Just do it

Prepare Students for Flipping

You flip, I flip, we all flip

Pinterest

Reasoning For Flipping

Your tutorial blog posts gives all your students one way to access all the current concepts you are teaching, concepts you have taught for review, and for your accelerated students the ability to start learning about concepts that are coming up. Essentially you will have a library of tutorials ready for your students to get the content they need. This gives you the freedom to pinpoint and help individual students with their individual needs.

Flipping Makes Sense

Record your own videos for students to watch at home...or record students explaining a concept...For Examples look at Mr Kelsey's videos on his blog.

Khan Helps You Flip

Flip Your Classroom

Educational Blogging in the News

Sample of a Student Using a Video Blog to Answer a Question

14 Steps to Meaningful Student Blogging

So you have heard about blogging with your students and you are considering taking the plunge but just not sure what or how to do it? I am here to tell you; blogging with my students has been one of the most enriching educational experiences we have had this year, and that says a lot. So to get you started, here is what I have learned:

1. Pick an easy platform, both for you and the students. I used Kidblog with great success, it fit our needs, it is free and it offers easy moderation.  There are other great alternatives out there such as WordPress or EduBlogs
2. Teach them how to blog first. We did an excellent paper blogging lesson first (found on the blog of McTeach), which brought up why we were blogging and how to do it appropriately.  This got the students excited, interested as well as got them thinking about what great comments look and sound like.
3. Talk safety! We assume some students know how to be safe, but don't assume it; teach them the do's and dont's. I came up with the lesson of why the Internet is like the mall and it really worked.  I also sent home safety plans for students and parents to discuss and we discussed it throughout the year.
4. Teach them how to comment. In order for blogging to be effective, comments are needed, but if students don't know how to properly comment they will lose out on part of the experience. We discuss how to thank people, how to answer their questions, and most importantly, how to ask questions back. This is all part of common conversational knowledge that all kids should be taught any way.
5. Start small.  The first post was an introduction of themselves. It was an easy topic and something they really liked to do. They then got to comment on each others post as well which started to build community.
6. Include parents. Parents always know what we are doing and are invited to comment.  The students loved the extra connection and parents loved seeing what the kids were doing.
7. Connect with one or two classes to be buddies. While comments from around the world are phenomenal, the connections are what it is all about. So reach out on Twitter or through the most excellent #comments4kids and set up something more permanent. The students relish getting to know one another and the comments become even more worthwhile.  Thanks Mr.  Gary's class in Egypt and Mr. Reuter's 6th grade class in Merton, Wisconsin for being our buddies.
8. Speaking of #comments4kids, this excellent site created by Will Chamberlain is a must for anyone blogging with students. Link their blog to it and ask people to comment, tweet it out with the hashtag #comments4kids, and use it to find classes to comment on.
9. Visit other classroom blogs. Show them how other kids use it and have it inspire them.  Blogs can be found through Twitter or the comments4kids site.
10. Let them explore. My students love to play around with font, color, and images. They taught each other how to do anything fancy and also let each other know when font or color choices were poor. This was a way for students to come into their own as creative writers and also start to think about creating their online identity.
11. Don't grade! Blogging is meant to be a way to practice writing for an audience and learning to respond to critique, not a graded paper. I would often tell students my requirements and even make them go back and edit but I never ever chastised them for mistakes made.
12. Challenge them. Often students would ask to write about topics but we also had a blogging challenge almost weekly. This was my way of finding out what they really thought about fourth grade, their dreams, their hopes and their lives. The kids always wondered what the next challenge would be and looked forward to writing them.  We would also share creative writing pieces from class, create diaries of work we did, and share our op.ed. pieces.
13. Map the connections. We have a world map in our classroom that we use to push pin people we connect with, it is amazing to see it grow and what a geography lesson is has turned out to be. Students are acutely aware of where Egypt, Alabama, New York and other places in the news are because they have connected with people there.
14. Give it time! Some students took to it right away, others weren't so sure, and yet they all ended up loving it. The sheer mass of paper I have had to print to create their writing portfolio is staggering and it shows how ingrained it became in our classroom. I now have kids blogging when they are sick, out of school or just because.

So here it is, take the leap and believe in your students' ability to stay safe and appropriate on the internet.  Stay tuned  for a student-created video tutorial on how to use Kidblog, kids teaching kids, that is learning worth doing.

Why Teachers Should Blog

've never been too big on Descartes.

That whole sort of essentialist argument has never been for me. I'm a guy who's built furniture out of science fiction novels and travel books and who's played concerts with nothing but a roll of tin foil and a microphone.

So I've never been too big on the idea that things exist because they have some fundamental essence.

Consider blogs.

There is no substantial qualitative definition of a blog. Blogs, or rather blogging platforms, just exist. The quality or essence of a blog is given meaning only via what the author does with the blog and how the blog is responded to.

And in my mind what this means is that I blog and what I blog -- and how that message is received by others -- tells me what I think.

And it tells me how I think.

My own blog confirms my suspicions that I'm not the most polite person in the world. My blog confirms one of my old professor's observations that in many ways my arrogance is my most important attribute. My blog reminds me that I'm boneheaded and tin-eared. My blog represents me not as an edited professional voice, but as a human being struggling to express ideas, thoughts, reactions, dreams, and general b.s. via a means that uncompromisingly allows for the immediate feedback of strangers and fellow wanderers.

And that's why I think all teachers should blog.

A student in my ed class last night -- a young 2nd year teacher in a Baltimore City public school -- said that he didn't feel like he had anything to offer on his blog or on Twitter. He couldn't think of anything in his classroom that he thought would advance the discussion.

It is in a way frustrating that he doesn't realize how obviously wrong he is. But, more so, it is indicative of his mindset that he is thinking too much. To blog, you can't always allow yourself to be burdened by overthinking. At times this will lead you to a scary place. A place without a safety net. A place full of prat falls.

Because to blog is to teach yourself what you think.

And sometimes what we think embarrasses us and we must then confront our thoughts and consider whether there are alternatives.

This is real maturity. Because real maturity is not about having the right answers, it's about having the audacity to have the wrong answers and re-address them in light of contemplation, self-argument, and experience.

This is made perhaps even more evident by the public nature of the blog, and that is one of the foremost reasons all teachers should in fact blog. Because to face one's ill conclusions, self-congratulations, petty foibles, and impolite rhetoric among peers in the public square of the blogosphere is to begin to learn to grow.

And to begin to understand that it's not all about 'getting it right', but rather is a matter of 'getting it'.

We live in a culture that tells us that you learn from your mistakes, yet which continually punishes and shuns those who make mistakes. It is teachers who have the power to change this. It is teachers who have the power to teach a generation that to fully live and to fully know one's self is to fully live and to fully know one's self in the public conversation. And that to be wrong or to come off as shrill is not always a bad thing; because those too are forms of experience and in reflection they too are to be learned from.

And so, we should teach this new generation to move beyond embarrassment and fear. This is not to condone manifestly insolent behavior online, rather in teaching the qualities -- the unique qualities -- of the globally connected public square, we should be instilling in students both a strident determination to take part in the unadulterated public debate and yet have humility.

I think both are achieved through the crucial practice of critical thinking and earnest self-analysis. And no where, if sincerely met with daily conviction, can both be better employed than in the practice of blogging.

And so, I firmly believe that all teachers should be bloggers. Because if Descartes is wrong, then the thrust of our identity is determined not by our inalienable and essential state of being but by the differences in idea and sense that we demonstrate through our interactions with others.

And teachers, perhaps more than anything else, are the medium -- or have the potential to be the medium -- through which students learn about all that which is 'other'.

100 reasons why educators should use blogs

For students:
1. Blogs are fun! Many of your students likely already keep a personal blog. Using a blog in the classroom will help students relate to the lesson.
2. They help students develop and hone their writing skills.
3. They model forms and standards of writing for students. Show them what good writing looks like vs. bad writing. Talk about style, tone, and usage. Blogs are an oasis of free writing samples.
4. Blogs can stand in as online student journals for a variety of classroom modules.
5. Blogs can increase the sense of community and camaraderie amongst classmates.
6. They can be used to help students understand appropriate online sources. Show students how to evaluate blogs for their authority, credibility and usefulness.
7. When used for group work, they can foster collaboration and team-building skills.
8. They can help promote and develop reading skills.
9. They provide another outlet for different styles of learning. Blogs help students who learn through hands-on work and are more verbally oriented.
10. Blogs can be used to encourage discussion anytime — whether in or outside of class.
11. Students can use blogs to develop online portfolios of their work.
12. In large classes, blogs can be used to create smaller groups and to form more cohesive units even while in class.
13. Most students now are digital natives. Blogs engage them by presenting material in a way that is familiar and comfortable.
14. Students have a larger audience when they blog. If the blog is public, they are potentially writing for a global audience. This knowledge may empower them and their work.
15. Blogs allow for self-directed learning. If they are assigned as independent or homework projects, students can work on them when they feel inspired to do so.
16. They allow for multimedia interaction. Students can post pictures, videos, links, and more.
17. Students can hone their editing skills by critiquing the work of others.
18. Parents can view their child’s work and progress as shown on a blog.
19. Blogs can model rules of behavior for online interaction, teaching students online etiquette.
20. Students can take pride in their work since blog creation reflects their independent efforts.
21. Working online fosters a sense of global interaction. Students can be taught to understand the dangers and the benefits of interacting online and producing work online.
22. As an independent project, blogs allow students to showcase their independence and sense of responsibility.
23. Blogs save paper.
24. Blogs provide a virtual announcement board for important messages about homework, assignments, deadlines, and more.
25. Students can communicate with their teachers and other students through a blog. This is especially helpful for shy students who might not otherwise reach out.
26. Teachers can communicate with parents directly and as a group through blogs.
27. They provide an outlet for students who are shy.
28. Blogs give students the chance to express their creativity in academic ways.
29. Students can work on collaborative writing projects through blogs.
30. They prepare students for online social networking.
31. Blogs help students understand how to build an online presence.
32. They help increase student confidence levels by giving them self-directed projects.
33. Work is permanently stored on a blog. Students can review their work — theoretically — for years to come. Blog space can be obtained for free, and so long as the teacher doesn’t remove the content, it will remain there.
34. Students can determine the topic of posts on blogs, making them more inspired and excited to participate.
35. If blogs are used as reading material, students can choose the type and style of blog that appeals to them, making them more excited about reading.
36. Blogs can teach students the proper use of citation — especially of hyperlinks.
37. Blogs can be used to teach students about plagiarism. There are numerous examples of how easy online content makes it to plagiarize.
38. Students can express their own opinions — and, therefore, their identities — through blogs. It gives them more freedom than traditional academic outlets.
39. They offer supplemental reading or exercises for a particular course of study. Students can use them to gain a deeper understanding of a subject.
40. Students can hone their analytical skills through critique of blogs or development of their own.
41. They give students an outlet for ideas or comments that may have occurred to them after an in-class discussion has ended.
42. Blogs will help students widen their vocabulary.
43. Blogs will help students improve their grammar.
44. Students will be able to improve their persuasive writing skills, specifically.
45. Blogs can help students establish themselves as “experts” on a given topic.
46. Blogs give students a space for process-based learning. They don’t have to include the finished project. They can be there for drafts, free writing and more.
47. Students can use blogs as a space to brainstorm ideas and get feedback on their ideas from other classmates.
48. Teachers have a wide variety of reading materials and writing samples instantly available during class.
49. Many authoritative agencies and authors maintain blogs about their subject interest. These offer valuable tools and insights for classroom discussion.
50. Blogs are relevant!
For teachers:
51. Blogs offer a community of experts to offer advise, share tips, and commiserate over experiences.
52. Teachers can build their professional learning network through blogs by connecting with other experts and learning about new tools in their field.
53. Blogs can highlight professional experience and build the reputation of an educator.
54. Blogs can be used as a forum to vet classroom ideas — including lesson plans, activities, and curriculum.
55. Teachers can learn more about Web 2.0 tools and become more comfortable and familiar with them through the practice of writing a blog.
56. Blogs can serve as a sounding board to vent frustrations in the classroom or in the working environment.
57. Education news and trends can be gleaned from reading blogs.
58. Blogs highlight valuable resources that educators can use both in and out of the classroom.
59. Blogs help you meet people you wouldn’t otherwise be able to meet.
60. They increase accountability for the teacher and the school by making the classroom process more transparent.
61. The increased transparency will build trust and rapport with parents and the community.
62. Blogs can teach educators about online etiquette.
63. Blogs prepare educators for other forms of social networking.
64. They make teachers aware of current events and trends that are important to students — especially pop culture.
65. Blogs help educators remain flexible and adaptable. They are a new medium/technology for many, and learning how to maintain one requires learning new skills.
66. They allow educators to initiate discussions that are meaningful and relevant to them.
67. Blogs offer a sense of community among educators — or even among those within a particular institution.
68. Blogs give teachers a forum to share unconventional ideas that may not have had a hearing in more traditional outlets.
69. Educators can use blogs to publish works that may have been rejected by traditional publishers.
70. Private blogs can offer a useful space for reflection and process-based work.
71. Just like students, educators can use blogs to improve their writing skills.
72. Blogs can be used to facilitate classroom discussion.
73. Teachers can post questions or assign a discussion thread through a blog.
74. Blogs can be used to host classroom competitions.
75. Teachers can highlight a “student of the week” or “student of the month” on a blog, giving the student more exposure and the award more prestige.
76. Prizes and other special mentions can be advertised through a blog.
77. A school or college can use a blog as a community roundtable — highlighting events, hosting discussions, and posting useful information.
78. Blogs can offer a space for teachers to post additional comments or questions that may have been overlooked during a lesson — or only considered after class ended.
79. Writing a blog gives educators a way to relate to students.
80. Blogs offer a space for teachers to be more creative with their content.
81. Personal blogs — or professional blogs that include personal information about the teacher — give students a way to get to know the teacher better.
82. Blogs give teachers more autonomy, allowing them more possibilities for their lessons, including podcasts, videos, photos and more.
83. Blogs serve as a professional calling card. Teachers can use them to supplement an application or a push for a promotion.
84. Blogs can help teachers build up a reputation within a subject area that is not their area of specialty. For instance, if an English teacher wants to do more work with history, he or she can write and publish research through a blog to build up credentials in that subject area.
85. Blogging can motivate teachers to do more. If a blog has a following, then the writer will feel compelled to update often with valuable content.
86. If the content is compelling enough — or has enough professional value — blogs can help teachers get noticed and potentially land a book deal.
87. Publishing content to the Web makes you more aware of the quality of your product (be they lesson plans, articles for journals, etc.).
88. Blogs provide a space for educators to share articles or other papers before publication in order to get feedback or even editing help.
89. Blogs can provide a record of what was done in class. Can’t remember how you handled this section last year? Check your blog.
90. Blogs can be used to track attendance if students are required to participate in daily discussions, etc.
91. Blogs foster objectivity if teachers use them to grade student participation. There is a physical record of the breadth and depth of the content that students contribute — rather than trying to remember what they said in class or how often they raised their hands.
92. Blogs give teachers more time. Sometimes, not everything can be fit into the lesson plan, and homework can’t stand in for instruction. Teachers can use blogs to post further instruction, additional supporting materials, and more.
93. Blogs give teachers another way to connect with students. Inspirational notes, words of encouragement, and advice can all be shared with students through a blog.
94. Teachers can model professional behavior online for students through blogs.
95. Teachers can use blogs to teach students about other cultures, and to connect students with their peers in other countries.
96. Teachers can use classroom or professional blogs to supplement their evaluation materials. They are a handy written record of yearly activity.
97. Blogs can be used to make last minute or emergency announcements to students or parents.
98. Blogs offer you the freedom to say what you want — but still not without consequences:)
99. Blogs offer unique opportunities for assessment and evaluation of students.
100. Everyone else is doing it. Really. If you’re not blogging, it almost seems as if you’re behind the times and aren’t tuned it to what’s relevant to students and to other educators.