Category Archives: major project post

All Blogged Out

My last writing prompt asked students to write about what they would change if they ran our school. While there was a variety of ideas, there was a number of that repeatedly showed up. We are the only school in the city that requires uniforms and while some students mentioned the benefits (no one makes fun of each other for your clothes, modesty, easy to identify students) this was the first thing that a majority of students would change. Next was use of cell phones. Our school has banned personal smart devices for k-8 students. I was not surprised by this, although reminding them that one student live streamed a class, was something that change a few minds. The third most common change they would bring to our school was gum. The amount of gum found on floors, desks, walls, etc., led to the school banning gum. Teachers are left to enforce it. In my class it has become a power play with one student, she refuses to stop, I have her get rid of it. It is a small but perpetual battle and it would appear the class has painted me (or at least the rule) as the villain.

Overall this was the most interesting blog for me. It gave me insight into what each student enjoys or dislikes about our community. A number of them treated it like a persuasive letter. I did mention that I would read and reflect on their ideas, so this was probably my influence. It was a great way to end our project and gave them a chance to share their concerns in a calm and reflective way. It was gratifying to see my goal realized. We had created an online community where they could share different ideas and actually discuss it without filling the page with bile. A few students who struggle with this in real life were some of the best commenters. Imagine that! A social media project led to someone being kinder!

I ended this unit with a voluntary survey. By Friday night I received 13 responses, a little over half the class. I added an “other” option to each question which made the results more diverse.

Google Forms- Blog Survey Results- Personal Communication

I was surprised not to get at least one “I didn’t care” response. A majority didn’t think the assignment was hard, followed by technology issues and forgetting to finish it. As the teacher technology issues were my biggest struggle. Our tech is limited and a few students genuinely had blogs get lost somewhere in the digital ether.

I had expected the largest response would be how short the assignment was. One paragraph was the minimum. The fact that the majority enjoyed that it was something different is making me reconsider my assignments in the future. Two respondents enjoyed getting to know more about their peers. This was not an option I had posted and I found it oddly wholesome.

This was the survey question I was most curious about. I was grateful to see a majority of students preferred to post positive messages, but disappointment that 3 students said they had to stop themselves from writing something mean. While you might think this was a sarcastic comment, the previous survey questions did not indicate they were taking this as a joke. That is not to say I was surprised. We have had discussions in class around why we treat people unkindly and admitted that sometimes people think it is fun.

Finally I asked two short answer questions; starting with “What could I do better next time?” This question exposed me to a trap that I see my students fall into; miscommunication. My intention was to find out what I, as in the teacher, could do better for them, the students. They read the question as a personal one. Most responded with write more or be kind in the comments (breakthrough!). Two students understood my intention and asked me to open the blogs in front of them to avoid losing marks for missed assignments (which I had done a few times) and make the assignment longer so students could express themselves more (second breakthrough!).

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I ended with “How was this experience different from regular social media?” A few didn’t notice much difference, however half responded with it was “safer” and “positive.” One student responded that they usually get bullied on social media and this project made them feel respected and listened to. I think these responses have ensured I will do this project again.

In the end I am very happy with the results of this project. It forced me to rethink how I assign literacy, acted as a media literacy lesson, and created at least one safe place for them to share and exist as digital citizens. My one regret is not adding the following question, “Did this project change how you use social media?” I want to think they would write about how they post kind things online, they stand up for each other and push aside the trolls. Maybe they would, I think I will live in that safe place for now.

We come full circle…well 2/3 circle…

As the school year winds down and report card cut off looms I had to put a firm date for our last blog. That did result in more students submitting on time, but I was still missing about a third of the class. Thankfully these blogs do not take long to assess, so I can give them one more chance. I do that too often.

Our final topic was, “If you were in control of the school, what would you change?” The ideas varied however a large portion mentioned uniforms. I was not surprised by this as the number one question we have before an event or a trip is “Do we have to wear our uniform?” Bringing cellphones and personal technology was also a common talking point as was getting a cafeteria and new playground equipment. Surprisingly though the second most common suggestion was allowing gum. This is a school rule, but it is one I have to enforce. The past few weeks I have had to ask one particular student to get rid of their gum two to three times a day. For that student it has become a power move, for everyone else it has become a daily chore. At the very least it does show me that I have become the villain in this battle.

A Few Surprises

A number of students mentioned ways high school could be different. This shows me they are actually thinking of their future at our school and how it could be made better. They are also picking up on a few odd things we had to deal with this year and decided what we saw as a problem was an improvement. For example we had some students trying to sell items at school as a small business. One student saw this as a way to teach how to avoid scams.

There also seems to be a disconnect between our school and what some of them think happens at local public schools. Some think that every elementary school has a cafeteria with hot lunches and every school has a better playground than us.

Improvements

Students are becoming much more adapt at picking images that connect to their blog. In previous weeks a majority just used pictures from the school website. At least half of the entries used clip art that blended very well with their text.

Comments

Once again comments have been low. Only half of the students commented by the due date. Oddly enough a few of the students who did not submit their own blogs found time to comment. The comments that have been posted continue to improve. While most are quite short, they reference what they read and provide useful feedback. I’m taking this as one of the major successes of this project. Aside from reminding them to make their comments, I no longer need to remind them the expectations. They are more enthusiastic and more positive. I will be curious what they tell me about this when we review this whole process as a class.

Next Steps

As we wrap up these blogs I will be doing a survey to see what they think went well and where I could improve next year. Overwhelmingly they voted to do the survey in our google classroom. Only one student voted to do a paper survey. They have gotten comfortable in this digital space. I can see how this would be a beneficial resource to start earlier in the year. We could return to it for various projects, possibly even creating a safe virtual hangout. It would require a lot of monitoring on my part, but what if I had student moderators? There is a lot of potential that can be explored. Now the fear of waiting to see what the survey says.

Steve Harvey gif provided by Giphy

Did you get my blog?

Blog #3 was difficult to get in from a number of students. A list of missing entries on my whiteboard solved the problem for most students within a day. I also discussed the number of students missing comments for the week. I was worried it would be a lacklustre week, with very little added to the group conversations. Thankfully something switched and a few started asking for access to iPads to finish their comments. That got everything rolling and it wasn’t long before the comments started popping up.

This also unexpectedly resulted in students asking me what the week 4 writing prompt was. This continued and seemingly because they had to login to post comments, a lot of them decided to do their blogs at the same time. Perhaps because most of the year I have not allowed them to use the iPads as frequently; they are enjoying the greater access. Thankfully it has been mostly on task use.

Improvements

A few of them are getting better at using slides to make visually interesting blogs. While this is largely my typically “strong” students, it is still nice to see. They are also improving at writing beyond the simple responses. Many have found writing about positives and negatives a simple way to organize their thoughts.

Student Blog- Shared with parental permission.

Some students still struggled to get me their digital blogs. While this is the new “my dog ate my homework” excuse, sometimes the dog actually eats the homework. I had a few students share their blog in front of me and yet it never reached my email. I reminded them I could put up physical copies and have students write their comments on post it notes. This actually resulted in greater effort to get me a digital copy. I started to receive files from multiple accounts to ensure I received something.

Each morning has now begun with, “Did you get my blog? I sent it to you.” I’d like to think they are just eager to share their thoughts, but that is probably not the case. As the year is winding up we have much fewer assignments, which makes it easier for me to keep on top of this project.

Unexpected Benefits

Still I am very happy to see that my students that have struggled to submit work all year have been consistent with their blogs. There have also been a few, who rarely ask how they did, mentioning they are writing “good comments.” While I am enjoying the goal of creating positive digital citizens, I may just be realizing the benefits of mini assignments. Even one page may be too much for some students. I can do small assessments on a series of these short reflections, rather than a more traditional paper. On my end it is also much quicker to mark and easier to keep up with.

Next Steps

With one blog left I am looking forward to celebrating this small accomplishment with them. I also let them know that I will be asking them for feedback on how things went. This will help direct this assignment in the future if I attempt it again. The final writing prompt also brings everything full circle. Our first prompt was the differences they see at our school, blog 5 is asking what they would do if they could change the school. It will be interesting to see what they would keep. Who knows, there might even be some ideas I could share with admin.

Building Blogs, careless comments.

This week was a continuation of their week 2 blogs as they were submitted and uploaded. Our topic was something that is often a hot button topic with my students, uniforms.

Uniform Department, Browing, King & by Library of Congress is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Positives

The overall writing improved, and they seemed to take my instruction well on how to improve their blogs (less formal, don’t make a list, add descriptive/engaging words, include pictures to break up the text).

Some comments were more detailed and made good reflections on what was written. A few even took my feedback and used that to recommend improvements on their peers writing.

There was an improvement with the visual aspect of the blogs and a few even played with the format.

NASA Visualization Explorer Now Available For All iOS Devices by NASA Goddard Photo and Video is licensed under CC-BY 2.0

Trending Trouble

While there was some improvement with comments, overall they were not as good this week.

Despite asking them not to write simple responses, there was quite a few “I agree with you,” comments. There was even a few students that wrote one strong response and then essentially copy and pasted it on other blogs.

There were far fewer comments this week. Perhaps because we had track and field, or I had a deadline for late assignments. Either way, it has dropped considerably.

Something I had not considered when using a prompt that could be applicable to other schools, researching answers. It was obvious when students were not just writing their own thoughts and a quick google search unearthed a few websites that listed the positives and negatives of uniforms. While not quite at a plagiarism level, a few were dangerously close.

Submissions were also slow this week. I had to extend the due date. Many gave the excuse of issues with technology, although these same students sent other assignments to my email. As a result I did not have time to get permission to show any blogs this week.

Next Steps

Portsmouth Guildhall Steps by Peter Trimming is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

I have to remind students that comments are an important part of an online community. Reading alone does not create a dialogue; it also does not give the reader a sense of where they are within the spectrum of ideas and opinions in the group.

I also have to go over what is a “good” comment. While I did project some examples, it might be good to brainstorm comments as a class.

Some blogs were submitted to me in a physical form. While I will scan and upload them, I also should start to post them in the class. Hopefully this will remind students of the project and may encourage students to complete their work more quickly if they remember a physical copy is an option. In the past I have noticed how much they enjoy when others look at and discuss their posted artwork.

A quick discussion on using someone’s ideas to create your own will be needed. While it can be a jumping off point when you are stuck, it is important to speak to your own ideas and opinions. After all, the point of this blog is to share our experiences, not some strangers.

The initial excitement is quickly leaving as we rush towards the end of the year. I think celebrating the blogs in class will be a good way to remind them of the assignment and improve engagement. They may pretend to be shy, but when there is an opportunity to share their work, most want to present.

Blog #3 will be especially interesting, we will be talking about teachers.

Student Blogs Week 1 and 2

I was initially concerned with how my class would participate due to the slow submissions. Thankfully by the day after it was due I had most submitted. Having samples online made it easy to discuss what was successful and what they could implement into their own future blogs.

The first writing prompt was “What are the differences between public schools and faith based schools? ” I reminded students to be respectful, but encouraged honesty. In class we discussed the difference between observations and attacks on other schools. Like any assignment it was a mix of effort, however I had more submissions that showed some genuine effort than usual.

Student’s that were the most successful wrote in an informal style that had some engaging and interesting reflections. Others made lists of differences, which answered the prompt but lacked insight. What has impressed me the most is the amount of self awareness that has been brought up by giving students so much freedom. The following quote is from a student who discussed the typical answers; at public school you have to worry about harram food and activities, at an Islamic school you can be with more like minded people, etc. After this they brought something up that many of my students do not consider until they leave our school.

However, public school students get to experience how they are discriminated in society religious-wise often, meaning that in the future it won’t mind them that much because they grew up with that type of stereotype, but students in Islamic schools don’t get to experience Islamophobia which most likely causes them to adjust with society in a difficult way. For example, if you get stereotypes in a public school often about your religion, you will eventually know how to overcome that problem, but in Islamic schools, all the students are (M)uslims so there is a less chance that you will experience Islamophobia, so when you go out in public it will be unusual and it takes a hard time to adjust.
Student Blog referenced with permission of student and parents.

I was very impressed with how insightful this blog was, showing me how deeply they have thought through the topic. This is the type of response I had hoped for and I was grateful to see it appear in week one. The remaining blogs were largely successful, answering the prompt clearly. A few went for the simple list response, but at the very least everyone wrote a paragraph.

The comments were all short, but nearly everyone showed me that they had actually read the blog. All followed my requirements and provided constructive feedback or made their own connections to what was said. It does seem like my requirement for everyone to comment on different people has been effective. Some have enjoyed the ability to comment on each others work so much they have commented on most blogs. The engagement I have seen with some students that typically struggle has been encouraging.

Week Two has been a much slower start. I received far fewer entries on time, which lead to a number of students messaging me that they could not see everyone’s entry. While this is discouraging, it does show me that a number of students are still very engaged in this process.

Next Steps:

I need to have students who are struggling to finish their blog, write it in class so they are done and more likely to type it at home/at school.
I need to go over how visual elements can help break up text and make it more appealing.
While I have provided time in class with technology, I need to ensure I have enough ipads to allow students to work on their blog during downtime/study hall.
I need to have another mini-lesson on writing informally.
I think it would be helpful to also go through examples of effective comments.
I also need to remind them that part of the goal behind this is to create a positive online environment. While it has gone well so far, I do not want it to slip into the typical online interactions some of them have.

So far this has been successful, although the slow start on week 2 is discouraging. There is an interesting “fame” element I had not considered. Students are enjoying that recognition that the comments are giving them and the fact that I am discussing this project in my masters class has really motivated some. When I asked one student permission to reference their blog another student said “You’re going to be famous!”

Photo by Ekaterina Belinskaya on Pexels.com

Project Post #1: And so it begins…

Basic Outline:

I have decided to have my students write weekly blogs. I am keeping it brief with a suggested length of one paragraph per writing prompt. I will also have students comment on three blogs per week, making sure each following week they comment on three different peers. When our unit concludes I will have students write a reflection on their experiences working in our “sheltered” social media environment.

Purpose:

It seems like half the arguments I deal with these days have occurred online. Students tease or troll each other in discord and often see comments as a way to rile people up. Many of their favourite influencers and creators are those who spend their time attacking others and causing drama. I am hoping a few weeks participating in a common activity, with constructive and supportive feedback will normalize the simple act of being kind online.

How:

To keep our blog isolated and easy to oversee I have created a google classroom specifically for this unit. Each week will be a topic and each student will be an “assignment.” This assignment will be where I post their individual blog. This will allow students to open and view the post and use the comment option to participate. I reminded students that social media is a dialogue, so they will be participating in an online conversation.

While this is not a typical setup, google docs and google slides can be made to look like a blog. I made a few simple examples for my students and posted them in the classroom. We will also do one as a group so students can see the step by step process. I may make a video as well.

Example of using google slides to make a blog. — Example of a blog entry using Google Slides

To be transparent I told my class I would be discussing this assignment in my masters course. I made sure they were aware that I would not use any of their names. I did mention that if I found one of their entries interesting I might post a picture, however I would ask permission from them and their parents. I also let them know I would cover up any information that would identify them (names, pictures, etc.). Finally I informed parents of this new unit on Edsby and sent a letter home with my students.

This is also their blog so I wanted their input on what it would be about. I gave them a few proposals; Life as a first/second immigrant in Canada, Life as a grade 6 student in Canada, and What it is like to go to an Islamic school in Canada. I opened it up for other suggestions, but they were most interested in the last suggestion.

Going Forward:

Each week I will provide an open ended question for students to write about. They will create their response and share a copy with me. I will then upload this file to their individual assignments. Throughout the week, at home or at school, they will read and comment on three blogs.

By submitting their paragraphs to me I will be able to review posts before they go live. While they will be able to comment independently, our rule going forward is they ensure their name is included in each comment. I have also encouraged parents to get their children to login and show what everyone is writing. In our school especially this will encourage students to keep comments appropriate.

Wrap it up already:

I realize this entry was very dry, future entries should be more interesting as I observe how my students participate. They did seem excited, especially because I would be graded on my own reflections. While I am interested to see how they decide to write and present their blogs, I think I am most interested in seeing their final reflections. Will they gain any good habits, will this help them develop digital citizen skills, will they see this as a complete waste of time? Probably all three. Either way it will be an interesting road to travel. Hopefully I do not get run over by my ambition.

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Category Archives: major project post

All Blogged Out

We come full circle…well 2/3 circle…

Did you get my blog?

Building Blogs, careless comments.

Project Post #1: And so it begins…