Exploration of a Teacher's Blog and My Thoughts About it

 

Through my exploration of blogs, I found Ms. Cassidy's Classroom Blog to be the most captivating and interesting. Looking through the various components of the blog made me really excited about the potential ways that I can utilize a blog in my future classroom that I had never considered! Ms. Cassidy uses the blog to share the class's experiences including projects, activities, class trips, and much more. Through the use of photos, videos, and narratives, Ms. Cassidy provides the reader with an in-depth look at her classroom and the dynamic learning experiences she and her students are having. Also, each child has his or her own personal blog that is used to communicate more about themselves and to document his or her learning. The blog also shares a link to the class Twitter account, where the children tweet about what is going on in the class.

The part I loved most about this blog that I would have never thought of incorporating into my future classroom until now was the individual blog of each child. I feel that giving each child his or her own personal blog is a unique opportunity for the children to become familiar with technology and the many ways it can be utilized. It is also a positive way for each child to demonstrate independence and a sense of ownership by making decisions about what he or she would like to share on the blog. Additionally, I really like how the children's blogs have an authentic quality about them because they incorporate the children's attempts at spelling. I also think allowing each child to express him or herself with an individual blog is a great way to build a sense of a community within the classroom because it gives children the chance to share their experiences with peers. Similarly, creating individual blogs for each child grants parents and other family members easy access to what their child is doing in school through the use of videos, photos, and written descriptions, not just a retelling of the day's events from their child.



This is an example of a self-portrait on a child's individual blog.

Overall, I feel that this blog serves as a wonderful resource for teachers because it reflects a unique way to integrate technology into the classroom, as well as provides a way for children to be active participants in the use of technology. Ms. Cassidy's Classroom Blog also shows that technology can be utilized in the classroom to communicate to others about learning experiences and share ideas. The blog also demonstrates an array of experiences that are useful to incorporate into the classroom such as projects, exploration, and class trips. I think the blog provides an example to teachers that through exposure to technology and many opportunities to utilize it, children can become competent and confident in its use!