In class today, we continued reading, Tunnels of Treachery. Students started to learn about indentured servants from the text, and then they furthered their own knowledge, by working in groups and researching this topic. My plan was that the students would share what they learned in our Today’sMeet Room. Our principal, Paul Clemens, made this plan even better.
Thanks Alley for recording this read aloud today.
After the students completed their research, I decided to show them my blog post from last night on our radio show discussion. I wanted the class to see how I share their work, and let them know that I planned on sharing what they produced today as well. When I pulled up my blog post, I noticed Paul’s comment. Together, we read what he wrote, and we thought about his suggestion.
I pulled up our Today’sMeet session from yesterday, and we discussed the different comments. What did the comments look like that helped move the thinking forward? How could we write more comments like this? It was then that I wrote in the Today’sMeet Room the top comment that appears in the Scribd Story below.
Students then started discussing and adding their contributions to Today’sMeet. They really thought about what Paul said. They tried to not just share their research, but reflect on the implications of what they found out. We can now use these comments to ask and answer some quality questions. I love when backchanneling becomes a reflection of deep thought and not just interaction with peers, and Paul’s helped push this “deep thought” to the forefront of our backchanneling. Thank you!
It really is amazing! In the past, to get a principal’s feedback on a lesson or thoughts on an activity, I would have to wait for the principal to visit the classroom. Even after the visit, we’d have to arrange a time to meet and discuss the principal’s observations. Blogging changes this! With videos, pencasts, and audio recordings, my administrator can have a daily glimpse into my classroom. He can leave a comment and offer immediate feedback, and I can make immediate changes to my teaching practices. Change comes quicker thanks to social media, and this is a good thing.
I think my reply to Paul’s comment sums up my thoughts best:
What impact do you see professional blogging having on teaching practices and student learning? I would love to hear your thoughts on this!
Aviva