Blogging is for grown-ups. Right?

During our Summer Institute we spent a lot of time blogging our thoughts and reflections about our experiences. We waxed poetically about our presentations and the work they entailed. We even used it to collaborate with those not in the immediate area of UTA (like me). So we know what we are talking about when we say blogging is just something kids do not fully understand. Right? Consider this:

Click on the image to get a better read of what it entails, but basically it is a mindmap about what blogging does for the author. These are just a few of the gems it lists:

I have increased my vocabulary.
You can think outside of the box.
It's like making your own books of thought.
You can smell the million dollar aroma of words.
It's like you are reading a blogging dictionary.
You paint stories in your mind.

And the list goes on very impressively. So what educator, purveyor of thought, wisdom-sharer of the masses could compile such a list? Eddie.

Yes, Eddie is the mastermind behind such an incredible graphic and thought provoking list. So, who is Eddie you might ask? I have very little idea. But what I do know is that he is in the 5th grade! His class blogs as well.

Take a look at what these ELEMENTARY students are doing with their individual and class blog spaces. There is no reason we cannot have such high expectations with our students as well.

Thanks Eddie!

By the way, I have my own blogging and podcasting project coming up. It is a full-bore pilot program to integrate the technologies into our school district. I wrote a grant. The superintendent offered to cover half the costs if the grant providers would cover the other half. He told me yesterday that I did not get what I wanted. I got more than I wanted. The grant providers offered to pay it all ($8000) as long as he kept his half available for me to use for expansion of the program. They see it taking off like crazy. It will be the largest grant they have ever given to any one person or group. I am honored that they have that much confidence in what I am wanting to do.

I plan to blog the process (here and on the school blog once created) that I go through including the costs and limitations of the equipment we buy and use. It will all be centered around an Apple server (oh the horror). Stay tuned. The first blog/podcast group out of the gate for us will be elementary special education (grades 3-5). Then, band has some awesome video podcasting ideas they have already started on. Journalism at the high school is also ready to take flight with Journalism I students and blogging. So this is going to be an awesome ride the next few months and into the summer. White Oak ISD will never be the same again.