Comments on: Creating a Learning Community with your Elementary School Blog http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/ The Magic of Learning through Technology. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:07:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sheri Edwards http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-30677 Sheri Edwards Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:16:56 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-30677 Thanks for another carefully written proposal for teachers to adopt technology. Love the connection to: "..part of something greater than the weekly "Friday Folder..." The learning and ideas will be a continuous "Friday Folder" for families to follow. Thanks for another carefully written proposal for teachers to adopt technology. Love the connection to: “..part of something greater than the weekly “Friday Folder…” The learning and ideas will be a continuous “Friday Folder” for families to follow.

]]> By: Langwitches » Changes in Classroom Blogs of our Elementary School http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27539 Langwitches » Changes in Classroom Blogs of our Elementary School Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:23:22 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27539 [...] to at least create a post once a week. I have written about my effort to encourage teachers to Creating a learning community with your Elementary School Blog by pointing out the differences between a Blog vs. Static [...] [...] to at least create a post once a week. I have written about my effort to encourage teachers to Creating a learning community with your Elementary School Blog by pointing out the differences between a Blog vs. Static [...]

]]> By: links for 2008-09-19 « Donna Murray http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27432 links for 2008-09-19 « Donna Murray Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:37:13 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27432 [...] Langwitches » Creating a Learning Community with your Elementary School Blog (tags: blogs elementary professionaldevelopment blogpost) [...] [...] Langwitches » Creating a Learning Community with your Elementary School Blog (tags: blogs elementary professionaldevelopment blogpost) [...]

]]> By: Langwitches http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27412 Langwitches Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:54:01 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27412 @Amy With anything else, things will go smoother when interest or another incentive is involved. In the early grades the focus is on introduction, just as you mentioned. We used to have a computer teacher who included keyboarding as part of her class and it did not work. Students used the finger system in her 30 minutes of class, then went back to hunting and pecking outside of class. Our school is trying to integrate keyboarding with all the subjects, plus remind parents at home that it is a skill that needs to be practiced daily in order to become proficient. We created a typing log to send home with students. Teachers are starting to require certain amount of time as part of their homework. This is our first year trying this out. @Amy
With anything else, things will go smoother when interest or another incentive is involved. In the early grades the focus is on introduction, just as you mentioned. We used to have a computer teacher who included keyboarding as part of her class and it did not work. Students used the finger system in her 30 minutes of class, then went back to hunting and pecking outside of class. Our school is trying to integrate keyboarding with all the subjects, plus remind parents at home that it is a skill that needs to be practiced daily in order to become proficient. We created a typing log to send home with students. Teachers are starting to require certain amount of time as part of their homework.
This is our first year trying this out.

]]> By: Amy http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27410 Amy Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:53:18 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27410 My purpose in blogging is definitely not for them to become great typists. I hope that I did not convey that. I am concerned about promoting the "deeper" thinking that I would like the blog to inspire when my students have to spend so much time focusing on finding letter keys. We used to keyboard factual paragraphs that were already written and it was quite painful. That was a few years ago so I guess I will have to give it a try and see how it goes. :-) I do work on introducing correct finger placement and encourage 2 hands when keyboarding, but time for better instruction is always a problem. My purpose in blogging is definitely not for them to become great typists. I hope that I did not convey that. I am concerned about promoting the “deeper” thinking that I would like the blog to inspire when my students have to spend so much time focusing on finding letter keys. We used to keyboard factual paragraphs that were already written and it was quite painful. That was a few years ago so I guess I will have to give it a try and see how it goes. :-)

I do work on introducing correct finger placement and encourage 2 hands when keyboarding, but time for better instruction is always a problem.

]]> By: Langwitches http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27406 Langwitches Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:41:51 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27406 @Amy We are starting this year to introduce keyboarding skills to all of our students. See my posts from a few weeks ago: <a href"http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/08/21/keyboarding-program-at-elementary-schools/" rel="nofollow">Keyboarding Program at Elementary Schools</a> and <a href="http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/08/21/keyboarding-skills-in-elementary-school/" rel="nofollow">Necessity for Keyboarding Skills in Elementary School?</a> Although "hunt and pecking" is a problem time wise when blogging, you need to ask yourself the purpose why you teaching them through a blog. If your purpose is to get them proficient in 10 finger typing method, then blogging is not the right tool. If your goal is to teach and introduce them to the process of reflecting, communicating, connecting and collaborating...then blogging is a great tool... no matter what their keyboarding skills are. @Amy
We are starting this year to introduce keyboarding skills to all of our students. See my posts from a few weeks ago:
Keyboarding Program at Elementary Schools and Necessity for Keyboarding Skills in Elementary School?
Although “hunt and pecking” is a problem time wise when blogging, you need to ask yourself the purpose why you teaching them through a blog. If your purpose is to get them proficient in 10 finger typing method, then blogging is not the right tool. If your goal is to teach and introduce them to the process of reflecting, communicating, connecting and collaborating…then blogging is a great tool… no matter what their keyboarding skills are.

]]> By: Amy http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27405 Amy Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:45:47 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27405 I have a class website(district developed) with the option of adding a blog. I love the blogging ideas and have been playing with the idea of blogging with my second graders. My drawback is their lack of keyboarding skills. How do you handle this with K-2 students? Do you teach keyboarding skills or let them "hunt & peck"? I have a class website(district developed) with the option of adding a blog. I love the blogging ideas and have been playing with the idea of blogging with my second graders. My drawback is their lack of keyboarding skills. How do you handle this with K-2 students? Do you teach keyboarding skills or let them “hunt & peck”?

]]> By: Grace Kat http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27403 Grace Kat Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:31:47 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27403 The work you do at your school is amazing if you have encouraged teachers to upload their own images and publish their class posts etc. That's great! I will be sharing these excellent classroom blogging ideas to the staff at my school. The work you do at your school is amazing if you have encouraged teachers to upload their own images and publish their class posts etc. That’s great!

I will be sharing these excellent classroom blogging ideas to the staff at my school.

]]> By: Andrea Hernandez http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/12/creating-a-learning-community-with-your-elementary-school-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-27402 Andrea Hernandez Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:12:07 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1938#comment-27402 As usual, I love your ideas. You always push me forward in my own learning, teaching and thinking. As usual, I love your ideas. You always push me forward in my own learning, teaching and thinking.

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