In "We Like Our Blogging Buddies: The Write Stuff With Blogging mentors" http://dotsub.com/view/0b9d4c2e-43ae-49f2-a7dd-753ba629ab75, the video showed how blogging can be a positive attribute in the classroom. I think it also helps that each child is getting one on one attention whereas in a classroom without the program, each child would get a minimal amount of attention.
My most significant take away from this video is that there a a way to guarantee that a student is getting all the attention possible in the reading and writing subjects. Some students start writing with habits that never get caught and then as they grow older, those habits like not using commas or not using proper punctuation become an even bigger problem. It is essential that students develop the proper habits early in life and carry them through their lives.
My only problem with using this much technology in class come from a personal experience that occurred when I was tutoring a special needs student last semester. The school that he attended used computers quite a bit in his classes. This meant that he wanted to do all of his work on a computer and that wasn't always an option. When using a computer wasn't an option, the work was often not completed. Another problem that we faced was that some programs have automatic spell checks and grammar checks. This meant that he wasn't going back and proofreading his work, which should have become a habit by now. So, when he was just writing in on notebook paper, he wasn't catching his mistakes and often many points were being deducted from his grade.
I would try to incorporate "Blogging Buddies" in my classroom but maybe at a minimum. I would also want to see plenty of physically written work as well. I do think that it is awesome that the program assures positive feedback from the mentors. I think that a little positive feedback can go a long way. It is too often that a student's work is nitpicked which can be discouraging.
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What do you mean when you say, "I would also want to see plenty of physically written work as well?" Are you saying you want to see lots of writing in the student's own handwriting, with paper and pencil? If so, why do you think this and would your opinion about the value of handwritten versus keyboarded writing change depending on the age and grade level of the student?
ReplyDeleteYou have a great point about computers in the classroom. I agree that sometimes we depend on computers a lot and if you get used to using the spell check then later you wont go back and proofread for mistakes.
ReplyDeleteGreat responses to the video. I agree with you one the fact that too many children create bad habits by writing using text "codes" and quick short messages on chat rooms. Children and young adults are told by educators that they need to proof read and are told to use proper grammar. As students even in the Junior High level should know how to write professionally and to not be told to not use codes such as (lol) in a paper. We as people are coming up with ways to communicate in shorter segments and codes that personally take me just as long to "de-code" it as it does to read the complete written statement!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you those writing habits can stick with the kids for the rest of their lives i was one of those kids. I would have loved to have a computer to blog on and work on my skills
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