EduBlog Insights

class.  She was writing her midterm reflection. I’m pulling one

excerpt because it’s a good example of information overload and some

good that can come out of reflecting about what you are doing. I won’t

point to her blog just yet as she just might forget to breathe.

terminology to realizing that, while I may be causing the glitch, it is

repairable. I now know what address I need in order to blog and what

address I need to read others’ blogs. I can navigate and compose and

even risked placing graphics within my website. Once I learn the

correct way, it gets so much easier. It’s still taking me an incredible

amount of time to understand where I’m going wrong but hopefully the

course since I don’t have much opportunity for that, plus I am spending

so much time just completing assignments. I am feeling more confident

and was amused the other day when the subject of blogging arose and I

was the only one in my circle of friends that had a clue what that was

about. I may become the IT expert in my social circle by the end of the

semester.

I have developed one pedagogical strength from this. Before, having always been at the top

of

my class in my endeavors, I had wondered how I would handle the

challenge of teaching a struggling class of students. Last week’s

scenario that involved turning in the incorrect Lesson Plans coupled

with no memory of being shown how to access Documentation made me

realize that one can truly become so overwhlemed that one cannot hear

what is being said. I knew theoretically this happens to students and

having now experienced it, I think I’m better prepared to empathize and

(as you did) help them get over the sensory overload and back on track.

So, Mrs. Davis, continue to inspire us and power point us in the direction we need to go. We will blog and navigate as well as we can with hopes of composing a great final product. Will we improve–only our rubrics will know. You’re teaching us well and if we look faint–just remind us to breathe.

some good reflections from this class. We need to start these type of

reflections in elementary school and continue them in middle and high

school. It’s amazing information and helps us connect on the learning

is an article worth reading. The author says it helps him to think that

writing is like carpentry. He can work from a plan and use the tools he

has stored on his workbench. He goes on to say that readers can borrow

a writing tool whenever they like. The kicker is you don’t have to

return it. You can pass it on to another writer without losing it. He

lists 20 writing tools he has borrowed from reporters and editors, from

authors of books on writing, and from teachers and coaches. He gives

brief descriptions of how to use the writing tool but encourages us to

build our own collections.

This would be a great springboard to use with our students. His tools

fall under 4 catergories: sentences and paragraphs, language, effects,

and structure. Just the wording of the tools could be a great writing

lesson. Talk about having fun with language…. Check these out:

20 writing tools so read the rest. It’s good writing and makes me want

to build collections with students.

I have issued a challenge to

my Write Weblog group. I think we can perhaps adapt it to fit our

writing on blogs by students. Add to the collection!  Yet another

form Gordon Brune today that made my day! More elementary student

bloggers are entering the blogging world! Hooray! Gordon is a 4th grade

teacher at Mamaroneck Avenue School in New York. Here’s his email:

Hi!

I have admired your blog(s) for

some time now. In fact I am emulating your blogs — albeit

not as well!. Check out our first-step attempts at

http://landmark-project.com/blogmeister/blog.php?blogger_id=251

I am truly realizing the need

for an audience (as you posted about awhile back). I would like my

students to check out your students’ posting and comment on them. But I

see that they will need to input an email address. My students do not

have formal school email accounts. What do you suggest I do?

Have them use my email address?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Gordon Brune

for your nice comments about my blogs. I am going to spotlight this on my blog!

(http://anne.teachesme.com)  It

is exciting! I am so happy to see a fourth grade teacher implementing this! I have

done it now for three years with fourth and fifth graders. They can really

become good writers and thinkers! It≠s ironic to hear from you today because I

meet with my students on Thursdays √ they will be doing news reports tomorrow.

They would love to hear from your students. I will have them comment to your

students tomorrow. My group does  have real email addresses but they do

not use them. In order for them to be an author of a typepad blog they have to

have an email address so we provided a school one but they do not actually use

explain how we get around the email address for commenting with the entire

school body. Your students can post a comment without having a

real email address. This is what we do. We tell students to use first names

first part is the students first name, then mahanmail is their teachers last

for your students to reply to my students. All of my student blog links are on

audience is really empowering for the kids!  Now, I must get back to