I teach 10th grade mathematics, and I feel that one way blogs can be best utilized in my classroom is through collaboration with other classes or students. My school will soon begin placing an emphasis on cross-curricular projects, and I feel that a blog can help my students communicate with other classes if they are working on a project together. A blog should help alleviate some of the logistical issues that arrive from this type of project because students from one course can present their information or findings to the other class within the blog. Students could log on to find information on the project, or to ask questions or discuss issues that arise during the project.
Using a blog in this way enhances the lesson because students are creating classroom community and learning about the content of the lessons. Also, students are able to continue their learning at anytime or anywhere just by having access to the internet. Students from both classes can learn from each other without teachers having to set up times for each class to meet together during the school day. If you have any ideas on how teachers are using blogs in the classroom, please share them as I am trying to develop how I will use them within my classroom.
Thanks,
Bryan
Reference:
Hi Bryan.
ReplyDeleteThis sort of collaboration among courses sounds like a great idea. Have you or the staff in your school already been doing a fair amount of cross-curricular lesson planning? If so, how do you and your students manage it currently?
I have been interested in those who are using blogs communicate with another class in another part of the world. I find that very exciting! Is that something you'd be interested in for your program? How would I go about finding a "partner" school?
Have a great week!
-Heather
Bryan,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a wonderful idea. What a great way to like you said, create a sense of community for these students. I think it is nice that the two different classrooms will be able to learn from each other because sometimes while teaching one class the discussion will head in one direction while in another it goes somewhere else- the way you plan to set it up allows for the students to see all of the different ideas presented in different classes. Will you have in-class time, or open lab times for those less fortunate students who may not have a computer or internet access at home?
Michelle Epstein
Bryan~
ReplyDeleteI really like your idea of working with other classrooms through blogs. There are three 5th grade classroom in our school building. For 45 minutes a day, we switch classes and work on science, social studies and math skills. I would really like to see the three classes do a project together and to use blogging as it form of communication. Have you started doing cross-curriculum projects yet this year? Do you have any suggestions of how and where I would start? Great ideas!!
Gina Dewey
Hi Bryan,
ReplyDeleteThe idea of collaboration between classes is genious. What a way to allow students to seek out unbiased opinions yet remain in the safety of the school walls. Also, peer reviews are priceless because they motivate each other to another level simply by because of their competitive natures. Maybe you can take this to another level and include parent and specially invited friends to join in to the discussions. This will allow them a more global influence.
Dreanna Dallas
Heather,
ReplyDeleteWe are in the very beginning stages of planning cross-curricular projects. A few classes have begun implementing these projects, but the hardest thing has been teachers finding time to plan and collaborate together. I think using a blog could help alleviate this because students can access them from outside of school, and teachers can monitor student work outside of school.
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI would definitely try to set aside some class time to be in the computer lab so that I can make sure that all students had a chance to contribute to the blog.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI have not started cross-curricular projects yet. Only a few teachers who are part of a grant to do so have started. Other teachers will eventually be brought on.
I would start by analyzing your standards across the curriculum, and identify things that interest your students, and could be applied to other content areas. I would do this along with the other 5th grade teachers so I could bounce my ideas off of them, and see if any of the ideas were feasible.
Dreanna,
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of including parents because if the project we choose interests the students, it will hopefully interest their parents as well to be involved. I also think that inviting experts or professionals in the field of study would be a great idea because students love to see how people in the workforce use the concepts we teach them in school.