How do I use digital writing?
Digital? Why do we have to make such a distinction? I try not to make a huge difference between "digital" and "analog" writing because I want my students to see that all thoughts written down are writing. So whether we use a keyboard or a pencil to capture the ideas that are in our heads, we are sharing our internal thoughts with an audience who is interested to read what we think.
Specific examples
Twitter bulletin board: Yes, this is officially "analog" writing. However, my fourth graders had to learn a new language and present their ideas to an authentic audience that is representative of what they would encounter online. The bulletin board is in the school hallway directly outside our classroom. Students can grab a Vis-a-Vis marker (oh yeah, I was able to repurpose those bad boys from the overhead projector era) and write whatever they would like to whomever they choose on our board.
Online Safety: I explicitly teach my students what they should and should not post online. We also get a little help from the Attorney General.
Show & Tell: I get to see what's going on with my students and get to know them better.
Goals for writing:
Authentic Audience to encourage relevance and motivation
Google Drive
Collaboration
Door Open to Teacher
Feedback (Comments)
Writing Scripts for Videos
Blogging: Class blogs (answer this question) and individual blogs
Specific examples
Twitter bulletin board: Yes, this is officially "analog" writing. However, my fourth graders had to learn a new language and present their ideas to an authentic audience that is representative of what they would encounter online. The bulletin board is in the school hallway directly outside our classroom. Students can grab a Vis-a-Vis marker (oh yeah, I was able to repurpose those bad boys from the overhead projector era) and write whatever they would like to whomever they choose on our board.
Online Safety: I explicitly teach my students what they should and should not post online. We also get a little help from the Attorney General.
Show & Tell: I get to see what's going on with my students and get to know them better.
Goals for writing:
Authentic Audience to encourage relevance and motivation
Google Drive
Collaboration
Door Open to Teacher
Feedback (Comments)
Writing Scripts for Videos
Blogging: Class blogs (answer this question) and individual blogs
My Online Presence
Does it even matter? So what if a student or parent can Google my name and find out things about me? Can that really hurt me?
To answer these questions, I think I need to do a little more research about who Mary Wever is online. We can't stop parents from talking. I live in a community where talking about what teachers do and say seems to be the most popular topic of the day. Are we going to stop them from saying things online? I don't think so. So, I need to be able to grow some tough skin.
However, I think my digital footprint so far is pretty decent. When you Google my name "Mary Wever" (in quotation marks), the first thing that pops up is my professional website. Isn't that a good thing? I think so. The images are mostly me. On the other hand, the image of the Mary Wever in inmates clothing makes me a little uncomfortable. Oh well, I'm guessing people will know there are more than one Mary Wever (even with the weird spelling).
My Twitter account has increased tremendously recently with the more tweeting I have done this year. So, there has been in influx of my motivation to write (at least write short snippets of my life in less than 140 characters). I am very pleased with that. However, I would REALLY like to blog. I have a lot of good ideas and thoughts that I would like to share. I even have a blog post about them. But no one would really know anything deeper about me because I usually just tweet professionally. I feel like I need to use Twitter as a gate, or marketing tool, for my blog. That is going to be a goal.
To answer these questions, I think I need to do a little more research about who Mary Wever is online. We can't stop parents from talking. I live in a community where talking about what teachers do and say seems to be the most popular topic of the day. Are we going to stop them from saying things online? I don't think so. So, I need to be able to grow some tough skin.
However, I think my digital footprint so far is pretty decent. When you Google my name "Mary Wever" (in quotation marks), the first thing that pops up is my professional website. Isn't that a good thing? I think so. The images are mostly me. On the other hand, the image of the Mary Wever in inmates clothing makes me a little uncomfortable. Oh well, I'm guessing people will know there are more than one Mary Wever (even with the weird spelling).
My Twitter account has increased tremendously recently with the more tweeting I have done this year. So, there has been in influx of my motivation to write (at least write short snippets of my life in less than 140 characters). I am very pleased with that. However, I would REALLY like to blog. I have a lot of good ideas and thoughts that I would like to share. I even have a blog post about them. But no one would really know anything deeper about me because I usually just tweet professionally. I feel like I need to use Twitter as a gate, or marketing tool, for my blog. That is going to be a goal.
Engagement
What do you stand for?
Start with "Self". What do you care about? What are your interests? Draw a circle with the word "myself" inside. Make a bubble map about what personally concerns YOU. Give 3 minutes for free writing. Then move to "Community" and "World". Always model my map before having kids write. Give them 3 minutes for each writing activity.
With these ideas, the kids could become totally engaged and you could help make a change in their life. For example, there is one child in Elizabeth's class who came out in a small town. He recorded an audio clip (very professional) and told his story. With the process of everything he went through to publish, he is now completely engaged. He is now a voice and an activist for his cause due to this one project that made him think about a bigger issue by concentrating on something that is important to him (even though he didn't realize he was as interested as he was).
Idea for whole class or small groups: Kids know that they want to help the environment. Encourage them to come up with questions about things they notice. They may notice that they have a choice between paper and plastic bags at the grocery store. Which bag is the best choice for the environment? Do research online. Conduct a survey by going to a local grocery store and surveying people and employees. Create a graphic organizer in class that they can easily use to conduct the research at the store. Get families involved in their child's education.
Publishing: Go to the places our students/families are. Meaning, if you are teaching journalism or persuasive writing, publish to a Facebook page. Share it with families. When a mom likes it, her friends may see it and like it too. Authentic audience will encourage students to write for a purpose. Anything that goes through Facebook should go through Twitter as well as a way to promote the piece. Another idea, use SoundCloud to record a podcasts to to be published online or with Michigan Radio. When using sound, you have to think about transitions, background music, and transitional sounds that relate to what you are saying.
Use who you are: You are cute and young. People will talk to you more than they will an adult. Call or write to your Senators and Representatives. Tweet to your favorite celebrities.
Establish relationships with coffee shops, public libraries, local diners, community parks, other public gathering spots. It's a way to get kids out there to gather information. Sit at the coffee shop with a sign saying that they want to interview people about a subject. Then people will come to them rather than bothering people by walking up to them at the park while the kids are sliding down the slide.
Adaptations for younger kids: Closed environments, create a wiki and encourage parents to participate, share Google Docs with families and encourage commenting, write with other schools in other places.
Tell kids to be ready to be published. Their age and perspective are going to be vital to some stakeholders, so don't think your ideas don't matter. Teach the importance of hyperlinking when they are publishing online. What is appropriate to hyperlink and to where.
Even if you are writing to inform or persuade, you still need to entertain. Leads are vitally important. Use compare and contrast. For example, "Stop. Before you continue reading this article, look around you. It is very likely that there is someone at your table who is hungry. Studies show that one in five young people do not have access to food." This is not true information, it is just an example of how you can get someone's attention. Another example is, "If ____ is allowed in schools and they _____, then why aren't ____ given the same considerations?" "The odds are that we aren't going to make it. The research says ___. But there are a lot of kids who DO make it, so what gives?"
Humans of 3rd Grade: Like Humans of New York. Publish digitally. It doesn't have to be published for the whole world to see, but it could. Short, lots of pictures.
Idea for whole class or small groups: Kids know that they want to help the environment. Encourage them to come up with questions about things they notice. They may notice that they have a choice between paper and plastic bags at the grocery store. Which bag is the best choice for the environment? Do research online. Conduct a survey by going to a local grocery store and surveying people and employees. Create a graphic organizer in class that they can easily use to conduct the research at the store. Get families involved in their child's education.
Publishing: Go to the places our students/families are. Meaning, if you are teaching journalism or persuasive writing, publish to a Facebook page. Share it with families. When a mom likes it, her friends may see it and like it too. Authentic audience will encourage students to write for a purpose. Anything that goes through Facebook should go through Twitter as well as a way to promote the piece. Another idea, use SoundCloud to record a podcasts to to be published online or with Michigan Radio. When using sound, you have to think about transitions, background music, and transitional sounds that relate to what you are saying.
Use who you are: You are cute and young. People will talk to you more than they will an adult. Call or write to your Senators and Representatives. Tweet to your favorite celebrities.
Establish relationships with coffee shops, public libraries, local diners, community parks, other public gathering spots. It's a way to get kids out there to gather information. Sit at the coffee shop with a sign saying that they want to interview people about a subject. Then people will come to them rather than bothering people by walking up to them at the park while the kids are sliding down the slide.
Adaptations for younger kids: Closed environments, create a wiki and encourage parents to participate, share Google Docs with families and encourage commenting, write with other schools in other places.
Tell kids to be ready to be published. Their age and perspective are going to be vital to some stakeholders, so don't think your ideas don't matter. Teach the importance of hyperlinking when they are publishing online. What is appropriate to hyperlink and to where.
Even if you are writing to inform or persuade, you still need to entertain. Leads are vitally important. Use compare and contrast. For example, "Stop. Before you continue reading this article, look around you. It is very likely that there is someone at your table who is hungry. Studies show that one in five young people do not have access to food." This is not true information, it is just an example of how you can get someone's attention. Another example is, "If ____ is allowed in schools and they _____, then why aren't ____ given the same considerations?" "The odds are that we aren't going to make it. The research says ___. But there are a lot of kids who DO make it, so what gives?"
Humans of 3rd Grade: Like Humans of New York. Publish digitally. It doesn't have to be published for the whole world to see, but it could. Short, lots of pictures.
Student Voice
Reflect on a time when you were faced with a challenge that encompassed the use of technology? Were you successful in meeting the challenge? Or were your attempts unsuccessful? Did the use of technology empower you or encumber you in your effort to overcome the challenge?
Teachers using technology for the sake of using it. What I mean is, when teachers see that there is an expensive piece of equipment at the front-center of the room, they feel like they need to use it, especially if they see other teachers using it and there is a lot of professional development and talk around the tool. I am talking about overusing the Interactive Whiteboard. It is an epidemic in my district, and I can imagine it is all over the state and country.
We, as teachers, know that our students all learn in different ways. From studying the work of Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences to being introduced to RTI, we are inundated with information about how we need to individualize and differentiate instruction. We know that the programs we are given need a creative teacher's touch, so we take time to expand it. Some teachers think that teaching out of the teacher's manual shows a sign of weakness. Students will look at you like you don't know what you're talking about if you have a big teacher's manual in your hand when you instruct. So some teachers take the
We, as teachers, know that our students all learn in different ways. From studying the work of Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences to being introduced to RTI, we are inundated with information about how we need to individualize and differentiate instruction. We know that the programs we are given need a creative teacher's touch, so we take time to expand it. Some teachers think that teaching out of the teacher's manual shows a sign of weakness. Students will look at you like you don't know what you're talking about if you have a big teacher's manual in your hand when you instruct. So some teachers take the
Love this quote to teach kids that no one else is in their mind. We don't know what they are trying to say unless they actually say it by writing it down.
"If it's not on the page, it's not on the stage."
"If it's not on the page, it's not on the stage."
My Connections
Building Level: Lauren, Daryl, Angie, Ebonia
District Level: Rob, Aram, Josh, Heather
Out of District: Twitter, MSU MAET, Erin, Brad, Rachelle, Deedee, ISD, Stacey
IT/Staff: Christian, Jason, Humberto, Roy, Cassie, Mike
Administrators: Andy, Lorraine, Linda, Joan, Julie, Rob
Students: Kaleb, Collin, Hunter, XinTian
Personal: Brad, Erin, Jess, Leigh, Rachelle, Deedee
Adopters
Early, Willing, Hesitant
Potential Seekers
Drawn to technology and then look for potential use, learns best independently or one-on-one (click through the tools/links during PD), uses the wor"fun, excited, play" to describe technology, view obstacles as natural part of process
Proof Seekers
Need proof it works before investing time/energy (stats, show me how to use it), learns best in small groups/one-on-one (won't take time to approach independently), "frustrating, challenging", obstacles as reasons to stop trying (horror stories, something doesn't work once and they abandon)
District Level: Rob, Aram, Josh, Heather
Out of District: Twitter, MSU MAET, Erin, Brad, Rachelle, Deedee, ISD, Stacey
IT/Staff: Christian, Jason, Humberto, Roy, Cassie, Mike
Administrators: Andy, Lorraine, Linda, Joan, Julie, Rob
Students: Kaleb, Collin, Hunter, XinTian
Personal: Brad, Erin, Jess, Leigh, Rachelle, Deedee
Adopters
Early, Willing, Hesitant
Potential Seekers
Drawn to technology and then look for potential use, learns best independently or one-on-one (click through the tools/links during PD), uses the wor"fun, excited, play" to describe technology, view obstacles as natural part of process
Proof Seekers
Need proof it works before investing time/energy (stats, show me how to use it), learns best in small groups/one-on-one (won't take time to approach independently), "frustrating, challenging", obstacles as reasons to stop trying (horror stories, something doesn't work once and they abandon)