of collaboration among class members. In addition, a blog would help students develop an understanding of the power of professional learning networks, which will serve them well in college and career.
Today, as I reveiwed the documentation for the Junior Great Books program I will begin implementing in several weeks, I realized that a blog would provide a perfect opportunity to support students as they embark upon discovering a very different approach to literature, one that focuses on interpretive questioning and shared inquiry. Initially, it could offer a place to view supporting materials and post questions. Later, as students become proficient in the methodology of the course, a blog would allow them to share their own interpretive questions prior to class discussion and to reflect on the text outside of the classroom. It would also allow a forum for ancillary discussions or assignment postings during times when the schedule requires us to compress the suggested five-day format of the program. On an expanded scale, a blog could offer a way to interact with other schools that are implementing Junior Great Books.
References
Richardson, W. (2006) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classroms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI think using a blog in this fashion would be great for your students. One of the problems I forsee with students responding to other students' writing is that often students do not really know how to respond: that is, they have difficulty figuring out what to say beyond generic complements. I think if you found an existing blog where students could see the process it would be really helpful. Otherwise you might try modeling it in class.
I also think using a blog for literary discussion is a great idea. In general I think a major problem is with students who do not have access to the internet at home. Perhaps occassionally providing class time to use the blogs would help.
Sincerely,
Tim Mount
I too teach 8th grade reading and language arts class. I have found that students like to "chat" amoung friends and work with the peers they are more comfortable with. They really are not excited about engaging in activities with peers they don't view as friends. We have a teacher right now using a blog in her class and she is discovering this. I think this will be a challenge, but that there are many solutions to this too. Maybe require the students to post entries into the blog responding to different student's every week, at least when you first start using the blog. This will get them used to interacting with other students other than their "friends."
ReplyDeleteI also think this is a good opportunity for the student to practice writing for a larger audience. This is something they probably haven't had a lot of experience with outside of the classroom. I think it is a great idea and will get the students to realize that many other people may read their writing other than their "friends."
With the 8th graders I work with, I know they would really like these types of activitie and your class will probaby be engaged.
Kelly,
ReplyDeleteWell, here I am, trying to blog again! I think your idea is terrific! Writing for an authentic audience matches up perfectly with blogging-you can’t get anymore authentic than that! You are right when you say it could expand to a larger audience. What I had mentioned on Friday was that you would really have to monitor the blogging quite closely, especially if your blogging expanded outside the classroom. You will always get that one student who will not follow the rules and possibly write something inappropriate for all to see.
You are right when you say how seeing other student’s responses would help to motivate your students. I think blogging would be a great way to make learning fun for the kids. It is hard to get all aspects of the curriculum in, especially when you have to put time aside for test preparation, and all the other interruptions that we deal with daily. Blogging could offer students another chance to reflect on and analyze their work after school hours.