This school year I will be starting a class blog. Here are some of my thoughts for my new blog.
Publish Student Work: My class blog will a great place to show case my student's work. I would like first to set up peer reviews with our two other first grades in our building. Then expand to our first grade classes in our county. Then I hope to share with other first grade classes everywhere.
Build Community: Currently I send home a class newsletter monthly. My blog could have the class newsletter along with a place for families to ask questions about upcoming class activities. We do Research Labs about animals. Parents could contribute facts, links, and photos to our class research. This would help students to learn information about physical characteristics and habitats.
I am open to new ideas from other teachers, parents, and students.
How do you use a blog with your class?
Hi Kristin!
ReplyDeleteThese are great ideas. Perhaps there is a way that your children can contribute to the newsletter each time (Weekly? Bimonthly? Monthly?) Maybe you can have students tell you what they would like to say/add to the newsletter, and if you have an infocus set up to your computer, they can witness their contributions to the newsletter being added as you type it. You can also give this section of the newsletter a special name. Would the first graders need a lot of prep before being able to do something like this as a whole class? If so, maybe it could be a learning center with a small group of students. I apologize if this suggestion is way over their heads. I am a middle school teacher, and I have not had any experience teaching younger children. Smile, Megan
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteSince you are working with first graders, do they have a lot of knowledge of typing and using the internet? If not, the blog might be a little difficult at first. I think your ideas of how you want to use your blog are great. You might want to set up some small group lessons where you can model what to do for the students so that they will be able to eventually participate independently.
Kristin-
ReplyDeleteI think you're idea about using the site as a means of communication with parents is awesome. Especially with 1st graders! I don't think that a lot of parents know about RSS feeders but I think they'd definately subscribe to your blog. Educating the parents and teaching them how to use these technologies will surely have an influence on your students through the years. If their parents learn how to use these resources from you, they can help their children as they grow! Great ideas.
Hi Kristin - You really sound like you have a great idea for using a blog with your first graders. What do you think the challenges would be for you when you publish student work online? Do you think you will have to have parents sign a release? Maybe just a couple of things to think about.
ReplyDeleteI think you have great ideas.
Megan,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I think it would be a good idea for a center. I love your thoughts on including the students in the monthly writing of our newsletter.
Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteMy students do not have much experience on the internet or the computer. My goal this year is to have them in the computer lab at least once a week. Also including the one computer in my room at a center activity for the class blog. I agree that small group lessons would be the best in the long run. I can also have students in pairs after I teach a small group. They love to help their friends. Thanks for your post.
CKelly,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I think it is essential to involve parents/families. There are many days when the papers I put in my students folders end up on the floor. This is one more way to help parents/families continue to stay involved. They can keep track of days off, field trips, award ceremonies, concerts and any other special events.
RCameron,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I don't think that a signed permission slip will be the problem. Some challenges include, blocked sites, lack of computers, and too many students in one class for instruction.