so well as by reflection, I, your glass,
will modestly discover to yourself,
that of yourself which you yet know not of."
I think that Cassius' quotation from The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (I.ii.74-77) speaks well enough for today's topic without me having to alter it. Last night I read in Will Richardson's book about "connective writing" in blogs (29-32). This, according to Richardson is a new genre of writing that "forces those who do it to read carefully and critically, that demands clarity and cogency in its construction, that is done for a wide audience, and that links to the sources of the ideas expressed" (29). That's a big "So what" for my reflections. As a teacher of struggling readers/ writers who are way below grade level, this is ideal because as he goes on to say, connective bloggers "learn to read critically because as they read, they look for important ideas to write about" (30). Lately I have thought of blogs simply as something I would use to post assignments and daily activities (the type of thing that you might see on schoolnotes.com), perhaps with some interesting side notes and links to supplement the lesson. Or perhaps as a medium for writing weekly journals. Now I'm realizing that there is so much more potential for expository writing and reading in my high school English classes. Writing can be so much more than just responding to prompts about "What I did this summer." They can inform, explain, and connect. So that is what I'll do now: check out these ideas from the British Council's Teaching English page which presents Some ideas for activities using blogs in the English classroom which go beyond simply managing or journaling. I'll have to keep looking for more of these ideas.
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5 comments:
Thanks for those thoughts, and for reading my book. This is much more than just journaling or posting links, and it is all about the connections we can make in a very different environment. Best of luck with your work.
Will Richardson
Wow Joe....I love Will's comment. Your ideas are super...and I like the idea of making connections with others.
I don't think that typing will be an issue in the future..when I watch my daughter texting and see the speed at which she does that...I know that with practice anyone can become proficient.
I think with the laptop roll out that the kids are going to have must more practice with keyboarding. If they are doing short blogging activities it won't take nearly as long as something they would word process.
I like your quotes.
Well, I see you have a comment from "the master" so, you must be on track in your thinking. It is refreshing to read someone's blog and to see true reflection. I am trying to get my hands around this subject, but I find myself feeling like I am running behind a truck full of delicious, sweet fruits just out of reach...
I look forward to being where you seem to be. I have read the book, done my highlighting and tagging, now I will have to spend the time playing. (remember PINK?)
Thanks for offering hope to an old alien...
So cool that he commented on your blog. I loved your comments. I think at first many teachers are reluctant to try these new technologies. But you have found a way for it to work in your classroom.
Look into a mirror. What do you see? Is there something missing, that no one can see?
Of all our classmates, you have demonstrated tremendous growth. Too bad I'm not a high school student in your English class. There is no question in my mind as to whether or not I would be engaged in a blog. I believe that context plays an important role in learning, and I applaud your efforts to contextualize.
More importantly, Julies Caesar’s tragedy is poignant and a peculiar reminder of the conflicting notions of nationalism, honor, and friendship – lessons that we all need to learn.
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