Lesson Planning on a Blog

Posted on February 7, 2009
Filed under Blogs & Blogging, Digital Portfolio and tagged blog, blogging, bloggingadvice

Earlier this week I established my classroom blog which I use for all of my four classes. The students just select the category for their class to see the posts relevant to them. Apart from kids forgetting the URL and needing to ask too many times, it has worked really well. If I run out of time in class, or if kids forget what the homework is I just tell them to find it on the blog. A few comments from students have been:

“Wow, do you really have your own website?”

“This makes it so much easier.”

“If I don’t know what to do at home, I can just go to your blog, yeah? Cool.”

I’ve told my students that they are expected to use the blog to

refer to what is going on in class without having to ask me
to catch up on work missed while away
to use the blog posts for their class as a checklist to make sure they have completed all work
to re-read any explanations they didn’t quite understand when I introduced the lesson

I’m using the blog as my lesson planning tool as well. I don’t use a big heavy teacher’s planner. I usually nut things out with a pen and paper (in very messy and fast handwriting), formulate it into some sort of organised list and then write up a coherent post about it for the students. I have also got on the blog Unit outlines for my Year 12 classes (with my Year 11 and 10 ones to come soon).

I will often get my students to respon to questions by leaving comments on the blog, which I have already done once for this activity which asked students ‘What Is Technology?’

I’m hoping also that my classroom blog will show my development as a teacher in how I plan my lessons and what sort of activities I get my students to complete. The real reflections on all of that will happen here on this blog, but the examples will probably all be there. My students won’t be writing on the blog, but I’m planning that at least one class will have their own individual blogs, and maybe two classes will be involved on a ning network. See what develops there.

Have you got a classroom blog? How are you using it?

Comments

Create a free edublog to get your own comment avatar (and more!)

3 Responses to “Lesson Planning on a Blog”

Mr. James on February 9th, 2009 1:31 pm

I use my blog to document what I am learning and doing in the classroom. I do not have a classroom of my own, but I get to collaborate with other teachers and bring technology into their classrooms.

I use my blog to connect with other teachers. I have a few who read consistently and even fewer who comment.

I use my blog as a portfolio. When teachers ask about the projects that I am working on, I point them to my blog and ask them to tell me what they think.
Simon Borgert on February 24th, 2009 4:26 am

Hey Jess,

Love the idea of idea of a blog for lessons – I have started this to this year – but find the process of updating very hard….. another issue that I have is that the NSW Department of Education block all blogs for students… However my kids enjoy watching some of the podcast snipits to refresh their understanding
Cheers
Simon
Paul Bogush on March 18th, 2009 7:18 am

Love my blog–has what we are doing each week and links to the appropriate page on our wiki with the directions–well except of course this week.

My kids each have their own blog also but don’t really use it as a portfolio, but more of a place to reflect. We have a wiki that serves as the portfolio.

blog–http://blogush@wallingford.k12.ct.us
wiki–http://collaborationnation.wikispaces.com