As I was checking up on blogs that I chose to follow I realized that one of my influences had been moved? I thought this was a bit confusing and annoying, but I decided to read on and saw a post titled Tips for Managing Tech Tools in the Classroom. My attitude changed from annoyed to excited because the close relation to recent class topics. This post showed videos or pictures with voice threads that focused on different ways to manage technology tools, I really enjoyed this because we all think it would be great to have all these resources in our classrooms but how are we going to care for them and store them. In one picture laptops where stored on a cart and each student was assigned a number corresponding to a laptop. This holds a certain students responsible for each computer and helps to stay organized.
Next I checked up on the blog Technology Fridge, I was happy to see all the updated resources posted. I chose to explore the topic Seven reasons teachers should blog, the creator focused on seven reasons why blogging is so professionally important for teachers:
· Cause you to reflect
· Crystallize your thinking
· Open up new audiences
· Create personal momentum
· Give valueable feedback
· Ability to be creative
· Raise your game
I agree that blogging helps teachers to expand professionally, I especially agree with a few of the point made in this blog. Blogging has definitely made me reflect and open up about ideas I have. Blogging has also definitely opened me up to a new audience, since blogs are posted online and I chose to have a public account anyone can see the ideas I have posted. Since I’ve started to blog I have also been more aware of other peoples blogs and have found some pretty cool blogs that relate to my personal life and not only my professional life.
Lastly I looked at the Scholastic blog that I chose to follow. I was pleasantly surprised to see all the blogs posted about summer activities. One post focused on Planning a Productive Summer for You and Your Students, this post gave really good ideas about how to keep your students engaged in reading over the summer. The first idea was to have the students reflect on their yearlong reading journal and develop a plan for reading over the summer. The post had other great ideas to get students excited about reading over the summer, but one idea I would like to share would be to take you students to the library before the year ends and sign them up for a reading program through the local library. This blog had lots of really great ideas.
I liked about seven reasons teachers should do blogs because from my own personal experience, i never had a experience making blog before but once I make one and sharing other people's ideas were helpful for me to see other people's perspective
ReplyDeleteI have attempted to write a blog before, but until now, I didn't have a very clear focus. Like you, I have now become more aware of other people's blogs and am always finding new ones to add to my RSS feed! I especially think blogs are useful for us as teachers to help "crystallize" our thoughts and to get feedback from other teachers. I also like how they open up new audiences.
ReplyDeleteI think that the "planning a productive summer" blog is very nice because I have seen firsthand (with the summer reading practicum) how completely unfocused and tuned-out students get during the summer. Very few of the students I have worked with this summer actually have done any reading voluntarily, which amazes me because when I was a kid, I couldn't WAIT to get started on our public library's summer reading program. I think that introducing the kids to the program before school is out is an excellent idea because they probably would not otherwise take the initiative.
I really liked the seven reasons teacher should blog. After doing this bloging for class I am not sure if I am hooked but, I do think it can be fun and I think I would start a new one for my student teaching. I think that it is important to keep students names out of it. I think that it can be befefical to myself and fellow student teacher.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of managing tech tools in the classroom. That can often be stressful, disorderly, and confusing. I really like organization so learning about this was meaningful to me and my future classroom. The post on blogging is interesting. I have also found some blogs that I like personally though I'm not new to blogging from this class. I like the incorporation of literature in summer planning and activities.
ReplyDeleteI loved that you found a blog about how important it is for teachers to blog. I think its important for a lot of teachers to open their eyes and understand why its so important for them to begin to accept technology and impliment it in the classroom. Some teachers feel it isnt necissary, but that makes the children suffer in the long run.
ReplyDeleteThe Scholastic blog sounds like a great one to follow. It is so important to keep children interested in things like reading over the summer. I remember when I was younger my mom would always register my sister and I for the public library reading program. We would get a prize each week for the number of books we would read from a list for our age level. I think it is sad that children in America often forget so much of the information they learn during the school year over the summer.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever used the mobile computer lab when you were in school (laptops on the cart)? We used them in my Japanese class, and were able to use them to write in Japanese to our penpals. I think they are more common in schools today than when I was in school. You should find out if they'll be available at the school you'll be interning at.
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