Mid-Winter Follow-Up - High School Students blog (verb)
The Blurb
This is the link to the blog that a group of high school kids are doing. It is very well written and interesting to read. They give their perspective in the form of a short post as well as a short podcast interviewing each other on the current event at hand. This is well worth the read/listen. Consider what your kids could do in their own classroom given this type of time and freedom to experiment.
PS - Notice how they do not use their real names or identifying comments in any fashion. Very safe. Great idea. Another way you can make up student names is to use an anagram generator. Students type in their names (full name gives more options), and the site generates a list of possible pseudonyms. Very cool (and funny).
The Blurb
The Blurb is a daily, weekly or sometimes monthly news show created and maintained by some seriously motivated students living in cyberspace! Check out our news and views regularly
This is the link to the blog that a group of high school kids are doing. It is very well written and interesting to read. They give their perspective in the form of a short post as well as a short podcast interviewing each other on the current event at hand. This is well worth the read/listen. Consider what your kids could do in their own classroom given this type of time and freedom to experiment.
PS - Notice how they do not use their real names or identifying comments in any fashion. Very safe. Great idea. Another way you can make up student names is to use an anagram generator. Students type in their names (full name gives more options), and the site generates a list of possible pseudonyms. Very cool (and funny).
Labels: anagrams, blogging, literacy, Scott_S_Floyd
posted by Scott S. Floyd @ 2/06/2007 01:22:00 PM
8 Comments:
At 2/07/2007 4:40 AM,
Anonymous said…
Dear Mr. Floyd,
We appreciate your comment about The Blurb. We enjoy adding content to our site and have received visits so far from 39 countries and 47 states. Today we are likely to receive our 5,000th visitor.
Thanks again for your comment. We're excited that you like our work.
Signed,
Piglet
PS...We're looking forward to high school, but that's a long way away!
At 2/07/2007 7:20 AM,
Scott S. Floyd said…
If you are middle school or lower, you so need to talk to my middle school gifted students to motivate them. And if you happen to be my middle school students, by all means, please step forward.
At 2/07/2007 7:21 AM,
Scott S. Floyd said…
By the way, this proves how the anonymity is working so well for our students.
At 2/08/2007 3:42 AM,
Anonymous said…
Scott wrote:
Consider what your kids could do in their own classroom given this type of time and freedom to experiment.
You know, Scott...as the teacher behind The Blurb, I think this time issue is one that keeps many educators from diving into using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom.
I know that I find myself defending my decision to spend time on The Blurb in class at all levels all the time, even though our work is clearly worthwhile.
We've all been convinced that preparing students for end of grade testing requires focused work with paper and pencil following very clearly delinated curricular plans dictated by standard courses of study at the best and scripted programs at the worst.
I wonder how we can change the conversation around Web 2.0 tools and get people (read: school decision makers) to see that blogs and podcasts aren't "new things to teach" but rather content delivery systems that can be used in much the same way as more traditional instructional practices that we've always used.
Do you think that "rethinking" is possible, or do you think we're fighting an uphill battle that we'll never win?
Interesting thoughts, huh?
Bam Bam Bigelow
Chief Editor (and teacher)
The Blurb
At 2/08/2007 4:54 PM,
Scott S. Floyd said…
Oh, we'll win alright. It will just take time. It is a great time for us to teach in as educators and to learn in as students (including us).
I am in the process of some major PD creation to attempt to stress the points you brought up. I will know the answers a year from now while working with a group of educators who have successful student test scores and are not so willing to change the delivery method. Texas has passed a Long Range Plan for Technology that is going to force some changes. We will just have to keep working toward that goal of integrating the 21st century skills into the delivery methods. David Warlick has done a great job of presenting information literacy. I think he is correct in that the technology will just follow.
Thanks for your great, thought provoking comments. And thanks for doing such a great job with The Blurb. I plan on using it as an example in my presentations around the state as well as in my own classroom.
At 2/09/2007 3:28 AM,
Anonymous said…
Scott wrote:
I will know the answers a year from now while working with a group of educators who have successful student test scores and are not so willing to change the delivery method.
This is definitely the key, Scott! Once we can document the positive effect that digital learning opportunities have on student achievement, we'll earn far more buy in from all of education's stakeholders.
I almost can't wait to see what happens with my own students' scores this year....although I'm anxious because if I don't see growth, I'll end up questioning my decision to drift from traditional instructional practices.
Anyway, thanks again for acknowledging the work of my students, who thought it was neat to be spotlighted....and mistaken for high schoolers! (I've probably gotten five more podcasts out of your post...they're jazzed!)
Bam Bam Bigelow
The Blurb
At 2/13/2007 6:41 AM,
Anonymous said…
Hey have you ever thought about the opus it is on the blurb related links it is cool here is the site http://www.guysread.typepad.com/ouropus/ we have alot of thing like them we are also persausive middle schooler just like the blurb.
At 2/18/2007 5:29 PM,
Scott S. Floyd said…
I did find The Opus. I hope to start something similar with my students in the next month or so. You guys are doing some wonderful work. Thanks for the motivation and the great example you are setting for my students.
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