Twittering with Sue Waters
Logged in this evening to Twitter and there she was – Sue Waters asking us to write a post or comment about blogging and what it means to us. She also invited us to join in an Open PD session via Ustream or Skype but this was going to be 7am my time in Tasmania. I might make it but …….if I don’t, here are some answers to her questions.
Where you blog and how long you have been blogging for?
I have been blogging since January this year. I have a personal blog which you are reading now but since February I have also been teaching students using a class blog. A few of them have earned the right to have their own blogs in the last couple of weeks.
Why you blog? How does it benefit you or your work?
I blog about my experiences using Web 2.0 tools which are new to me this year. This includes blogging, smartboards and using wikis. I have also been using teachertube and as Sue knows I have tried a Skype conversation with a little success. The students are definitely more on task when being allowed to blog, and those students with their own blogs are continuously sending me emails during the evening asking about other things they can add to their blogs or posts. So far at work, blogging has not had much benefit for other staff as they don’t seem to have the time to do it especially if, as a teacher, you are moderating the students’ blogs.
How blogging has helped your students and how long have you been blogging with students (if applicable)
Blogging has helped the students to improve their written literacy skills and has allowed them to tell their classmates and visitors to their blogs more about the things that interest them out of school hours.
Why you feel blogging is important ?
I feel blogging is important for 21st century students because it can be a safe way to start building a network especially for the tween years and early teens. As long as the teacher is prepared to put in the effort and keep overall control of the experience, students can gradually be allowed more and more freedom within their blogs. It is also a way for students to see there is a wider world than just that of the town or state they live in, and that other students around the world have similar interests to them.
What are the 3 most important tips you would share with a new blogger?
Blog for yourself first and get used to writing posts with links.
Read and comment on lots of other blogs – easy way is read comments on Edublogger and Edublogs and visit the blogs of those people – make a comment on their blog and lo and behold they come and visit your blog.
If working with students, be prepared to have a large load in the beginning with a class blog – then as students show they can be responsible internet and blogging users, allow them their own blog but with you or their parents as co-moderators.
Thanks Sue for taking the time to write this post; I will definitely be writing a follow up post and linking to your blog. I know I’ve said it before but I have to say it again you are doing really well and your blogging has come so far. Great tip for finding blogs to read – find a well known blog and follow the links of commenter’s back to their blogs. I love how your students are contacting you for help – wonder if worth considering a Instant messaging service they like to use? I hadn’t thought of that one – but it’s really a good idea. Can you give some specific examples of how it has improved the writing skills of your students?
One example of student improving skills is dotti where I made a comment about use of capital letters in his Easter post – by the time I next read it, he had gone through and corrected his errors and this was done at home not during school hours.
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These are some very interesting tips! These will really help out first time bloggers. I also want to thank you for the comment you left me on my blog. I was thrilled to get a comment all the way from down under!!! So thank you.
P.S. It was also interesting that my first name is your last name because at the high school I’m going to next year there is another Miss Wyatt.
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[...] the use of blogs. Now I have some real peoples experience I want to add. I have just read Twittering with Sue Walters and wanted to read why other teachers blog. I have shamelessly admitted that I only started this [...]