Oh my! I feel like I am stuffed full of blog searches, RSS feeds..No more please. I see the value of the circle of the wise but I feel like I a need a big burp here!I decided that probably, my circle should be other 5th grade science teachers. I started there, was pleased that it was fairly easy to find what I was looking for, in both Google Blog Search and Edublog. Honestly, to set up a circle of wise with the other 5th grade science teachers in my district, who are also friends but on different campuses would be helpful, and most likely to be used. I think once the school year starts and I am busy I problably won't take much time to visit my circle of the wise. I know the value of seeking the wise as I have this quote in my kitchen, "Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day," says Thorton Wilder. I clipped this from a church bulletin a long time ago and do like it but I'm not sure it will be in the form of my circle of the wise blog. I am afraid that I sound like a tired, 51 year old teacher who doesn't want to learn anything new. This is really not the case I just want to do something more fun. In my kitchen I also have wise words from a fortune cookie that changed my life and it simply states, "Plan to have some fun." So that is just what I plan to do as I dash off to tennis and then a visit with sister to finish an incomplete game of Blokus. Now that is fun.
3 comments:
I know that you were more talking about reading other blogs, but have you thought about the uses of the blog in your own classroom. One of the things that I was thinking about was using it as a way to write a summative at the end of the day and have the students and or parents post back to that. It would also be a cool way to remind parents of important information that is coming up - such as picture day tomorrow, etc. I am basically your age - I realize that some of the kids need a bit of time to process info and I thought that by commenting to a blog that might give them time - especially if they do not have to tell you exactly who they are. It might be a way for them to ask further questions on a subject, to comment on something that made them curious, etc. I also feel that by blogging it will improve both their reading and writing abilities. One of the things that I am very interested in is how this is going to translate over into the classroom. I think it could be extremely useful - but if you do, I also think it would be important to have the comments go through the teacher and not be automatically added to the blog. That is easy enough to do, you just set that in when you set up the blog. I did mine that way to make sure. I look forward to reading what happens for you as you go forward.
You are too funny! I agree about the neverending feeds. There is no way I will have time to read all of the feeds I have subscribed too, especially the "bundles." I do like mmin's comment on your blog about using blogging as a summative!
I feel the same way. I have been very intrigued by all that Library2Play has introduced me to, but I will need some downtime to explore all the concepts further.
I also liked the suggestion that "mmin" posted to this same thing. If I could encourage my teachers and parents to communicate through blogs, I wonder if that would make for better students. I know I like to stay in contact with my sons' teachers and this may be a creative, unintrusive way of doing so.
By the way, you're never too old to learn (or incorporate) something new. You're only as tired as you feel - something I try to remind myself of daily.
Have a great school year!
Post a Comment