As a middle school teacher, I deal with many students who are struggling to find their own voices. As adolescence sets in, so do new ideas and understandings of how people interact. Some students have the self confidence to express their beliefs among their peers. The majority of thirteen and fourteen year old students, however, simply do not. Blogs can be that safe outlet for opinions without the stress of standing alone.
Thus, in my classroom I hope to use a science blog and a history blog to encourage students to comment on particular topics that require an opinion founded in facts and research. I currently use prompts entitled "What Do You Think?" which ask a question and the students must answer. Many of their written answers are well founded and thoughtfully written. However, few volunteer to share their answers in the classroom. By giving the students various names (I'm thinking about using countries throughout the world), they can write their thoughts with the knowledge that the teacher is the only one who knows their identity. The positive feedback received in class discussions can help the students gain confidence. Hopefully, this practice will lead to discussions by the end of the year without the need for anonymity.
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I like that would have the what do you think idea. It is great for blogging to allow students to have a voice but not speak. Now we have to be safe that student safe material stays on the blog. There could be links posted to inappropriate content. I would recommend have a policy already in place to deal with this. Have it in place and have it be tough. This would be signed by the students and principal. This way if anything happens they know punishment will come swift and hard.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea if the "anonymous" blog. Posting your thoughts for everyone to read can be a bit intimidating. When students feel safe to express their thougts, you will get some wonderful feedback. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI too love the idea of having students post without using their name. This would cut down on students criticizing one another just because they happen not to like each other. It also gives those students who are uncomfortable with their writing a chance to post knowing the other students cannot pinpoint the writing as theirs.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input Craig, Ashley, and Jennifer. I definitely like the possibilities for anonymous blogging, but as Craig said, I want to keep strict standards to protect all my students. I'm contemplating having their parents sign a permission slip that says they can blog before they are able to participate. It might mean extra work for me and some alternative assignments for a few students, but it's important to protect myself as well as the students.
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