Once moving to a fully departmentalized 4th grade I started blogging in Math classes. My first year, I had 5 classes and it was all I could do to keeping up with what each class was doing, as I saw only 4 classes each day, had an abbreviated schedule on chapel days, plus a drop day every 6 days. It wass quite a challenge. I started using the blog to help us all stay up to date on where we left off in each class.
I assigned a student (this rotates each day) to be responsible for writing a summary of that day's math activities. This serves 3 purposes: i
We had to learn not only how to write a summary and do a blog post, but also how to "comment" on a blog and also give verbal feedback in class when it was shared. In addition, I gave a blog prompt each week to which the students must respond. We spent some time talking about quality of response, and the knowledge that others will be visiting the blog and checking out all the comments.
Amazing things started happening. Students started to comment on the daily blog posts by fellow students. They couldn't wait for their blog day, and what creative things they could do in their post that would be fun for their audience. (We gave feedback to each blogger when they shared.) I had to explain the difference between a Blog Comment and Texting activity. Students were commenting with such responses as: "Way to go, Orin!" or "Cool pic! Peace out!" I explained that a comment to any blog should be to add additional information or experience to the topic posted.
Check it out: http://tebosaints.weebly.com
I assigned a student (this rotates each day) to be responsible for writing a summary of that day's math activities. This serves 3 purposes: i
- It helps keep me straight, as the first thing we do each day is review the blog from the previous class. :-)
- If a student is absent he/she can go to the blog to see what was missed.
- If a student just wants to review class that day, or just for fun, go visit the blog (as well as the blogs from other classes), it is available.
We had to learn not only how to write a summary and do a blog post, but also how to "comment" on a blog and also give verbal feedback in class when it was shared. In addition, I gave a blog prompt each week to which the students must respond. We spent some time talking about quality of response, and the knowledge that others will be visiting the blog and checking out all the comments.
Amazing things started happening. Students started to comment on the daily blog posts by fellow students. They couldn't wait for their blog day, and what creative things they could do in their post that would be fun for their audience. (We gave feedback to each blogger when they shared.) I had to explain the difference between a Blog Comment and Texting activity. Students were commenting with such responses as: "Way to go, Orin!" or "Cool pic! Peace out!" I explained that a comment to any blog should be to add additional information or experience to the topic posted.
Check it out: http://tebosaints.weebly.com