With the infusion of technology in the majority of class, many instructors are discovering blog sites an excellent method to galvanize and motivate purposeful writing then to quickly release student work.
Publishing is an important step, but I advise instructors to think about blogs as so much more than just a way to publicize student work. A blog site empowers students to connect with a global audience. It assists students produce their own online identity and authentically discover about the significance of a digital web presence. To aid develop connections, and enter into a worldwide learning community, students must learn how to make a blog and the best ways to blog in an engaging way– a skill that needs more than just an understanding of great writing.
Teaching blogging requires teachers to take a step back and truly set up some of the preliminary ground work. Below are some useful approaches to make the blogging experience richer for students and to aid them build new connections– to ultimately end up being valued contributors of their learning neighborhood.
- Start with Paper Blogging
She stressed the importance of having students write their very first blog post on paper. The students then use post-it notes to comment on two different blog sites.
I ask students to stand by a blog site and act out their remarks. After a student has supplied us with their remarkable interpretation, the class can debrief on what understandings the comment offered, how it assisted to continue the discussion or how it might have been lacking something handy. Linda Yollis, a prolific blogger from California, has her primary grade students commenting better than many adults.
- Concentrate on Titles
When I initially began blogging with my students, it was painful!
Unpleasant since students were providing their blog posts the outright worst titles ever. Their blogs had titles like these: “Assignment # 1” and “My Article.” Prior to pulling all my hair out, one uninteresting blog title at a time, I decided that I had to teach my students ways to develop catchy titles for their blog sites so they might lure other individuals to actually read their writing. Publishing is vital, however if no one reads what you released, exactly what is the point? It is much like the tree in the woods that falls when nobody is around to hear it– does it make a noise?
Consider this example from my own 7th graders. I had asked them to do a blog site post debating Mac vs. PC. A lot of blog titles were either Project # 1, Macs are best, PC’s are much better, or some other uninteresting concoctions of the very same generic name- up until we buckled down about titles. After truly stressing the idea that no one will certainly read your blog without an excellent title right here is what my students developed. My personal favorite is the last one, though all them were catchy enough that I was delighted to read the material. I am so pleased of what they had the ability to do when we really discussed the value of an attracting title.
- Don’t Always Offer The Prompts– Think of Re-Framing the Prompt
He accomplishes this by reframing the prompt. David states to “Re-Frame something, students take something that they have discovered in class and Frame it through the lens of something they enjoy.”.
Instead of assigning the prompt about Hamlet coupled with something straight in the play, think about permitting students to find something they are enthusiastic about, like browsing, and have them discuss why Hamlet might have been an excellent surfer. It is just approaching the blog through the lens of the students’ passions, not another prompt made up by the instructor.
- Put Down the Red Pen.
Think about not grading the blogging procedure. I truly believe in allowing children to compose without a worry of a grade will give them the opportunity to be imaginative and take threats.
As you start blogging, or begin to consider about how you may make it much better, these ideas may give you some food for thought. These useful methods have actually changed blogging in my classroom have assisted me influence more linked and purposeful writing from my students.