Entering the "Blogosphere".

I think blogs are one of the most effective ways of having our students think, respond, and create. I feel that one of the best characteristics of blogs is that they are cross curricular. Blogs can (and should!) be used within science, social studies, math, and english classrooms. I know elementary teachers who have implemented them into their classrooms, which shows me that they are employable across grade levels. Using tools such as blogs help teachers create students who are well rounded and ready to interact in the real world. As Will Richardson states in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for the Classroom (2010), "...there is no doubt that blogs have become an influential medium in all walks of life, from politics to personal passions." Blogs give students a chance to express their opinions and experience other's opinions, especially those students who are insecure in their ability to verbalize their thoughts.

So, what are my top three ideas for using a blog within my future classroom? Here you go:

1) Current Events:
     -Students can research and find articles related to contemporary political, social, and cultural events that interest them. They can then post these articles on their blog and compose blog posts based around their opinions and relfections of such events. I think this is a great way to get students ready for the type of interaction with the news and contemporary events they will need to be successful and socially intergrated adults. This becomes especially true when students can continually add onto the knowledge base they've already created as they follow specific events (Richardson, 27). Students could also reflect on other events classmates are posting and find ways to make connections to their own lives and the events they posted. Richardson (2010) states, "...the Read/Write Web opens up all sorts of new possibilities for students to learn from each other or from authors or scientists and other professionals who can now work side by side in digital space even though they may be far away from one another physically" (23). I really like this idea because it allows students to access experts on specific topics they otherwise would have no interaction with. (NYS Standard 1:  use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.; NYS Standard 2: use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.)

2) Character Blogs:
    -One thing I've always been interested in doing was helping students find ways to connect and understand how people felt during specific periods in history. In the past, I've seen teachers have students create journals from the perspective of a child laborer during the Industrial Revolution. I think this is something that could be transferred into blogs. Students could choose a character from a period in history that is being studied during the academic year. He or she could take on a woman during the Feminist Revolution, a child during World War II, a soldier during the American Revolution, or a family during the Holocaust. He or she can create blogs in the mindset of their "character" and post it to the blog. The blog as a forum allows students to create easily but also allows other classmates to see, read, and discuss the entries. Students can link photographs, websites of artifacts, etc to their blogs to complement their stories. (NYS Standard 1: use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.; •analyze the United States involvement in foreign affairs and a willingness to engage in international politics, examining the ideas and traditions leading to these foreign policies; •compare and contrast the experiences of different groups in the United States.)

3) Literature Circles
    -I am a huge proponent of intergrating literacy strategies into all disciplines. I think that social studies has the unique ability of helping students learn history, while developing their writing, thinking, and composing skills. There are tons of fabulous historical fiction, historical narrative texts, and graphic novels available to history teachers. I'd love to use a blog to create virtual literature circles where students can actively engage in texts they are reading. Each literature circle could choose a text, create a blog, and post reactions, questions, and research related to their reading of that text. This allows quick and easy interaction, but also interaction that can be monitored and feels safe for students. In my experience, most students are more hesitant to talk in group activities but might feel more compelled when they have time to reflect and compose opinions on a blog. (NYS Standard 1: use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.; NYS Standard 2: use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.; •describe how ordinary people and famous historic figures in the local community, State, and the United States have advanced the fundamental democratic values, beliefs, and traditions expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the New York State and United States Constitutions, the Bill of Rights, and other important historic documents •classify major developments into categories such as social, political, economic, geographic, technological, scientific, cultural, or religious.)