Engaging Students in Reading and Writing through Blogs Ginny Bitting CWP workshop at EastConn February 7, 2009

Blogging is only one cog in the wheel of deepening thinking.

Philosophical underpinnings Vygotsky and constructivism  Kids construct their own knowledge.  As teachers, we act as mediators to empower their learning.

The Active reader - Iser How do you know when your students are actively participating in reading? “ As a literary text can only produce a response when it is read, it is virtually impossible to describe this response without also analyzing the ‘ reading process. ’” “ Effects and responses are properties neither of the text nor of the reader; the text represents a potential effect that is realized in the reading process. ” (From Literacy and Learning, by Brett Elizabeth Blake)

Differences between the traditional reading and reader response. TraditionalClassroom Reader Response 1.The teacher emphasizes the 1. Although a worthwhile text is necessary, text primarilythe primary emphasis is on the child’s oralor written response to the text. 2. The teacher guides the child to 2. The child creates her own personal Find the “correct” meaning withinmeaning for the text, with the sophisticated the text.help of a specially trained and sympathetic teacher. 3. The teacher directs the child to 3. The child gives an initial response to a Answer specific questions about suchliterary piece and the uses her knowledge Elements of a literary text as setting, about literary elements to support her Plot, characters and theme.Interpretation. 4. Emotions, personal opinions are 4. Feelings, memories, associations, and not emphasized, since the intuition(perceptions arrived at without traditional method is essentially rational thought) are not only allowed objective, detached, inductive and but form the core of Reader Response. scientific. 5. The child typically shares her 5. The child shares her responses with other responses with the teacher only.Children in small groups and in the whole learning community. Each child thus sees an individual response grow, becoming enriched and validated by the responses from her peers. (from Literacy and Learning by Brett Elizabeth Blake)

The Assignments A first experience:- Kids respond to my ‘About Me’ page‘About Me’ Scaffolding the learning Getting everyone on the same page

“We first enter a text emotionally, creating a dialogue between ourselves and the writing.” …paraphrasing Louise Rosenblatt

Open ended response- The class responds on paper to Daniels Story  Start simple Use sticky notes or notebooks A response can be:-  Reaction to a character scene or event, or author ’ s craft  Prediction: What will happen? Why do you think so?  Connection: Go beyond the surface of ‘ I have a band-aid; you have a band-aid ’ to the emotional level  Question: Record a question generated by the text. Try to answer the question using clues (author ’ s purpose)

Middle School - Grade 8 Online assignment for Daniels Story  Respond to one scene  Ask one question Daniels Story Blogs High School AP Literature classes  Students respond to “A Good Man is Hard to Find” DV High School Responding to a single text

Blogging in the reading workshop Students chose their own book from among thirty titles around a theme of truth, lies and deceit. They posted a blog every pages on their reactions to the reading. I encourage reaction rather than simple retelling A reading workshop with multiple texts around a theme Mokita - The truth that everyone sees, but no one speaks of. Maori saying

Thoughts from Denny who said, ‘Did you read my blogs yet? I got really good at blogging by the end.’ NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH pages I was so shocked on how this got so serious. The school board was interviewing the students in Miss Narwins homeroom class about Philips so called disruption to the class. page The news has gone all across the United States. That’s a shocker.That little of a thing gets around the whole country. WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. I guess that the first reporter from the town newspaper got around and told people about the situation. i cant believe how far it went. I dont think it was fair because even though I was on Philips side they never told her side of the story. Pages 176- END When Philip switched schools that amazed me.. The one part that I hated in this book was that his new teacher in his new school asked him to start the national anthem And guess what he said “I don’t know the words”.They were the last words in the book. I was so mad how the book ended that way. I wonder if there is a sequel to Nothing But the Truth. Overall I still think it is the best book I have ever read.

The Results - A Window into their thinking  From Struggling Readers  Longer and stronger - Deepening responses  Kid to kid responses  From informal to formal blogs to transactional essays

"You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing." Doris Lessing "Writing is an adventure." Winston Churchill Some beginning writing blogs Mackenzie's blog site Tom's blog site

So… Why have students blog?  It ‘flattens’ the hierarchy of the classroom  Provides the basis for expanded thinking  Makes thought processes in reading and writing more transparent -both teacher and student can observe  Provides non-threatening opportunities for authentic dialogue around literature and process writing

Time to explore edublogs.org -the educational ‘wing’ of WordPress (through Google)