Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Planting Seeds
Last week, I had another fruitful conversation with a colleague who is having kids blog. While I was hoping to have a link to those blogs to share, alas, it was not to be. Combined with my recent meet up with Doug Bundy, Alfie Kohn's research, and the Dave Mathys' 20% project at Lake Oswego High, there is a clear trend here. Blogging allows kids to submit their work to a wider audience than just a teacher. Kids take blogging seriously and are often far more reflective in their blogs than they are either in a conference or filling out "another" meta-critical survey. Blogs receive visitors from all over the world. Crafted properly, a student's blog could easily replace a report card. Kids receive authentic feedback in a timely fashion. Families can connect to their children's work, and the blog provides a longitudinal record of achievement and growth. A student's blog would be much richer than either narrative reports or report cards. Imagine schools with no report cards. I am considering turning my midwinter project into a blogged one. Students would include their writing, 3D projects, and teaching ideas. Or, I might go for a project similar to the 20% project. I am thankful for those who mentor me and show me the possibilities of what can be. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.
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You might be interested in what we're doing down the road, at OES. My students have been blogging since '05, and my current 10th graders are setting a new, high standard. Our blog is focused on reflection - we're using blogging to achieve metacognition. You might enjoy it. I've posted the assignment and our guidelines on the "About" page. http://ageofex.wordpress.com. Cheers.
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@MikeGwaltney