#DITCHbook was created by Ditch That Textbook author Matt Miller. The chat focuses on innovative teaching ideas and disrupting standard textbook education.
Hello! My name is Joy and I am a senior elementary education major at converse college. I do not know a lot about blogging, so I am looking forward to this chat! #Ditchbook
My blog is more of a collection of ed tech newsletters that I send out each week. https://t.co/m3NG1HZg4k is the address if you're interested in checking it out. #DitchBook
Hey #Ditchbook Sarah, ELA teacher and Tech teacher from San Jose. Won’t be able to join much tonight but I am incorporating blogging into my classes and can’t wait to grab all the resources ya’ll share!
My blog, www.effortful https://t.co/LtJtY17rEl, focuses mostly on applying cognitive psychology to classroom instruction and discussing myths of education. #DitchBook
I'm so excited to jump in tonight because I don't know a lot about Blogging! Elizabeth, from Davenport IA, second grade/tech teacher! #dcsdpln#DitchBook
My blog, https://t.co/EJp11sZu1q, focuses mostly on applying cognitive psychology to classroom instruction and discussing myths of education. #DitchBook
A1 ✏️ Blogging is keeping an 💻 online journal.
We blog to:
🌏Connect
💡Share ideas
🖼Give a window into our class
💛Share our feelings
🤗Have fun
🤔Reflect
💰Even make money!
#Ditchbook
Bloggingis the best way for me to communicate my why to myself & really for me to reflect #DitchBook just wish Google sites still had blog page for my kids. But we’re working around it
A1: Blogging is a personal reflection platform that students can use to communicate their thoughts in a private, yet can "choose to be public" if preferred. This practice enhances writing and thought process in an easy format! #DitchBook
A1- Blogging helps
-develop confidence
-improve ss self expression
-Reading and writing skills can improve
-ss become more independent and creative
-ss can feel empowered
#DitchBook
A1: Blogging is a collaborative form of online writing.
It connects writers with an audience, builds confidence and provides motivation to develop writing skills. #DitchBook
Evening, #ditchbook. I'm Brian. I each middle-school students English in Colorado. I'm itching for ditching. A1 As for blogging: I think of it as public journaling in a digital format that can be as informal or formal as your voice craves.
A1: Blogging for me has been a way to share resources with others. I have a few "ramblings" as I call them, but I have a harder time sharing my thoughts than I do my creations. #DitchBook
A1 I see blogging as a quick & consistent way to help Ss write and communicate ideas and experiences. It allows for a larger audience than just the teacher #DitchBook
A1: Blogging gives writers an authentic audience. Blogging makes writing meaningful and valuable. Blogging also makes learning easily accessible #DitchBook
Thank you, Sarah! I usually try and tag #ditchbook when I tweet them out, so check here on Thursday mornings if you're interested in that week's version.
A1 I think I complicate blogging for myself. Should be your thoughts, journey. Doesn’t have to be the next great American novel. It is great for students! Authentic audenience and a chance to build a positive digital footprint. #DitchBook
Hey #ditchbook! Konstantine here, from Long Island, NY. Looking to have my students blog. What would you recommend? Google Blogger? WordPress? Edublogs?
A1: I see blogging as a form of journaling digitally communicating on topics, tips & tricks. Beneficial for teachers and students to gain and teach.#Ditchbook
A1: Blogging is away for someone to show their passion to a global audience. I find it extremely reflective in nature. Especially for our students to see their progress in learning and in writing. #DitchBook
A1: I feel blogging is a way for Ss and adults to communicate their thoughts and experiences to share with others! I personally like to look at teacher blogs to see what they are doing in the classroom and to find resources that are different! #DitchBook
A1 I struggle with this question - does blogging have to be formal? Does it have to be student/blogger choice and thoughts, or can it be an assigned topic where answers are shared? #DitchBook
Inserts tongue in cheek & asks, "Might we do blogging a greater service by touting its thrills to daredevils, plunge takers, envelope pushers?" #ditchbook
A2: Ts Weebly, Blogger, possibly new sites but needing the feed version to be there. Ss Same but use Docs to draft and collab with each other before posting. Oh and @Grammarly 🤓 #DitchBook
A2: For educators, I really enjoy the @SmorePages platform for the newsletter-type blogs. Also, @wordpressdotcom and @Blogger are good.
As for students, I had great success with @weebly for education since the teacher can create a class, and sharing is moderated. #DitchBook
A2
I used GSlides to help teach students to blogsnd commenting
Each slide was a new post
Links to each Ss Slide Blog was shared as can comment in a Doc
Ss used comment feature and speaker notes to leave comments. #ditchbook
A2 How about: open minds; observant eyes & ears; insatiable curiosity; time that we steal from other priorities, preferably in routine fashion? #ditchbook
@jasontolen just told me yesterday that I should be voice typing my blog posts while away from my computer then edit the draft when I have time. Great minds! #DitchBook
A2: An EASY entry-level idea for student blogging: Google Slides.
Each student gets a slide.
Share: Anyone with the link can edit
Students write on their own slides
Ss read each other's posts and comment.
More: https://t.co/LzwtDuEhfy#DitchBook
A3: I feel that Ss should write for a selected audience. Sometimes what they write is too good NOT to share. Other times, they may want to be more reflective and private. As long as the student is writing and engaged in the practice, let them choose their audience. #DitchBook
A3 ✏️💻So many options when blogging with students!
✅Start with paper blogging teach how to give quality feedback.
✅Have younger students write for a small private audience to develop their skills.
✅Give older students the opportunity to write for the real world.
#DitchBook
A3. Ss write for global audience and use hashtags and tag people to share their voices. Important for them to try to make change or share their insights. They internalize this deeply #DitchBook
A3: I see pros and cons for each. Do what works best for your class and students. I am learning to see the value of having a wider audience than just the teacher #DitchBook
A3: A mix is great. Ss are always needing to practice the “know your audience” mentality. It’s exciting to see how they can translate for others. #DitchBook
Great idea! I've been wanting to podcast and have a matching blog like so many of my eduheros do (@jmattmiller@cultofpedagogy ) I didn't think about using voice typing to transcribe! Duh! #DitchBook
In reply to
@TTmomTT, @drmcclard, @jasontolen, @jmattmiller, @cultofpedagogy
A3 In Seesaw you can connect your class with another class to have an authentic audience. I think students take more care with their work with an authentic audience #DitchBook
A couple ideas ...
You can use numbers on your student roster.
Students can write their name in the slide title or speaker notes to claim a slide.
Either way, they'll know where their writing home is! #DitchBook
A3 publish to an audience! Their work should be showcased, and it is a great confidence booster for them when they get feedback from their parents, administrators, and other students 🍎#Ditchbook
I have blogspot blogs for my families to keep up with our lives as kindergartners. I also am moving my professional blog from a blogspot to my own domain. I am learning tons - and looking forward to seeing how to involve my littles more. #DitchBook
Q3: I think studentsneed to start by writing for themselves first and foremost. It’s a great tool for reflection. Writing for an audience can take shape once we’ve got a routine in place #DitchBook
Voice typing is awesome and saves tons of time! But I feel like my best writer's voice still comes out when I type on a keyboard. The experience is a little different. #DitchBook
A3 - A current education debate. For public blogging, Ss are able to connect and be a part of the globe. Their voices can truly be heard, and it does create a bona fide audience. It also creates a sense of global connection. Private allows security in publication. #DitchBook
Practice. It will happen. Version history is great but also teach digital citizenship. Also in the words of @alicekeeler, “slides are free, create a new one.” #ditchbook
In reply to
@kendraleier, @jmattmiller, @alicekeeler
A3 If I were blogging with students, I think i would start privately but then help kids revise and choose some posts to publish publicly - maybe on a class blog site that is public... #DitchBook
A3: Another option is to have a class blog.
One student post per day (or periodically). Gives them time to think, write, edit and produce their best work. #DitchBook
A4. Ss blog every other week about anything they want. It is also how I get personalized grammar lessons in besides writing techniques. They also blog for expository writing practice too. #DitchBook
A4:Blogging on ANY curricular related theme could be so valuable. It could be a response to any topic in an subject area, and then it links with ELA also. #DitchBook
A4: I’m trying to figure this one out now with my English 1 team. We’ve talked about benefits of blogging and feedback. Hoping to get some buy in soon #DitchBook
A4: This could be a great inclusion for that initial free write. Provide students with a prompt and let them write what comes to their mind. Then, they can use that blog post as a basis to structure their polished essay. #DitchBook
A4 Use blogging ✏️💻 to give students the opportunity to reflect 🤔 on and share their learning. I LOVE 💛 what @Seesaw has to offer with their blogging integration! https://t.co/rFGrd6KCFb#DitchBook
I did something similar every student had there own Slide deck, every new Slide added was a new post, links to Ss GSlides as can comment was shared in a class Doc with Ss for viewing and commenting #ditchbook.
A3: students should blog to a selective audience because they should be able to share with parents, classmates, admin, and family. Up to their discretion. #Ditchbook
I have been using blogger and encouraging students to write the post titles only and saving them. They then have a list of possible blog posts waiting for them! #Ditchbook
A4: Short blog posts with simple prompts can be an easy way to start blogging in class.
Porting your old paper assignments over to a blog, however, doesn't change the assignment. #DitchBook
A4 Model. Share. Inspire each other. Just as when publishing pieces for their friends, I envision a blog publication to be an engaging place for all of us to come and go. We can advertise through our class blog & pictures to entice others. #DitchBook
A4: I give a VERYYY loose topic (connected with our unit curriculum) from which they pick their own prompt. This gives them a chance to think critically, gives them some of the power, and helps them find their niche. #Ditchbook
A3: Another option is to have a class blog.
One student post per day (or periodically). Gives them time to think, write, edit and produce their best work. #DitchBook
For totally novice, newbie blog writers, private for class only before going public to scaffold and teach proper blogging skills and etiquette #Ditchbook
A4: Blog about what they are currently reading, reflect on a social event, give a play by play of their favorite unit, etc. I also like to document a special lesson and use pictures in the blog. #DitchBook
True, you could go both ways. When interviewing, you could use voice typing to transcribe, but for solo productions you could write first, then read it for the podcast version... This is helping me so much! #ditchbook
In reply to
@jmattmiller, @TTmomTT, @drmcclard, @jasontolen
So done...kids blog about their goals and expectations or hobbies and sports or music and culture. Kind of a modern day free-write but shared content. #DitchBook
