SOL #15
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I invite teacher bloggers to write about their digital literacy experiences in the classroom and link back to this round up. Please leave your link in the comments. I will update the post during the day.
This week I read an NCTE article in Council Chronicle entitled Students as Makers and Doers by Trisha Collopy. At the end of the article is an “Authenticity Test” for student activities. This test includes two major priorities: 1. Is the activity used outside of school? and 2. Is it a literate habit of experienced adults?
As a reflective teacher, I wonder about the activities and lessons that I setup for my students. In gifted education, we strive to center our work around student interests. When students are interested, they remain engaged and motivated. When you think about authenticity, adults usually engage in activities that interest them. When we are interested, we immerse ourselves in the subject. If you were to look at my email inbox and my Facebook feed, you would know immediately that I am a teacher who loves to read and write.
How do I make activities that advance a students’ learning, engage them in their interests, and practice an authentic task? Blogging. As I sit here at my computer writing about an intense interest of mine, I realize that this is what I pass on to my students. In the Slice of Life Challenge, they are allowed to write about their interests. They are engaged in the process. They are learning by doing. Some of them are even choosing to write outside of school.
Erin is a third grader. She is a voracious reader. She loves all things Rick Riordan. She devours these books within days. But her writing. Well, that has not been quite up to my expectations. For some reason, though, with the SOLC, something has clicked in her. She came to school on Monday with pages of a notebook filled with slices. Her typing is slow, so I helped her type them in. Not any more. On Friday, she went home and typed 3 slices. You can see Erin’s blog here. She writes just like she speaks, with great enthusiasm.
I am probably preaching to the choir here about blogging with students. I love that I have found “real, authentic” articles to back up my convictions.
Don’t forget to leave your link int the comments. Thanks!
Tara Smith tells about preparing her sixth graders for historical fiction book clubs. https://ateachinglifedotcom.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/sol15-march-15-2015-digilit-sunday-preparing-for-historical-fiction-book-clubs/
Julie Johnson tests out Animoto by creating her own six-image story. Great idea! http://www.raisingreadersandwriters.com/2015/03/spring-break-with-puppies-6-image-story.html
Julianne Harmatz is here with a reflection about blogging with her students. https://jarhartz.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/sol15-day-15-reflections-on-tech-in-writing-workshop/
Deb Frazier is trying out Nutshell to define her maker space. http://debfrazier.blogspot.com/2015/03/slice-of-life-my-maker-space.html
Cathy Mere defines a Maker space and invites us all to participate in the Digital Maker Playground. http://reflectandrefine.blogspot.com/2015/03/digilit-sunday-digital-maker-playground.html
Carol Varsalona shares some of her experiences in digital literacy. http://reflectandrefine.blogspot.com/2015/03/digilit-sunday-digital-maker-playground.html
Reflections on the Teche 