Bogging Huh? Well, it sounds like a great idea, but how is it really going to help?
I have a few ideas that I am going to throw out there. I teach high school mathematics, 10th and 11th grade Geometry and Algebra II. So, the idea of writing or journal prompts doesn't really appeal to me. It seems that kind of thing is better left to the Social Studies and Language Arts classes of the world. Math is a different kind of animal. Here is what I have thought of so far:
1st Idea: Absent work/Make up work.
I always seem to have 4 or 5 students every year how have a propensity to miss long stretches of school. Whether it is mono, or the flu, or the "My parents are taking our family to Hong Kong for two weeks" excuse, something always keeps these kids out of school. But they always come back asking the most annoying of all questions, "What did I miss?" Oh, I hate that question. This is where I feel the blog can help. I can post the homework assignments, dates of test, what will be one the tests, electronic copies of the worksheets and reviews. Students could have access to all class materials right from home. They can lay in bed with Strep Throat or Pink Eye and print off their own worksheets to do! They can keep up with the class from home. And just think about this! If I can transfer all of my notes to PowerPoint or word, they can get all of the notes too. Perhaps I could even get a textbook with an online version. I could just throw the link on the blog and they might never need to come to school ever again. Hey, maybe I could teach from home too.....Just a thought.
2nd Idea: Differentiating instruction
I have a lot of knuckle-head students who have no note taking skills even as a high school junior or senior. I also have a lot of students who are bored out of their minds because I go over the most simple of examples time after time. The blog might allow me too give extra help to the struggling kids and challenge the excelling ones at the same time. For those struggling students, I could post some tutorials that I could make on PowerPoint or even a video on a media player. I could also give a link to other helpful sites on the web that they can visit for extra help! It could really help them a lot when they sit down and their mind goes blank when they try to do their homework. For those bright students, I could post some of the challenging problems that I can never get to in class. There are so many great application problems that build links for students between math topics and also build link between math and other subjects. I could post these problems on the site and they could be extra credit problems. So whether it is helping the bottom of the class or unleashing the hounds at the top of the class, this blog could give some of the additional, differentiated information that I want to get to in class.
3rd Idea: Parent Communication
This one might be pretty obvious, but parents could ask me any questions about upcoming tests, current grades, time I might be available to help theirs kids or get together for a conference. I always had aspirations of sending home a quarterly newsletter to all of my parents. I could save the paper and just post it on the blog (students would never get the letters home anyway).
These are a few ideas. They probably aren't the most original ideas, but our resources mentioned how technology is meant to fulfill our needs as a society, and these ideas would definitely fulfill some of my needs.
Let me know what you all think!
Tyler (Blogging my Life away) Winner
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I like your ideas. I have similar feelings regarding my Physical Science classes. Not too many kids want to blog away about electron arrangement!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the text issue, check with the publisher of your text. Mine has a CD version that we can save as a PDF so the kids can load it at home and not need a book. I don't know what copyright issues we might face but it would be nice to be able to put that on a blog!
Excellent ideas. Sometimes the most simple ideas can go a long ways. I particularly like the idea of keeping an updated blog of daily events and assignments. When I think of the time I have put into writing out individual assignment pages, signing assignment notebooks, and checking for parent signatures, it makes me sick. By keeping up the blog, students can then use that as a type of checklist for expected daily assignments...depending on how it is set up. Also, parents have a way to check up on what is going on in class on regular basis if they would like.
ReplyDeleteBy creating this type of blog, you could also give students opportunities to ask questions, as well as answer other student questions. I have found that sometimes students are able to better explain assignments to their classmates than the teacher can.
How about presenting your students with a word problem and having them solve it through a blog?
ReplyDeleteTyler,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your ideas. One problem I see is the amount of work this creates on the front end. Putting worksheets, notes, etc can be time consuming. Having three different things to worry about right off will create a lot of time consuming work. I find out when I started ny website just how time cosuming it can be.
I solved this problem by focusing on one thing per year. I have been posting homework and anouncements on my site this year. Next year I will be putting up class materials like notes, worksheets, etc.
Definately follow through on your ideas. The results and time saved on the back end is well worth it!
Rob("Looking for a better way") Winner
Great ideas, Tyler! I really like the differentiation idea for students to continue to grow with their knowledge. Also, it would be a great idea for extra credit for students who are motivated to improve their grade. One issue I was thinking that could arise would be the fact that the students do not have internet access at home. What exceptions or accommodations would you make for these students? Do you think you would be able to give all of your students time during class or during the school day to work on blogging?
ReplyDeleteParent and student communication is so very important! Blogging would be a great idea. I know that a lot of teachers in my school district refuse to write emails to parents since they are public access. The parents I write to know this and are fine with it, as am I. One of my concerns with open blogging with parents would be the confidentiality of the conversations. I would be hesitant to see exactly what the parents posted, especially if it was something about grades or more personal matters with the students. I would hope that the parents would not use blogging to discuss this information, but it would make me nervous to think that it is possible. What are your thoughts?
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ReplyDeleteI love your all three of your ideas and any student would be lucky to have such resources in a blog. The biggest challenge seems like time to post those resources for your classes. When considering the additional materials you have to create, for example tutorials via power point or other media, why not incorporate those things into your instruction? This way, whatever is posted is used at the outset, which frees up time for you to do things just once. And why not delegate responsibility for your students to upkeep the blog. Rotate "blog masters" so that students can help post current assignments and even scan and post worksheets. Sixth grade students are chosen to be "monitors" who help at the front office for the entire day once a year. It is a privilege to be of service to the school and teaches students to feel that they are an integral part of the school. I also agree with Magan that it can be quite helpful for students to help solve problems or help clarify them with their classmates. Think of opinion sites like Yahoo Answers or About.com and others where the community helps answer questions. Sometimes it's through mistakes that answers can become better understood so the community (your students) will eventually come to a consensus on their own about the best way to solve a given problem. You could sit back and moderate at a more minimal level. Just some thoughts to 3 very good ideas! Bravo!
ReplyDelete