Blogs and Senior Writing

I've just been inspired to have my senior writing students create blogs which would be used much like an online journal. I'll have them use the blogs for free-writes and also for quick write topics that I give them. I'll keep a few "starter topics" on hand for kids who "don't know what to write about." I just have to wait until they all get their computers, but that should be soon. Since I only have 9 kids in that class, it should be easy to keep on top of the blogging. Now I need a blog grading rubric! Anyone know of one?

Today, I love technology!

Finally, success! I have a very small Mythology class (only 5 kids) and three of them were absent today. Fortunately, I had just finished setting up their wikispace (with Amity's help) and I had a project ready to roll. Both of the students in the class had their laptops (hurrah!) and they were able to sign on to the wiki and get to work. And it went great! Both of them were totally engaged with looking up their gods and goddesses and putting information on the wiki. Now, if only my sophomores would get their laptops...

Here's a link to their wiki. Reminder that it's a work in progress!

Tech-frustration

So, I go to show my wordle today to my sophomores and what happens? The applet won't load. I can see other wordles, but I can't show mine. I try to quickly make a new one. Same problem. I use Safari instead of Firefox. Same problem. So, like any good teacher, I had to drop that idea and go quickly to something different. Something non-technology based.

Also, our students don't have their laptops yet and probably won't until October. That's not too far away, but much of what I want to do, I can't do, because I don't have the technology. This also has a bearing on my grad school project, since much of it was developed with using technology in mind.

I know it will get better eventually. My problem is I want eventually to be RIGHT NOW!