Looking at the calendar three months do not seem like a long time. But apparently you really can't judge time by the calendar. September happened so long ago. I was thinking of the progress my students made in this short period of time, and I really can't believe that they are the same kids who walked into my room on the first day of school.
I also had the same experiences of school this year. Coming to class every week is exhausting and very difficult. My brain tries to block the idea of class out of my memory, but there is one thing that keeps it in check. My blog. It seems like it is always due. We just had a class, I just posted something, and it is still due. That annoying little word "due" makes me appreciate my students so much more.
My blog also helps me sort my thoughts out and create order out of the chaos of synaptic connections. Sometimes it does not even matter what I write, order is still born if not on paper, but in my head.
I think that the main goal that I had for this class was learning new digital applications and actually applying them with my students. Reading the assigned readings certainly provides the framework and food for thought, but ultimately the product that I personally strive to create is not so much my reflection, but rather the application of the readings and learning.
Have I been successful? To a degree, I think that I can answer that I was. I have had my students work with two new forms of writing - wiki/role play for descriptive and persuasive writing purposes, as well as voice thread for descriptive writing. I have been through ups and downs with my digital projects. There are some things that I will do differently next time, but some things will stay the same.
Today was a very important day in my personal digital journey - my students posted their essays on the wiki. They read their peers' work, and provided feedback for each other. Together as a class they have produced more writing than I could have ever imagined. Can I attribute that to the digital format? I think so. I believe that this particular group of kids enjoys the self pacing of digital writing, as well as the ability to take a break for a minute or two, but not get too distracted by outside factors. Computer screen does not intimidate them as much as paper does. Did all of them follow the writing format that we have been practicing? No, not really. But I have to keep in mind that most of these kids just came to this country this year or last year! I just can't imagine myself writing so eloquently (forget the grammar for a moment!) in a language that I have not even yet internalized. And as a bonus I have kids now who could be labeled completely proficient creators of wiki. They are really amazing!!!
Voice thread... Well, we'll see what we will get. I hope that it will happen sooner rather than later. We are trying to create voice threads using the pictures that we took during our ESL field trip to the Science museum. We are at different stages of writing at this moment, so I will have to report on that one later. Kids love it so far.
Well, I hope second semester of my studies will be as fruitful as this one. I have definitely enjoyed the enriched classroom opportunities that digital writing is providing. Can't wait to do more... Can't wait to get below the surface and discover what makes learning so unpredictable - you never know exactly what you will find below the surface.
I also had the same experiences of school this year. Coming to class every week is exhausting and very difficult. My brain tries to block the idea of class out of my memory, but there is one thing that keeps it in check. My blog. It seems like it is always due. We just had a class, I just posted something, and it is still due. That annoying little word "due" makes me appreciate my students so much more.
My blog also helps me sort my thoughts out and create order out of the chaos of synaptic connections. Sometimes it does not even matter what I write, order is still born if not on paper, but in my head.
I think that the main goal that I had for this class was learning new digital applications and actually applying them with my students. Reading the assigned readings certainly provides the framework and food for thought, but ultimately the product that I personally strive to create is not so much my reflection, but rather the application of the readings and learning.
Have I been successful? To a degree, I think that I can answer that I was. I have had my students work with two new forms of writing - wiki/role play for descriptive and persuasive writing purposes, as well as voice thread for descriptive writing. I have been through ups and downs with my digital projects. There are some things that I will do differently next time, but some things will stay the same.
Today was a very important day in my personal digital journey - my students posted their essays on the wiki. They read their peers' work, and provided feedback for each other. Together as a class they have produced more writing than I could have ever imagined. Can I attribute that to the digital format? I think so. I believe that this particular group of kids enjoys the self pacing of digital writing, as well as the ability to take a break for a minute or two, but not get too distracted by outside factors. Computer screen does not intimidate them as much as paper does. Did all of them follow the writing format that we have been practicing? No, not really. But I have to keep in mind that most of these kids just came to this country this year or last year! I just can't imagine myself writing so eloquently (forget the grammar for a moment!) in a language that I have not even yet internalized. And as a bonus I have kids now who could be labeled completely proficient creators of wiki. They are really amazing!!!
Voice thread... Well, we'll see what we will get. I hope that it will happen sooner rather than later. We are trying to create voice threads using the pictures that we took during our ESL field trip to the Science museum. We are at different stages of writing at this moment, so I will have to report on that one later. Kids love it so far.
Well, I hope second semester of my studies will be as fruitful as this one. I have definitely enjoyed the enriched classroom opportunities that digital writing is providing. Can't wait to do more... Can't wait to get below the surface and discover what makes learning so unpredictable - you never know exactly what you will find below the surface.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteDear Natasha,
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog and am so impressed how you are using the tools we are learning about with your students. I can see them loving the Wiki and Voice Thread, and Glogster and whatever else you might throw their way. I have not been using these tools with my students. If I did more pull-out small group as opposed to push-in small group, I might be more inclined. Or am I taking the easy way out by focusing on work I want to publish?
JoAnn