Friday, August 30, 2013

The Magic of Blogging

Exhausted--Yes! Exhilarated--Yes!

Last week, I got really down about the progress I was making with the students. The momentum and the spark for learning was lacking.

I decided to begin the Achievement Unit earlier than I planned. But that's ok by me. The classroom took at total 180, and now my students are reading, writing, and eagerly discussing all of it in the classroom.

Today, the students blogged for the first time using KidBlog, which can be found at kidblog.org. It's user friendly and quick to set up. Also, I loved that the students found it easy too, and were able to begin writing right away. In all of my classes, the students did not want to stop working. If they had completed their writing assignment, then they read other blog posts and commented on them, which they loved. Once again, as was with my students last year, they were totally engrossed. I didn't exist anymore. This engagement was not due to my teaching, but the interest of technology as a tool for writing. It was like magic.

And because blogging is the only way I can seem to communicate with the dearest educator I know--my mother-- I will add this clip in for her-- The magic of blogging for my writers reminded me of your favorite movie. This one's for you, mom. :-)

                                            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTPE8lndfhI



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