Tuesday 19 March 2013

Student Blogging

In September when I started blogging with my Grade One students, I was probably more scared than they were. Our first computer lab period was...  insanity. My Grade Ones were taught how to log on and use a computer in Kindergarten, but they had a summer to forget and I wasn't just asking them to log on. We needed to log onto the computer, get into kidblog and then start blogging. It was a completely brand new, multi-step task for them but I pushed them to try it. It was probably one of the most loudest, craziest computer periods we ever had - but I have absolutely NO regret it. We are now into our 7th month of blogging and my Grade Ones are independent bloggers! They still need help once in awhile logging in or starting a new post, but generally, all my students know how to blog, read and leave comments for others. It's so exciting to see! They have an authentic audience and a purpose to write. I have 6 and 7 year olds that are learning that their voice is important and others will read what they write.

This week we just came back from March Break. We all had a week off and now back into routine. We started Monday by talking about what we did over the break. We shared with each other and got inspired by our stories. Then I asked my students to draw a picture of their March Break adventure. I hadn't asked them to write anything down yet, but to put their story into a picture. After break, we went into the computer lab and I have my students blog about their March Break adventures. I gave them their pictures back to look at it while they started writing. All students got right into their writing and worked their best. Tonight I added their pictures to their blogs so they could share their March Break adventures with the 'internet world'. They produced their best writing yet. I have a group of 6 and 7 year old bloggers. You can check out their blogs here.

Looking back at their writing from September until now, I can see a huge growth in their writing development. They are becoming quite the writers! It is such an exciting process to see. Thank you to my #1stchat friends who encouraged me at the beginning of September to just start blogging with my Grade Ones right away and to 'jump in with both feet'. Well, I jumped... and I'm incredibly grateful I did! Grade one blogging is the best!

3 comments:

  1. Did you have to do anything different to get permission for your students to blog? Do you approve all blog posts and comments? Really wanting to try this but a little nervous! =)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Lauren,
    It depends on your principal of your school to whether you need permission or a letter explaining what you will be doing. Since there are no faces and nothing personal on the blog, my principal felt it was safe for us to use it. I approve EVERYTHING before it gets posted for others to read. The great thing about kidblog is that you can choose to keep it private, so no one else can see your blog but your students. It limits the audience, but still allows your students to try blogging. Check it out with your administration at your school - but if you can go public, do it. It really is worth it to get a global audience. We have "friends" from France that we blogged back and forth to this past year.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, I think it would be much more powerful to be public. Thank you so much! I'm excited to try!

    ReplyDelete