September's C4K Summary

Comments4Kids Each week Dr. Strange assigns a 'Comments4Kids' (C4K) project, in which students in EDM310 are asked to comment on a class or student blog post. These assignments have exposed me to classroom blogs from all over the world.

C4K #1

My first C4K assignment was by Emyk, a 10th grade english student in Alabama. The assignment was to discuss a belief, and include a personal story about how she came to this belief. Emyk's belief was "I believe no one should be bullied". She included a substantive, detailed post about her experience with bullying. I enjoyed reading her post because it was so candid and honest.

This is a great assignment because it gives students the opportunity to openly share with their teachers and peers about an experience of their choice. Bullying is a timeless issue; I think anyone who reads Emyk's story can relate. I certainly can!

C4K #2
The student I was originally assigned did not have a recent post, and from what I can tell, the student's blog I commented on no longer exists. (The internet is always in motion, and this is a good example of that!) Her assignment was to discuss one of her favorite things to do, which in her case, was sleeping. Her post was very short, and though it was fun to read, it left me wondering if she was taking the assignment seriously. This student's post reminded me that when using a blog in the classroom, there will be many different kinds of posts. Some students might need the extra push or encouragement to expand their ideas into a more substantive post.

C4K #3
Antonia is a year 5 student at Pt. England School in Auckland, NZ. Antonia's blog is colorful and fun to look at. It's important to encourage students to design and personalize their blogs. I can tell that Antonia takes pride in her blog, and because of that I'm sure that the quality of her work is better. There are several interesting projects on her blog; the most recent is a word search she designed. She has several weekly reflections on her page, which is an idea I might utilize in my future classroom. Antonia designs one-page presentations that show what she has learned each week, and embeds them in her blog. There is also a similar reflection she composed about a class trip. Taking the time to pause and reflect is a vital component of the learning process, and this class has implemented technology into the equation; even better!

I have already learned a lot from this project. As an aspiring teacher, I plan to implement blogging into my future classroom. A class blog gives students the opportunity to reflect on what they are learning, and to openly share their thoughts and ideas. It allows and encourages students to develop their own voices. Blogging is also a great way to teach students, who are constantly bombarded with technology and social media, about the importance of establishing a positive digital footprint.