Hello Fellow Graduate Students,
I teach Full Day Kindergarten in Salt Lake City, Utah. This week we were asked to write about what purpose blogs can play in our classroom and extending our students' learning publically. The purpose that I would like this blog to serve would be as a way for the parents to feel a part of their child's learning, a connection tool! I want this to be a place where educational conversations or concerns can be discussed openly and honestly; where students can showcase their best work. Is there some kind of gadget that could be set up to display a slideshow of student successes other than a video feed? How would I set that up?
I am curious about how I can use this blog as a way for my students to interact with content. I have provided safe links that are age appropriate as a way for the students to interact with some of Utah's CORE curriculum. If I could find a way to display student work as a group then I could use it to enhance lessons. In addition, I could refer parents to videos or websites that expand on our classroom lessons. For example, if we are learning about penguins, I could link a You Tube video that shows them swimming and attach follow up questions so that my students have support with what they are learning about in school. I believe it is very powerful for parents to ask their child what they are learning and be able to add new information. One way to enhance lessons through the blog would be to use it as a publishing tool. The students could publish a writing piece, then when they went home, open the blog and either retell what they learned that day or brag about their accomplishments!
I believe that a blog is a good tool for instructional content because it is a way to establish a connection between home and school. As of this ponit in my career as an educator I have yet to find a great way to do this. I look forward to learning more about blogs and utilizing this one in my classroom!
Chelsea Blasius-Lewis
I am also curious about using photos on my blog. I am not familiar with how to do this so I am hoping to figure it out! One thing that is great about the blog is that it houses all the information in one place. Parents are able to find the websites, newsletters, homework, everything in one place instead of searching for it in emails. I'd like to hear about how you will publish their work on the blog. Will you scan it in or have the students type it? You have some great ideas I think your parents will love it!
ReplyDeleteI would love to do some kind of slideshow of student work that just plays on repeat on the blog. I think I will use the document camera to capture the images or a scanner. I would also love to attach documents like you suggested, but haven't figured out how to yet.
ReplyDeleteChelsea Lewis