Kindergarten

Kindergarten
Our Class

Saturday, February 18, 2012

A New World of Ideas

Before creating and exploring the world of blogs, I used websites to find ideas and information to expand my classroom.  I had my favorites, but had to constantly look for new websites because I had used everything on the old websites.  I spent more time looking for relevant websites than using the information to make my teaching better.  My eyes have now been opened to using blogs to find information!  Blogs tend to be updated more frequently, even daily, with ideas I can use right away.  While classroom blogs aren’t always updated that frequently, most I have found are updated more often than a website!  It is much easier to update a blog than a website - as I have found out from updating websites last semester and blogs this semester! 

The list of old updates provided by blogs also helps – the information is always available.  Blogs can offer a way to connect like a website, without all of the added troubles.  Now, I am starting to think about all my teaching ideas – could I create a blog with mine?  Connecting teachers, parents and students in one – the multipurpose blog!  As I said before, I was running out of arguments against a blog – and I think I just threw in the towel!

Where do you like to look for teaching ideas?  Any great sites you have found?

Here are some I like:

Chalk Talk
Seeds of Knowledge for a Future Generation
Kindergarten Kel

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Creating a Class Blog - Yes or No?


A class blog was never really something I thought about creating before taking this class.  Now, I keep coming up with arguments with myself FOR a class blog – and my arguments with myself against a class blog seem to be fading (and losing the battle)!  

My students are 5- and 6-year-olds who do not always have access to a computer at home, so making the blog comments a must would be difficult and unfair.  However, I can see using a class blog to interact with parents as well as other classes around the world.  Parents could come for information about class events, as well as for an update on our class (without having to press 5-year-olds for details!).  If we started communicating with another class across the world, blogs would provide a great way to keep them updated – or even to monitor class projects (such as the growing and changing Darkling beetles we currently have!).

I can see having students design and come up with a short post about our day (or realistically, week) would be a great writing motivator.  My students love typing on the computer, and I could see a blog as being a great outlet for their creativity and writing skills.

We will have to wait and see which side of me wins – stay tuned!

Do you use a class blog?  What works – or doesn’t work?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Getting Started

Blogging and designing a blog has definitely been an experience!  I have never been much of a blogger, but I do follow several recipe blogs.  I discovered them last winter, and was hooked!  I love the updates and personalities that come through when blogging, but now I can see why most of those blogs are not updated everyday!  It takes work and creative writing to make sure your 'voice' is heard!  I have to tell you, I was definitely overwhelmed at first, but just like anything, as long as I take my time and focus, I was able to (somewhat) figure it out!  It will be interesting to see how my blog changes over the semester, and how my comfort level will increase.

What changes do you think I should work on first?

Monday, January 30, 2012