Episode 3: Student Blogging

Educating Jo

Episode 3

"Student Blogging"

I hope you enjoy episode 3 of Educating Jo about student blogging! Please share with anyone you think might be interested and I would love to see your comments here or on the YouTube channel! Thanks for watching!

Link to YouTube Video: Click Here
Link to Mary Vaughan's website: Click Here
Link to my Students' Blogs: Kidblog

Here is the outline I used to make the video!

3. Student Blogging

Hey Jo, This week I’m going to talk to you about my Students’ Blogging for class.

Intro

This week I want to expand on the last week’s episode. Last week I discussed skyping with experts, (link in the description) and this week I want to discuss student blogging. I have tried to have my students blog every year I have taught (all 4 years) and this year was by far the most successful. It really helped to tie skyping and blogging together.

1. How I set up my Student Blogs.
1. Kidblog.org
1. Recommended by Craig Badura
2. Complete control of posts, comments if desired
3. Promote by tweeting 1 link instead of 1 per student.
2. Come up with a topic based off of the skype.
3. Skype with someone Thursday or Friday
1. Give the weekend to reflect
2. Monday/Tuesday write the paragraph
3. Wednesday revise and post.
4. Promote every Wednesday called #weirdanimalwed
4. No grading.
2. Why is blogging important?
1. Super important science skill
1. Defending an idea using evidence.
2. Writing is how science is shared.
3. First sentence make it super obvious how you feel.
1. Next 4 are supporting details.
2. Some your opinions, some from the expert.
2. Super important life skill
1. Writing will always be important.
2. Blog form is becoming more common.
3. Authentic audience
1. Why make something you are proud of if only 1 person sees it?
2. 2500 people have seen their work.
4. Window into the classroom
1. Allows parents, grandparents, administrators to see what's happening.

Highlight: Student made mural Shout out to Sarah Wegenast and Heather Amundson and Mary Vaughan.

Struggle: Life catching up

Activity: Invasive Species Presentations

Outro: I hope you enjoyed this week’s episode and feel free to share, like, comment and subscribe! To all the other Educating Joes out there, have a great week teaching!

Thanks for your support and see you next week!