Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Blog in the Classroom
Being a middle school math teacher my focus is not only teaching the students how to solve the problem but why the problem is solved the way it is. When they thoroughly know the content and how it works is when it is truly learned and not memorized. I would create a blog that focused the discussion on topics currently being taught in class. This blog will provide basic questions for them to research and answer. Along with the basic questions there will be several higher order questions for the students to consider and discuss with one another. The higher order questions will involve collaboration between students to come to a proper conclusion. This blog is can be used for the students to interact with one another outside the classroom. It would bring a better understanding to the students learning through their discussions. It could also be used as a intro into an upcoming lesson. I think the sixth grade students that I teach would really latch on to this idea and run with it. They can get help from friends in the learning process and it would give me a informal assessment on how well the students understand a topic. These students thrive off of technology and interacting with one another. The blog brings both of these things together. Truthfully I don't think the students would really see it as learning as much as a source for help and incite. When it isn't seen as learning in my experience they are more likely to learn from it. Blogs have many applications that can go in any direction with the teachers help.
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Jonas,
ReplyDeleteIncorporating blogs with math sounds very interesting and I definitely agree that the students would love this idea.
The one question I do have is, will this blog and the questions they are to answer be part of class work or homework? Having the students answer these questions as homework is great, but you may want to consider whether each student will be able to have access to the blog outside of the classroom. If it was class work, you want to make sure there is enough time for the students to interact with the blog and work together to solve the problems.
If you were to do it as class work, you may be able to form groups according to the abilities of the students. You can have blog questions for groups who are still working on the basics all the way up to questions for groups who are more advanced.
I think creating a blog for math is a great idea; it is also a great place to share tips for problem solving. You mention that your blog would be for outside of class. I also thought the challenge you might face would be with students who do not have access to computers at home. Is there a computer lab or classroom computer that would be available for students to use? Allowing some time either in class or after school for the students to use a school computer would solve the issue.
ReplyDeleteA math blog would be very interesting. Even in first grade, my students love sharing the various ways they solve a story problem. I can only imagine what sixth graders could bring to a blog conversation. Similar to the video of sixth graders blogging, I think you need to consider teaching "appropriate," language. Students today are very accustom to using texting and messaging, neither of which are appropriate for the blog world. I am sure, in time, they will be expert bloggers. Good luck to you. I think this will be a great connection for students in todays world.
ReplyDeleteI would make sure that the students where to use appropriate language on the blog. I know that some blogs can be managed where the main author controls the comments. With the level of students that I am currently teaching I feel that there would not be much of an issue as far as language. Especially if the comments are counted as part of their grades. For the students that are unable to have internet access at home I do have two computers in my class that my students are more than welcome to use before, during and after school.
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