We are still not up and blogging yet. I know it seems crazy and a long process but when you only have tech time once a week and I am still struggling with district technology problems the process gets delayed. However, that is not stopping us from talking about and getting ready for our turn to blog. During our Tech Time Thursday this past week we explored three AMAZING first grade classroom blogs! I posed the question "What can we post on our blogs?" to the students and then passed out computers. Working in pairs students traveled from our district website to links connected to three classroom blogs. They visited Mrs. Lirenman's Class, Mrs. Cassidy's class, and Mrs. DeGroot's class. The collaboration, engagement, and excitement was abuzz the minute they saw other student's work. What I liked best about these blogs was that they posted creations and not just written words. Students in these classes are continuously sharing what they know about content area topics. There were also a few written pieces sentences explaining their work. We had trouble understanding the words and it brought a great conversation about why spelling, grammar, and editing was important. The biggest revelation was that Mrs. Degroot's class posted Poplets. During our word work station many children create Poplets to sort their spelling words or to create a brainstorm map. They were excited to have the connection and know that they can post their Poplets on their blog. Students had many ideas of what they could post on their blog. Not only did students learn what they could post but it was a good jumping off point for students to see different creations that they could make to show what they learned. This was a great step in the process to blogging! I would definitely keep this step in my blogging adventures next year.
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You know you loved them! You would go home get out the construction paper, scissors, glue, and make a mess of the dining room table for an entire week. You loved constructing, building, and adding new items so that there were things flying in the air and cotton balls filled the bottom. And then what? You presented it to the class who were essentially bored of hearing mundane talks about many other dioramas and then threw it away (or your mom did) about two weeks later. That is my recollection about dioramas. Sounds exciting and invigorating but for what? While this maybe exciting for some, it is probably not for most and let's be honest the parents hate it! So why am I talking about dioramas? Last week my teammates and I were discussing our homework plans for the following week. We had planned on a diorama project. The objective was to read a familiar book several times and determine the setting of the story. Identifying the setting was just step one, then students need to recreate that setting in the form of a diorama. In discussing this project we 1. Could not figure out why we assigned this project (it was brought over from last year's calendar) 2. We just asked parents for shoeboxes for Valentine's Day and soon for Earth Day 3. The parents at the table discussed their personal loathe of their own kids creating projects at home. Nevertheless the conclusion was that we would be assigning the diorama project the following week with the exception that it did not need to be in a cardboard box, it could be on a piece of cardboard, a cereal box, etc. So naturally, I had to find a way to make this project more engaging for some of my less than enthusiastic students. That's when it happened! Friday at snack time one student was discussing with another student their newest Minecraft creation. Then more students started joining the conversation. Minecraft is a buzz in my room and yet I'm not entirely sure everything about it. So I asked the students to tell me about it. They explained how you use blocks to build and you try to keep your guy safe by making these buildings. That made sense because I had seen the advertisement and I had seen a video of a guy wielding a sword through a castle. But then I got an idea! So what you are saying is that you are building places for this guy to live in and hide out in from other people. The students replied "Well yes, but it depends on what one you have and where you want to go." They peaked my interest and I had to know more. I pulled up the Minecraft.net website and looked at the selling points. The site read: Minecraft is a game about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew players worked together to create wonderful, imaginative things. |
Subjects scrapped andreplaced with "topics" as country reforms its education system | Finland, is saying good bye to traditional school subjects like math and history. This article tells how Finland is changing their curriculum to integrate subject areas rather than teaching subjects in isolation. |
“We really need a rethinking of education and a redesigning of our system, so it prepares our children for the future with the skills that are needed for today and tomorrow. " Marjo Kyllonen, Helsinki’s education manager, Finland
With this shift in education, Finland is embracing digital literacy.
Digital literacy can be defined as: The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information.¹
The ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers. ²
A person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment… Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments. ³ as stated on US Digital Literacy.
by The University Library of The University of Illinois
Put simply Digital Literacy is the balance between literacy skills and the 4C's of technology use. This blog post calls it Where the 3Rs Meet the 4Cs.
Digital literacy can be defined as: The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information.¹
The ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers. ²
A person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment… Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments. ³ as stated on US Digital Literacy.
by The University Library of The University of Illinois
Put simply Digital Literacy is the balance between literacy skills and the 4C's of technology use. This blog post calls it Where the 3Rs Meet the 4Cs.
While you can encourage students to respond to a question in multiple ways without technology tools, multimedia authoring tools engage student’s different intelligences and interests and naturally encourage them to create products that reflect their individuality and unique ideas. ~Melinda Kolk via Tech4Learning Blog
I love everything about this. We are finally looking towards creating a student centered learning environment when students will gain skills and content in areas of their interest and relevance to their futures.
Merging the 3R's and 4C's is about students creating, evaluating, and applying knowledge to a variety of tasks. These tasks or topics lead themselves to student learning being accessed at the a variety of levels on Bloom's Taxonomy. Kathy Schock's reflection on Bloom's Taxonomy and it's connection to the Apps students are using highlights the benefit of using technology to help foster literacy skills as well as a host of other important learning skills.
There is so much more to learn about Digital Literacy and it's affects in our education system but I think Finland is on the right track to eliminating subjects and creating topics for students to explore and analyze as they train to become our future.
There is so much more to learn about Digital Literacy and it's affects in our education system but I think Finland is on the right track to eliminating subjects and creating topics for students to explore and analyze as they train to become our future.
Three Parent Teacher Conferences- Three technology discussions
This week was parent teacher conferences. I love and loathe this week. I love discussing student progress, missteps, and goals with parents. I loathe the long day and pure exhaustion of changing from kid- mode to adult mode. However this week three parent conferences stood out in my mind. Hopefully these conversations will help give you confidence, provide resources, and a peek into the parents point of view of the use of technology in a first grade classroom.
This week was parent teacher conferences. I love and loathe this week. I love discussing student progress, missteps, and goals with parents. I loathe the long day and pure exhaustion of changing from kid- mode to adult mode. However this week three parent conferences stood out in my mind. Hopefully these conversations will help give you confidence, provide resources, and a peek into the parents point of view of the use of technology in a first grade classroom.
Conversations #1- Day 1, Conference 1
A terrific start! My first conference was with the parents of a boy who is an enthusiastic learner and loves using technology. When I introduced KidBlog to the students and allowed them to log on and log off this student left my room asking "How do I get to KidBlog at home?" My nervousness set in, I stopped him in his tracks and asked him what we can and cannot post online. I am not sure why I was so nervous as I have so many restrictions on KidBlog he really couldn't do too much harm but still I was not ready for the home access. However, from his response he was. Fast forward to meeting with his parents. I start my conferences with "Have you seen the report card, do you have any questions, comments, things you would like to discuss?" Immediately mom piped up, "I love what you are doing with teaching the students about safety online! My son has been the internet police in our house. I have a 14 year old daughter who is on Instagram and my son grabbed her phone to check her username. When he discovered her username revealed her full name he yelled are her and told her you should never tell the internet your name!" My heart melted. You don't always know the influence that you have on your students until the learning comes full circle.
Conversation #2- Overuse at home
How do your kids use technology at home? Do they play games, listen to books, or write for authentic audiences? Majority will most likely say play games. Which is fine as long as it's not excessive and used as a baby sitting tool. My second use of technology parent conference was the discussion of using the iPad as a babysitting tool. While there is a time and place for "fun" use of technology the consistent use of technology just for fun presents a challenge when using technology as a tool for learning. I have found that this is the biggest obstacle when introducing technology as a learning tool. This student is a struggling reader and when I asked mom if/when he reads at home she struggled to answer. She said it's hard to get him off the iPad. When he gets home that's all he wants to do. She also stated that with a two year old running around and trying to make dinner allowing him on the iPad is so much easier. I suggested that she have him use the iPad for learning if the necessity is for him to be on the iPad for sanity of the household. He has access to RAZkids (an online book library), write about this (a writing prompt tool), and starfall (a beginning reading/math app). Hopefully with these suggestions his iPad time can be productive towards becoming a better reader rather than a gamer. (Not that there is anything wrong with that :-))
Conversation #3- Using 21st century tools
My conversation with these parents revolved around goals for motivating their first grader into liking school, being organized, and finding a structure that allows him to strive in both of these areas. We started with his organizational skills. His dad had a brilliant idea that was to put a desk in his home office so that he could model a strong work ethic, organizational skills, and motivate him to be "just like dad", which we already knew was a motivator. On top of that, his dad asked a powerful question. He asked "How can we make him a 21st century learner?" I thought I was ready to answer this question but after having this conversation I reflected on some of my teaching practices and while I am starting to introduce technology tools I wondered if I really am teaching them 21st century skills with the technology tools. Now dad was simply asking what tools he could provide his son on the iPad/computer that were more educational rather than games. They do not let the child on the computer or iPad. This is quite evident when we are using technology on the computer. So I researched the answer to this question so I am better prepared the next time a parent asked me this question as well as to perfect my practice.
Angela Watson was asked this same question from teachers. She reflects on the question by including the 4C's, how to access technology, and how technology enhances an elementary classroom. From this post I realize that the practice in my classroom is working on it's way towards providing 21st century skills to the students. The next step is to teach parents how to utilize and foster the 21st century skills learned in school.
This blog shares how 21st century skills exist in a first grade classroom. The author also shares the steps to creating a blog and it's reasons for incorporating them into the first grade classroom. I am proud to say that when I responded to this parent's question about creating a 21st century learner that I included our journey of creating a classroom blog and it's use for an authentic audience for our writing. There is a long way for me to go to ensure parents that their students can use their 21st century skills and use of technology at home for creation, collaboration, and critical thinking but the first steps are in place.
Angela Watson was asked this same question from teachers. She reflects on the question by including the 4C's, how to access technology, and how technology enhances an elementary classroom. From this post I realize that the practice in my classroom is working on it's way towards providing 21st century skills to the students. The next step is to teach parents how to utilize and foster the 21st century skills learned in school.
This blog shares how 21st century skills exist in a first grade classroom. The author also shares the steps to creating a blog and it's reasons for incorporating them into the first grade classroom. I am proud to say that when I responded to this parent's question about creating a 21st century learner that I included our journey of creating a classroom blog and it's use for an authentic audience for our writing. There is a long way for me to go to ensure parents that their students can use their 21st century skills and use of technology at home for creation, collaboration, and critical thinking but the first steps are in place.
Last week was Dr. Seuss's birthday and a week long celebration of reading across America. I seized this opportunity to do just that, read across America. I am slowly knocking down the walls of my classroom. This week my classroom had two walls knocked down as we collaborated with many different classrooms in other states. While the activities may not have been the most beneficial for student learning, problem solving, and critical thinking they were the first steps in sharing with my students the possibilities and similarities they have. Here are two ways you can expand your classroom and I urge you to try.
Oh The Thinks You Can Think Up If Only You TRY!
1. Reader's Theatrer via GHO On Monday we used Google Hang Out to connect with Mrs. Flicek's class in Wisconsin. We read an adapted version of The Thinks You Can Think for a reader's theater. Prior to meeting with Mrs. Flicek's class we read the text and found rhyming words, vocabulary, and the meaning of the text. Mrs. Flicek's class was Narrator 1 and we were responsible for the Narrator 2 parts. I divided the parts so that each student had one line. Students practiced reading their lines in small groups, with expression, and clarity. When we read the play together with Mrs. Flicek's class many students had memorized their lines and surrounding lines to use their speaking and listening skills. We also had time for a Q & A session. I think they liked this part the best. The discovered that Mrs. Flicek's class also loves chicken nuggets in the cafeteria and use Daily 5 for the reading stations. Students loved making this connection with students far away from them. 2. Kahoot! was a Hoot On Friday we finished up our Dr. Seuss study by playing an online game called Name That Dr. Seuss Character. We did that my using the site Kahoot.it. It is an online formative assessment tool. The questions are displayed on a projector while students have individual devices where they can input their answers in a game like way. On the individual devices four squares are illuminated for answer choices. Students read the question and the choices off the class board and press their own device for their answer choice. It is very interactive and I would recommend using it in your classroom. However our first time using it went beyond just our classroom. Six other first grade classes participated in this event. One teacher used the screen share option on GHO to display the question and choices. Students used a personalized pin to connect into the game and they were able to connect and play with students from across America. Some states represented were Florida, Wisconsin, and Illinois. We had a blast inside and "outside" our classroom last week! I would recommend doing both of these activities. |
As I have stated before Kid Blog was not my first choice when deciding to blog with first graders but with the software I have and the privacy it contains it was what would/will work. I am nipping at getting these blogs up and going. I want to create this digital portfolio with my students so they have some keepsake memories to cherish forever. However, if it's not one thing it's another.
One hurdle I thought I could help get over when it came to blogging was first grade typing skills. They are slow, they are just learning to read and write independently. We teach them a systematic order for the alphabet and they look at a jumbled keyboard. To top that there are additional distractions on the keyboard (and to be honest in the classroom). So I thought I'd address this hurdle by adding laptops to my Work on Writing station during our Daily 5 round. Brilliant! Students were engaged, writers were publishing, students were becoming familiar with the keyboard and a few experimented with the size, font, and color (surprise, surprise). I even appointed a Tech Helper to assist students in need while I was working with a small group. We were ready for our first post...or not.
Last Thursday, I decided we were going to log in to KidBlog, change our passwords, and possibly change our avatar. WAY TOO MANY OBJECTIVES. Start with LOG IN. period.
I had kidproofed the process. I had already registered all of them with their usernames, given everyone our common password, and even created a sample kid blog to ensure that what I was doing set up correctly in kid version. When it was time for the lesson I had the smartboard slides set up with step by step directions to log in using a code so they didn't have to type the long url to access our site. Of course, not so much. Technology is messy, learning is messy and I am learning right in front of them!
Word of Advice:
1. If you set up your students yourself, do not bother with the code. For those that make it all the way through, they end up creating another account.
Take the time for them to type in the long url and then bookmark it.
2. Some students will log on quickly, others will not, have those students help.
3. Stress the importance of Log Out.
4. Let them play with the site. See what they can and can not do. Take notes so you know what the next lesson could be or what you need to fix in the settings.
One hurdle I thought I could help get over when it came to blogging was first grade typing skills. They are slow, they are just learning to read and write independently. We teach them a systematic order for the alphabet and they look at a jumbled keyboard. To top that there are additional distractions on the keyboard (and to be honest in the classroom). So I thought I'd address this hurdle by adding laptops to my Work on Writing station during our Daily 5 round. Brilliant! Students were engaged, writers were publishing, students were becoming familiar with the keyboard and a few experimented with the size, font, and color (surprise, surprise). I even appointed a Tech Helper to assist students in need while I was working with a small group. We were ready for our first post...or not.
Last Thursday, I decided we were going to log in to KidBlog, change our passwords, and possibly change our avatar. WAY TOO MANY OBJECTIVES. Start with LOG IN. period.
I had kidproofed the process. I had already registered all of them with their usernames, given everyone our common password, and even created a sample kid blog to ensure that what I was doing set up correctly in kid version. When it was time for the lesson I had the smartboard slides set up with step by step directions to log in using a code so they didn't have to type the long url to access our site. Of course, not so much. Technology is messy, learning is messy and I am learning right in front of them!
Word of Advice:
1. If you set up your students yourself, do not bother with the code. For those that make it all the way through, they end up creating another account.
Take the time for them to type in the long url and then bookmark it.
2. Some students will log on quickly, others will not, have those students help.
3. Stress the importance of Log Out.
4. Let them play with the site. See what they can and can not do. Take notes so you know what the next lesson could be or what you need to fix in the settings.
I don't recall how I came across this blog post, but I did and I love it! I have been pondering about the topic even since I read it. I've thought about how it applies to my own personality, how I work, and how it applies to my students, as well as how it applies to the work I have been doing with this blog. The blog post is called We Can't All Be Cannon Ballers. Shelley Moses The Mean Evil Step-Teacher, writer of the post, explains that a dear colleague of hers is vastly different from her and yet they still love working together. She goes on to tell how different they are by using this metaphor. Shelley is a cannon baller she jumps into the water and comes up laughing and having a great time. While her colleague likes to take it easy and dip her toe in the water testing it out ever so slightly until it feels right. Shelley continues to explain how this dynamic is the balance she needs to keep teaching enjoyable and the realization that burn out may be attributed to this imbalance. Upon personal reflection of this notion of being a cannon baller or toe dipper, I was torn. My gut was saying cannon baller all the way but my mind was saying toe dipper. I like to try new things, I like to explore, I like to get messy, laugh and make a fool of myself at times. But I also have extreme anxiety over the same things. I need to make calculated risks, I have to weigh the pros and cons, schedule out the step by step directions to jump off the diving board. In terms of technology and the use of it in my own life and in my classroom I realized that I WAS a toe dipper and now I am a cannon baller! In my first graduate class that introduced technology in the classroom I was excited! I wanted to know how my students could produce using iPads, how they could brainstorm and connect with each other using technology, however social media was not on my radar. So naturally when my professor's first request was to open a Twitter account I was a toe dipper! I was scared, I did not know what to expect. I am long winded, how can I say what I want to say in 140 characters (still working on that)? Who are these people? Why would they want to help me? How are they going to help me? My first graders can not be involved on Twitter! But now, I am a cannon baller. The past three Sundays I have made it a point to be at #1stchat. It has become a social hour where I can connect and learn so much! This week I even allotted time in my weekly schedule to try something from my 1stchat Twitter chat! I was going to take a suggestion from the group and cannonball right in to trying it with my first graders. A suggestion was made to create a collaborative group for Dr. Seuss week. Some of the big wigs in 1stchat were getting involved, I didn't know I could be a part of that group. However, I signed up and I am excited to say that I am participating in two events this week! One is a Reader's Theatre with 2 other classrooms in Michigan and Wisconsin. The other is with multiple classrooms across the US and Canada. We are going to do a Dr. Seuss themed Kahoot. I am excited for this adventure with my first graders. I am meddling in the cannonball zone and I kind of like it! :-) | |
Are you a cannon baller or toe dipper?
But how about my approach with my students. Shelley makes a great statement when she says "So I have realized that in teaching, I need to get out of the way of the cannon ballers in order to let them learn from their mistakes. But I also need to allow time and space for the toe dippers to ease their way into something new, and maybe even hold a hand now and then." Since reading this blog post I have been more cognoscente of this. We are taking a personal narrative through the writing process. Naturally, I wanted them to jump right onto the computers and start typing to get our first blog posts up. But keeping this notion in mind I decided to allow the students to choose their method of publishing. Students could choose to use Word to type the final copy, the iPads to use Voice, an app we used before, or the paper pencil method. I was astonished at the results. Most of the students chose to type on the computers ( a new novelty they have just started using). One chose paper and pencil. I am impressed with how well the students responded and how they did not see technology as a toy but rather as a tool to achieve the same goal. There was no discussion of that's not fair and everyone was able to obtain the goal at their own pace. This provided appropriate choices for them and it allowed students to stretch out in their own comfort zones. While this may not be the greatest example, this is a giant leap forward for me in providing students with the opportunity to be a cannon baller or toe dipper on their own terms.
Thursday February 19 was the Chinese New Year. A parent from my classroom came in and taught us about the traditions of the Chinese New Year. It was a great first person account and she was fully prepared with red envelopes filled with money, stuffed animals that represent the zodiac signs, a youtube video explaining a legend behind the signs and a paper plate craft of a sheep (The year's Zodiac sign).
The lesson was awesome, but of course I had to incorporate some technology on our Tech Time Thursday. Rewind to Tuesday when I went to pick my students up from indoor recess in another teacher's classroom. Two of my students were sitting in the hallway playing on the iPads. I am so thankful I taught my students how to hold, use, and navigate the iPad with safety. I did not have a good feeling walking up to them on the iPads, in the hallway, by themselves. When I peeked over their shoulders and asked what they were playing, one student showed me a funny clip of himself with a slit where his mouth is and talking jibberish. He was using the app Chatterpix Kids. He chose an app, explored, and taught himself how to work it. It was great problem solving skills. From that point on, I thought I have to find a way to show him how to use this app in an educational way. I had the hook, he loved the app, now how do I apply his high level of engagement to an educational task. Fast forward to a paper plate craft of a sheep that was so adorable and cute but not necessarily everyone's interest level. I asked the student who explored the Chatterpix App on his own to pick two friends that were polite and respectful to our classmate's mom as she taught us about the Chinese New Year. His task was to use the stuffed animals, symbols, and red envelopes to teach someone else about the Chinese New Year but he had to use the Chatterpix App. Fun, engaging, high interest app tied to an educational topic as well as he was teaching others how to use the app, I hit the motherload!
Allowing him to wander in uncharted territory was hard. I was worried, I wasn't sure what would be on that screen, I had taught them a few lessons on what is appropriate and what is not appropriate but would they apply it in all settings. So far, they have proven that I can trust them (a little bit). However, allowing him to wander in this uncharted territory sparked curiosity,innovation, and leadership. It was wonderful to see him share his work and apply his knowledge to both the Chinese New Year and the Chatterpix App.
The lesson was awesome, but of course I had to incorporate some technology on our Tech Time Thursday. Rewind to Tuesday when I went to pick my students up from indoor recess in another teacher's classroom. Two of my students were sitting in the hallway playing on the iPads. I am so thankful I taught my students how to hold, use, and navigate the iPad with safety. I did not have a good feeling walking up to them on the iPads, in the hallway, by themselves. When I peeked over their shoulders and asked what they were playing, one student showed me a funny clip of himself with a slit where his mouth is and talking jibberish. He was using the app Chatterpix Kids. He chose an app, explored, and taught himself how to work it. It was great problem solving skills. From that point on, I thought I have to find a way to show him how to use this app in an educational way. I had the hook, he loved the app, now how do I apply his high level of engagement to an educational task. Fast forward to a paper plate craft of a sheep that was so adorable and cute but not necessarily everyone's interest level. I asked the student who explored the Chatterpix App on his own to pick two friends that were polite and respectful to our classmate's mom as she taught us about the Chinese New Year. His task was to use the stuffed animals, symbols, and red envelopes to teach someone else about the Chinese New Year but he had to use the Chatterpix App. Fun, engaging, high interest app tied to an educational topic as well as he was teaching others how to use the app, I hit the motherload!
Allowing him to wander in uncharted territory was hard. I was worried, I wasn't sure what would be on that screen, I had taught them a few lessons on what is appropriate and what is not appropriate but would they apply it in all settings. So far, they have proven that I can trust them (a little bit). However, allowing him to wander in this uncharted territory sparked curiosity,innovation, and leadership. It was wonderful to see him share his work and apply his knowledge to both the Chinese New Year and the Chatterpix App.
So Jenny Lussier (@jluss) came to visit my grad class tonight and an ah ha or uh oh moment may have occurred.
She shared a blog that a teacher in her district is using. This teacher was using weebly. I love Weebly. I love how user friendly it is, the themes, and the simplicity yet elegant style of it. When tasked with this bloggng adventure I wanted to be a colearner with my students so therefore I wanted to use Weebly with my students as well. The logistics of getting students onto one account without everyone knowing the password or each student having their own and having to log onto individual pages to approve proved to be more of a burden than it was worth, so I am blogging with Weebly and my students are blogging with Kidblog.
Anyways, Jenny shared this teacher's blog explaining that she used it with her students, this is where my excitement rose! There is a way to use Weebly with students! Well...not so much...
The teacher posts in Weebly and students comment. Students log into the blog read the post and press comment! So simple, so smart, and still ensuring that students have a voice in a safe and focused way.
I couldn't believe it!
At first I was thinking Uh Oh! I made a mistake, I should have started with comments, simple entries, all on one interface. But now, it may be an Ah Ha! We haven't started blogging yet. I can still go this route. It will provide my students with the needed typing skills, responses to others' post, as well as create ideas for them to blog about. It will just be the ANTICI........PATION that may hinder their (and my) excitement for blogging.
So should I have started here before getting their excitement into creating their own blogs? Would you start with students commenting on your post or creating their own space adding to their own digital portfolio/footprint? Was this an uh oh or ah ha moment?
She shared a blog that a teacher in her district is using. This teacher was using weebly. I love Weebly. I love how user friendly it is, the themes, and the simplicity yet elegant style of it. When tasked with this bloggng adventure I wanted to be a colearner with my students so therefore I wanted to use Weebly with my students as well. The logistics of getting students onto one account without everyone knowing the password or each student having their own and having to log onto individual pages to approve proved to be more of a burden than it was worth, so I am blogging with Weebly and my students are blogging with Kidblog.
Anyways, Jenny shared this teacher's blog explaining that she used it with her students, this is where my excitement rose! There is a way to use Weebly with students! Well...not so much...
The teacher posts in Weebly and students comment. Students log into the blog read the post and press comment! So simple, so smart, and still ensuring that students have a voice in a safe and focused way.
I couldn't believe it!
At first I was thinking Uh Oh! I made a mistake, I should have started with comments, simple entries, all on one interface. But now, it may be an Ah Ha! We haven't started blogging yet. I can still go this route. It will provide my students with the needed typing skills, responses to others' post, as well as create ideas for them to blog about. It will just be the ANTICI........PATION that may hinder their (and my) excitement for blogging.
So should I have started here before getting their excitement into creating their own blogs? Would you start with students commenting on your post or creating their own space adding to their own digital portfolio/footprint? Was this an uh oh or ah ha moment?
Why can't we post this to our blogs? | I figured out why we cannot upload our avatars onto Kidblog without the app closing. The iPads need more space! Technology is great when you can work on them yourself, unfortunately I share a class set of iPads with 8 other classrooms and each teacher requests their own apps plus the ones forced by the district. Now we must go through the process of prioritizing to ensure the iPads can work properly. So in the meantime during our "Tech Time Thursday" this week we started to change our pictures from our Voice book recommendation videos. I started this lesson with students reviewing their video and asking why can't we post this on our blogs? I was so excited to hear that students immediately identified that their names and pictures were on the first slide! So we went to work on fixing it. The simple step would've been to just delete the first page and then it would be uploadable but that would not be as much work/fun. Using my PLN on Twitter I found this post from Kathy Cassidy. |
Thanks to Kristin Ziemke's post on Try It Tomorrow, I did just that! Using the app Doodle Buddy students uploaded the same selfie they used in the Voice book recommendation as the background and used the paint tools to recreate an avatar of themselves. It was awesome! Two students were able to finish, they rest struggled with the iPad freezing (once again a product of too much on the iPad). Quick, easy, and fun! Introduced a new app, made it functional, and kept digital safety in mind :-) Overall, a great lesson.
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Mrs. Bedford's First Grade Class
We are learning all about being safe online. This blog is an online journal of the lessons I have done to create digital citizens on the road to blogging. Please use this blog as a reference when you are setting your students up for a successful lifelong lesson of traveling online safely.