Musings on readings from ENGL 3241 January 12, 2008

Because I am a novice when it comes to this technology thing, I found many aspects of Will Richardson’s book, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, interesting and useful. When I first began reading, I had no clue what a blog is, or that it could be used in the classroom. To my surprise, I have created a blog just one week after purchasing the book. The ease with which I did so has inspired me; I now know that this really is something I can do. And if I can do it so can my future students. While I was unsure about whether blogs have a place in the classroom, Richardson’s book assures me that they are very relevant. In fact, he states that blogs work to create a “community of learners” (p 49). When I read this I knew I would love this book. His statement directly correlates to my philosophy of teaching; I believe that the main goal in the classroom should be to create a community of students that trust each other and are supportive of one another in their efforts. If teachers can do this I believe that all their students will be excited about the learning process.

Due to my lack of experince with blogs, I had no idea how they could be relevant in the classroom. Richardson very clearly lays out for us many different uses. I really like the idea of creating a reflective journal. After all, the best teachers are those that are constantly reflecting on what works and does not work in the classroom and adjusting their lessons accordingly. This type of blog is a great way for teachers to share their ideas with other professionals. I also really like the concept of a class blog. It seems as if this type of blog has endless possibilities; you could post homework assignments, Internet resource links, publish student writing, and so much more. I also appreciate how Richardson includes helpful hints about keeping students safe when it comes to the Internet. The inclusion of a template for a permission form for parents to fill out is very helpful. I also really like his idea about creating a wiki site where teacher and students can create and modify curriculum. This keeps the learning process interactive, which is a great way to keep students engaged.