I thoroughly enjoyed reading the different blogs and seeing the different styles that are out there. Some of the blogs that I read were very similar to reading a newspaper article or a friendly type of letter. I loved the blogs where the students were able to post their concerns or feelings and the teacher would respond. An example of that was found in the following: http://itc.blogs.com/patrick/2005/02/5th_grade.html
The blogs that I read were reader friendly and well written. I do not like to read blogs that use a lot of abbreviations or slang words. Using these things can slow a reader down or turn them completely off from reading the blog. I think that there is such a thing as "blogging literacy" and it greatly determines how we read and write a blog. If a blogger is taking the time to write the blog in the first place, then I believe that they would want their blog to be understood. If they don't want their blog read, then they definitely should not be posting it on the internet.
In the 5th Grade blog (link found above), this was a great example of how blogging can facilitate learning! I wish that everyone of the 5th graders that I work with now were able to do something exactly like this. There are plans in the future for this to happen and I am SO excited. The kids enjoy using the internet but do not like to write or do homework very much. If we are able to get them blogging (writing on the internet), then I believe their writing would improve by leaps and bounds.
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I am so glad to have read your post! Especially the blog you found regarding the 5th grader who was afraid he was going to fail. How encouraging were the comments! Can you imagine how proud and determined this young student must be? To have so many readers comment on his post must have been exhilarating! I'm sure he has been encouraged and will continue to push on toward his goal! What, as you say, would happen if our students were encouraged as this young man was? How many of your students could use this type of encouragement from so many different readers? Even though we, as teachers, encourage our students to do their best, how much more meaningful it would be if our students could hear these words from so many different readers! You know, there's not enough time during the school day to speak with our students on a more personal level. I now see that we could certainly use blogging as a way to say the things we don't have time to say during the day! Thanks for the eye opener!
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