Commenting on other people's blogs shows writers that someone is actually reading their blog! Not only that, but they care enough about what the writer is saying to comment on it. When you comment on a blog, it brings attention to your blog which creates a sense of community. If someone agrees with your comment, they are likely to check out your blog, then you check out theirs, and so on. Joining in on a conversation is the right thing to do when you care about a topic. It gives bloggers a chance to discuss common interests and concerns and share advice.
Other points about commenting on blogs that were brought up in the reading discussed "commenting etiquette". One blogger said it's important to say "thanks" to a comment or at least respond to it in some way. The writer should let their readers know that he or she is listening. Looking at the other side of blogging brings me to my next point that was brought up in the reading...the readers commenting on the blog. Don't just comment just to comment....comment only if you really care about the subject being discussed! It's almost rude otherwise. While a "I agree with you" is nice, tell the writer why you agree or care. Makes for much more interesting comments which could lead to more interesting topics of discussion.
Comments I've made on classmates' blogs:
1. Ashley Kettle: I commented on Thing #5 because it seems she and I share feelings of being overwhelmed by Web 2.0. I'm a late learner with most technology....
2. Danielle Murphy: I commented on the fact that she is done! I've been checking her blog out a lot along the way since she has continued to be ahead of everyone. I let her know that I've been reading it and how great it looks.
3. Anita Hicks: I commented on her avatar and on her thing #2. Someone else had commented on recycling so I kept the conversation going since I'm a pretty big believer in recycling.
4. Tiffany Burghardt: I commented on her blog because she cracks me up. She and I both don't get the whole blogging thing. Neither one of us are too terribly interested in reading people's random thoughts....
5. Jake Null: I joined a discussion about posting pics on the internet.
6. While I was working on assignment for another class, I came across Kathy Schrock's Blog. She has her own website where she lists several helpful websites for educators and her blog is all about using web 2.0. Good stuff. I left a comment on how I can use her blog as a learning tool!
7. The Pioneer Woman: I was introduced to this blog in class and I mainly like it for the recipes! I'm always looking for good recipes...not that I have a lot of time to cook these days, but STILL! :) So, I commented on one of her recipes.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Thing #3
I've never really thought about all the ways blogging could be useful in a classroom until now. Keeping a blog can keep my students informed as well as their parents. I can post a calendar of events, classroom expectations, assignments, examples of assignments, and more. It can always be a source for students to refer to if there are any questions. It can also be used as a place for students to post questions, concerns, and comments especially if it is something the students think of while we are not in class. It can keep parents, students, and teachers connected at all times. It would also be great to post photos and small write-ups from class events such as field trips, class projects, and more. I could also provide links for my students to other sites so that they can refer to those sites for an assignment or for their own education advancement. It could also be a way for me to post ways to earn extra credit.
I would encourage my students to set up their own blogs if the students were old enough to do so. That way, they could post their own ideas, writings, and photos. Keeping kids involved is one of the major steps to keeping them in school. Having a blog and keeping everyone excited will give each kid ownership in their class and a way to feel like they are a part of something great. Each student having their own blog will also allow them to communicate with other students in their class so that they may do group work. It's also a way for students to communicate with other students around the world.
Keeping a blog would be beneficial to me not only to keep my students and their parents involved but also to help me interact with other educators. It will allow me to share ideas and communicate with other teachers.
I would encourage my students to set up their own blogs if the students were old enough to do so. That way, they could post their own ideas, writings, and photos. Keeping kids involved is one of the major steps to keeping them in school. Having a blog and keeping everyone excited will give each kid ownership in their class and a way to feel like they are a part of something great. Each student having their own blog will also allow them to communicate with other students in their class so that they may do group work. It's also a way for students to communicate with other students around the world.
Keeping a blog would be beneficial to me not only to keep my students and their parents involved but also to help me interact with other educators. It will allow me to share ideas and communicate with other teachers.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Thing #2
Setting up the blog was pretty easy for me (fortunately) and fun. It was a little hard for me to come up with a title. I wanted something with my last name in it (and had to do so because the class instructions said to do so). I decided on JAMGRANT because my initials right now are JAG. I am getting married in November and I will then keep my maiden name as my middle name so that my initials will be JGM. My fiance loves my middle name now and thinks I should keep it and throw out my maiden name, because then my initials would be JAM and that's amusing to him. :) So, there you have it, JAMGRANT. Setting up the avatar was pretty entertaining. Lots of different options to play with and experiment with, but in the end, my avatar looks pretty closely to me with blonde hair and green eyes.
Thing #1
7 1/2 Habits
The hardest habit for me is #3: "View each problem as a challenge". I view problems as problems!!... Something else for me to have to figure out and work through. However, if I am able to train myself to look at problems as challenges, I think I will have a more positive outlook on the task at hand. If I can view these curve balls as challenges, not only will it help me on my problem solving skills, but once the challenge is met (or problem is solved), I can look back and feel good about my accomplishment and my ability to tackle the challenge.
The easiest habit for me is #6: "Use technology to your advantage". I use google for everything...everything. If I don't know how to do a math problem, I google it. If I need help in a home improvement project, I google it. I honestly do not know how we survived without the technology we have available today. Everything is at the touch of a button. Things that used to take so much time in finding in a library, now only take a few minutes of surfing on the net.
With that being said, I am very excited about learning about the Web 2.0 tools as I work on my masters and work in this class. The world is constantly changing and technology is changing every day. It's a huge part of life and the more I can use it in my classroom, the better it will be for my students. While I do use the internet and facebook and such, there is still so much I do not know. For instance, I've never set up or used a blog. I found setting up my blog to be fun! I hope it is something that I will continue to use. I've looked at other people's blogs but just never felt the need to set up one of my own. I'm happy this class is requiring me to do so so that I can learn more.
The hardest habit for me is #3: "View each problem as a challenge". I view problems as problems!!... Something else for me to have to figure out and work through. However, if I am able to train myself to look at problems as challenges, I think I will have a more positive outlook on the task at hand. If I can view these curve balls as challenges, not only will it help me on my problem solving skills, but once the challenge is met (or problem is solved), I can look back and feel good about my accomplishment and my ability to tackle the challenge.
The easiest habit for me is #6: "Use technology to your advantage". I use google for everything...everything. If I don't know how to do a math problem, I google it. If I need help in a home improvement project, I google it. I honestly do not know how we survived without the technology we have available today. Everything is at the touch of a button. Things that used to take so much time in finding in a library, now only take a few minutes of surfing on the net.
With that being said, I am very excited about learning about the Web 2.0 tools as I work on my masters and work in this class. The world is constantly changing and technology is changing every day. It's a huge part of life and the more I can use it in my classroom, the better it will be for my students. While I do use the internet and facebook and such, there is still so much I do not know. For instance, I've never set up or used a blog. I found setting up my blog to be fun! I hope it is something that I will continue to use. I've looked at other people's blogs but just never felt the need to set up one of my own. I'm happy this class is requiring me to do so so that I can learn more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
