Blogging with 1st graders?
You have to be kidding!
1st graders need to learn the basics. They need to learn how to write with a pencil. They need to learn how to spell. They need to learn like I did.
But do they really?
The children that we have in our classrooms were born into a world where computers are not a new and scary thing. These students understand the power that technology brings to their lives.
Certainly, these students need to know how to read, write, and think. But blogging provides a tool that can engage them in deep and powerful ways.
Today at MACUL, two first grade teachers from Deerfield Elementary in Novi - Sherry Griesinger and Lindsay Pintar - spoke passionately about how their students - in first grade - were blogging.
Real audiences. Real content. Real writing.
Blogging with 1st graders is not only possible but should be happening!
Dr.Matthews, thank you so much for supporting your Novi teachers. We were so honored to have you at our presentation in Grand Rapids. Our first graders are doing some amazing things with their blog writing and we are so proud of them! Thank you again.
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ReplyDeleteCheck this chart out ! and frankly your answer to the question "You have to be kidding.. was pathetic, kids are not scared of computers, " But blogging provides a tool that can engage them in deep and powerful ways." are you serious. Is it some kind of mysticism or meditation. Thats illegal. It does not take anyone from another country ( though most or many outperform us) to see that our posterity is not reading, writing or understanding much from the national and international levels on testing.
I have been involved with public ed for years and your answer to the sad performance of public ed is blogging with first graders. I know you did not say that actually but your tone is of 'hey if its new, not scary lets use it.
Historically public ed has embraced recently, Goals 2000, I.D.E.A, OBE, No Child Let Behind, now Common Core. None will improve the writing, reading
( historically excepted classical reading ), math, or history ( not politically correct rewriting of history ) like World and Americas history. You are paid to perform a task and that task apparently is not your main concern. You play patty cake with the destructive unions and walk the fence on simple ethical issues and blow off major and serious educational viewpoints as well trivial.
You and I need to talk sir; man to man ,face to face.
734 262 6906 thehawkdr@gmail.com
Thank you