Blogging is for all.....

Today I created a digital flyer that I could share with others to invite them to join the blogging community.  Check it out below.

Digital Flyer

My Classroom Blogging Dream

My classroom blogging dream is all part of a bigger dream that my students would all have access to computers in a 1:1 learning environment.  This would allow each student to access a blogging or collaborative site more frequently.

Ideally I would love for each of my students to have 2 blogs.  One That could be used as a portfolio to share specific assignments with myself and others.  And a second that they could use to reflect upon their learning and comment on each other's learning.  I feel that if the students can share the process they are going through with others, it might spark an idea for another student.

How can blogging add to our learning?

I think that Blogging can benefit both myself as well as my students.  

For my students, it would give them a platform to express their thoughts, ideas, and creative notions.  It also teaches them that there is more to writing than just essay writing.  I think that it can be a great motivation to our students to use proper english/grammar.  So often our kids get into the habit of using texting/twitter short hand that they forget to be aware of how and what they are writing.  Even though the idea giving 3rd graders access to comment on each others work in a public forum makes me nervous.  It would offer a great opportunity to teach the students about digital citizenship and constructive criticism.  From what I have seen the last few years, students at this age could all use a few lessons on expressing themselves in an appropriate manner.

For me, blogging is going to force me to be even more reflective.  In order to become a great teacher we can't just tell ourselves that the lesson was great.  We have to be honest, and think about how did it work for my kids, what are they still struggling with, what more can I do to help them?  It's also important to share ideas with other educators.  But putting my struggles out there for everyone to read, it is possible that other teachers will comment and offer suggestions that will expand my thinking, and suggest options that I would never have come up with.  

Look at all of the AMAZING teachers who put themselves out there and share what they are doing in their classrooms.  Do you ever feel like you aspire to be one of them?  I do.  Maybe blogging is the first step on my journey.

How can I be a blogger?

I have been an avid blog reader for almost 5 years now.  The one thing that has always eluded me, is how on earth do these educators find the time to post all of these great things.  I get making time for it in the summer as we are all preparing for a new year, because, after all, it is FABULOUS to have the summers off :-).  But how do people manage to find the time to post with the INCREASING demands from our classrooms, plus the additional demands from our family?

So, I'm going to give it a shot.  I am going to find a way to make the time to blog.  I am typically a person that has lofty goals that will typically realize that they were too big and fail.  So, I am going to start this another way.  My goal is to set aside one night a week that I will post.  Typically Wednesday nights are a pretty calm night for us.  This being said, I am going to attempt to post a blog every Wednesday night.  Once I feel like I can be successful with this.  I am going to attempt to add another night.  

I have always wanted to share my ideas with others, so it's time I finally take that leap.