I am trying to get my students to write more and not think of writing as a chore. I think the ability to use technology as a vehicle to help the reach the goal of writing. Right now I am thinking that posterous.com would be a really great way to get kids to keep a visual journal with a few sentences or paragraph explanation. Or using some other site that would also be equally stimulating to get them to write. A great site for online news stories that appeal to younger kids is TweenTribune.com. Not only can kids read the stories, they can post their thoughts and respond to other comments. All these tools have awesome potential...but the only wall I hit is the lack of available technology for my students.
I also like the ideas in the PresentationZen book. I think all of the ideas make sense. However, putting them into practice is a whole other thing. There definitely is the temptation to sit down and do everything on the computer from the get go. However, a lot is lost, too. When you type, you can go back and delete whole sections that may have included a really good idea kernal that will never see fruition because it was deleted, never to be revisited. I myself have beeing trying to do journaling everyday after my classes about how class went and what I can do to make it go better. Sitting down and writing about the day, away from a screen is defiantly theraputic. Especially when you're trying something new or teaching something new for the first time. It's that reflection time that is missing when I type that is the difference I think. I definitely think a little more before handwriting something then when I type something.
Needless to say.... I'm excited to see where all of these new ideas and resources take me, and eventually my students and how they learn.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Shawn,
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering what happens in students between third grade and middle/high school? My students LOVE writing and become very upset with me if I don't give them their full 45 minutes of writing every day! What happens after third grade that makes them dislike writing? Is it because we take their coveted pieces of writing and mark them all up with our red pens, taking the work they thought was wonderful and telling them everything that's wrong with it? I'm not sure....
Anyway, I think it's great that you are using technology to get your students to write. It's a great tool, and usually a good draw for kids. How about using some of the sites you showed Andrew and I in our group meeting the other night? Those were terrific sites, and I bet your students would love them!