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

9 comments:

  1. Elizabeth, do you think you would create a blog like the examples you provided (more for those in the education community) or create one that is more like a classroom website? If you already have a classroom website, would you still maintain that site? Another option would be to make one that is just for the students.

    There are so many options so the hardest part might be deciding how the blog will be used!

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    1. Whitney-
      I think that I would probably maintain 2 separate blogs, especially since my students are so young, and their parents would be more interested in student work and activities than how to make those activities. Another option would be to have 2 blogs and a website, and....I could go on and on! You are right, the possibilities are endless, and it may take some thinking time to determine what course is best for me!

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  2. Lately, I have been hooked on Pinterest. There are very many different blogs and sites that provide me with great resources.
    Try it, you will get hooked, too. :)

    Lilit

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  3. You know, I thought about Pinterest too. I'm just getting started with it, but there are so many great teaching ideas on there.

    I really like the idea of using a blog, because as you said, blogs are so much easier to update than a website. If it takes less time, I think teachers will be more likely to update it!

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    1. I have been trying to avoid getting hooked on Pinterest, but, just like blogging, I think I am losing the argument with myself!

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    2. I fought it for a long time. I'm actually starting to like it, even though I swore I never would!

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    3. Pintrest is great (although definitely addictive)! I hadn't really gotten into until recently as well :).

      I really enjoy http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/.

      It's great because it offers a lot of freebies and also goes beyond one grade level (which is nice, because as much as I enjoy looking at the first grade blogs, it also allows to see what resources I can use for my advanced and basic kiddos).

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  4. Thanks for saying that you like my blog! I first thought about blogging in the context of creating a classroom blog authored by students. I still haven't gotten that concept off the ground in my kindergarten classroom though-typing is very much a challenge for my students and I haven't found an effective way to manage it with limited technology resources. Please let me know if you undertake that challenge in your classroom. It is very fun and (I think) easier to start off as a teacher blogger:)

    Kelly
    Kindergarten Kel

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    1. I agree the typing of kindergarteners is not quite up to par for commenting on a blog, but that's why I was thinking about coming up with a class comment - they dictate, I type :-)

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