Introductory Journal Prompt

Reflecting on Our Progress as a Learning Community...
 
So far I think the class is going well.  I think the students are beginning to trust themselves as readers and writers and are becoming more aware of their own reading and writing processes.    Last week's class certainly gave them some new insights into their digital reading and writing processes. 

As we continue on, I do hope they are continually take the time to think about the language they want to use in their own classrooms to describe and illustrate “what a good reader and writer does.”    It is so important that students recognize they do not have to all use the same writing strategies as they write or the exact same reading strategies at the exact same time as other readers.  

I often worry when teachers say “I always have students use a graphic organizer as a way to brainstorm ideas.”   Sometimes simply talking it out with a friend is more beneficial than creating a mindmap. 

Hopefully in the writing groups we establish this afternoon, the students will be able to share their preferred writing processes strategies and will be able to develop ways to use each other as guides as they write.

Of course, I also hope that through this presentation on Journals they also develop an appreciation for the powerful ways personal writing can change one's understanding of the world and appreciation for what is read and written. 

Have You Found Out How to Get Followers (Reading Fans) Yet?

If you go to your GADGETS options, scroll down through the list and you will find a GADGET that is called FOLLOWERS. It is important to note that this is NOT the same thing as Follow by Email.  

Select the gadget called FOLLOWERS.  Feel free to rename the gadget if you like and then position it somewhere near your "about me" section.  

When you VIEW BLOG, you will not only see this new gadget but also a button which says JOIN THIS SITE.   This is the button your classmates can use to easily follow the blog.  

Wow! So Much Discussed Today

It is always amazing to see how a class community develops!!!  

Our Found Poem activity certainly provided opportunities for a lot of interactions between peer:peer as well as teacher:class.   There were a number of other voices willingly speaking up and contributing their ideas -- again, I believe this is because of the nature of the activity.   Even though the original "ideas" came from Tompkins, the LTED 618 students OWNED their words.