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 
Saturday Celebration
Posted in Celebration Saturday, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged #crazycomments, #DLDay, MMPoetry on March 14, 2015| 10 Comments »
SOL #14
Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.
I had a rough week physically, fighting congestion and cough and feeling generally yucky. Yet, there are still many moments to celebrate. I like to collect these moments on my phone and look back to see that this has indeed been a week to celebrate.
I have been eliminated from the MMPoetry 15 in round one. I gave it a good shot and now, according to Ed, I am part of the “club.” My students knew I was going to get beat as soon as they read the competing poem by Tiffany Strelitz Haber. It’s hard to compete against Mr McStuffins baking muffins. I am proud of my Poetry Friday friends who moved on to the next round. Good luck! Be sure to follow the next brackets and vote. It’s a great learning activity to do with your students.
My students are slicing away. Friday was Digital Learning Day. Our activity was a crazy comment challenge. I offered candy prizes for comments. (Skittles for single comments and Dum Dums for 10) Two students wrote 50 and got a treat from the lounge. I offered the challenge on Twitter and Holly Mueller’s class took it on.
Because I have small groups of students, I am able to celebrate birthdays with a special treat. Vannisa wanted cinnamon rolls and apples and the apple peeler. I have an old fashioned apple peeler that spins the apples and slices in a spiral. My students love it, and it’s become a favorite for birthdays.
Book gifts are always a reason to celebrate. We had a book fair this week, and Emily’s grandmother bought 3 books for my class library. Two of my boys, Reed and Nigel, knew I wanted Terrible Two (teachers make a wish list), so they went in together to buy it for the class. How special!
On one of my lowest health days, I got a card in the mail from my friend, Jen. She made it herself. Isn’t it lovely? Despite the incessant rain, my nagging cough, and the loser poem, I feel lifted by my students and my friends. Celebrate!
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