Since I've been teaching, I've never seen so much excitement about writing as I have in the last couple of months. The recipe? Take one child with interests he or she must discuss. Add a heaping cup of creativity and a dollop of the need for self-expression. Fold in some visuals, mix with a sense of humor. Bake in an oven of words. Sprinkle with music and interest surveys and voila - a culture of youth writers!
In Language, we often refer to purpose and audience. Blogging is a prime example of how simple it is for children (such as the students in our class) to have a voice/purpose when they have the freedom to express their ideas and interests in writing. The audience includes friends, classmates, family members, and teachers. I love reading the student blogs. They inspire me and these blogs are already influencing my lesson plans.
In the fall, Clairlea teachers joined with others in our family of schools to hear youth culture and marketing expert Max Valiquette. His big message was how critical it is for teachers to keep up with technology and tap into the interests of students. Children still need to be able to pick up a pencil or pen and write on paper - which we do a lot of in class. We also need to acknowledge the role of social networking, texting, blogging, emailing, and the way youth engage with media texts and technology. In the past it's been a challenge to get students to keep journals or write for pleasure at home. The bloggers seem truly motivated to write because they know their work will be read by a broader audience. This is understandable. I am seeing students who were reluctant writers flourishing. To say this is an exciting time for me as a teacher would be an understatement.
I hope to link more blogs tomorrow. Don't forget to read the terrific blog of one of our "Original Four" bloggers, Mathew W. He's posted a great review of a Goosebumps book. http://rock01blog.blogspot.com
E. Hawkins
