Why blog?

I have only just started blogging.

Why?

For a while, I have felt this need to write my reflections and thoughts on my teaching practice. My Year 9 students have been blogging since primary school. During our PD, Lenva shared that students who were blogging during the summer break would return to school and when tested for reading and writing, shifted and moved up 12 months in their reading and writing level.

The students who have been blogging consistently, have shown a great growth in their literacy levels. My current Year 9 students are still blogging and always keep asking me if they could share the work that they are doing in my class, onto their blogs from their previous school. Blogging is becoming more of a increasing priority in my students learning.

• How can you ensure your students post and comment 2+ a week? 
• Fitting it in - when how? 
• Is it a priority? 
• What strategy is needed? 
• What could it look like? 
• How to ensure teacher comments without burning the midnight oil? 
• How to ensure peer comments? 
• How to ensure meaningful, complex tasks? 
• Could Tamaki College have a 'Learning Journey'?

Colleague, Ms Latu and I, will joining forces and find a way to incorporate blogging with our Year 9 students. Watch this space!