International Blogs

This assignment required us to search for a classroom that has integrated blogging into their curriculum, the classroom also has to be international. i didn't stray too far from the homeland. I found a blog that is a first grade class from Canada. It shows that the children are learning about technology along with having fun and expressive also. Understandably, it is not very complex but does it really have to be? These kids basically use this for their daily journal entries. Most of the children are having a hard time spelling and their sentence structure is not the best but it is awesome how these children understand these emerging technologies.

This other blog I encountered was translated into English from Spanish. It was a blog to help future teachers with the education process. It has insightful inputs from every aspect from students to teachers. This blog basically serves for a reference for those coming into the education profession.
http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&langpair=es%7Cen&u=http://www.laclaseabierta.net/&prev=/translate_s%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3Dblog%2Bclassroom%26sl%3Den%26tl%3Des

Classrooms using blogs

I have found a couple websites describing how to integrate blogs into the classroom. I found one that describes the positive that come out of using one and how easy and functional they are in a classroom setting. You can establish classroom management, collaboration, discussions, and student portfolios, which allow students to have a voice and make them feel important. With this technological world, this is very important for kids and convenient also. Some educational benefits that come from blogging are, it motivates students, allows for opportunities for children to read and write, collaboration and discussion, and it enables mentoring in the classroom.

I also found another website that gives percentage facts on the success of blogging in New Jersey classrooms. Over 60 percent of teachers agreed that children’s writing became more effective. Over 40 percent of teachers said that students completed there homework more often. Also, 20 percent of teacher said that their lower learning children improved vastly after integrating the blogging system in their classroom. The numbers don’t lie; blogging is a great new tool.

http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/howtoarticles/blog-basics

http://www.njea.org/page.aspx?a=3356

The ACCESS program

After reading through the ACCESS program I have become to more appreciate our legislators for the input that they are trying to put into our school system. I have lost my faith on the Alabama Public School System to be honest with you because it seemed like for so long that it was of little concern to legislators. The ACCESS program is very useful to students because technology is becoming a big deal in our world and there are many jobs and opportunities for people out there in that field.

The focus on technology is very important, although since I want to teach children in elementary school it won’t benefit me as much. It still doesn’t mean that I cannot appreciate it though. There are plenty of high school students that need a boost in the field of technology and this is where it’s at. This program will inspire those that don’t have an idea for a future job a chance to grab on to something meaningful. This is something that will stick with them for life.

My opinion on the ALEX program.

I really like the ALEX program that we have looked at tonight. It seems very helpful for present and future teachers. It contains plenty of lesson plans and helpful ideas for teachers to use in their classroom. There is not one subject passed up. All the grades are listed too. This is very important for teachers because they need all the help they can get.
ALEX also has helpful web links that give teachers, administrators, and students a hand with subjects. There is also a feature on there called Distance Learning that offers teachers a chance to bring new subjects into the classroom for those schools that don't offer many interesting subjects. Overall, this program will be extremely useful for me in the future.

First Post

I am creating a blog for my Monday night EDM computer class. This is not the first time I have blogged, I have also used the blog feature on MySpace. I have only used it twice I believe. I usually do not express myself in words, I like to paint pictures myself, but every now and then I get a inkling to do it.