More About Classroom Blogging – this from Mathew Needleman of Creating Lifelong Learners

I first found this blog when searching for resources for the Open Court Reading series.  I was further drawn by the name of the blog, Creating Lifelong Learners, since lifelong learning has been an interest of mine for a number of years. Now I find that Mathew Needleman has devoted one of his final research papers in his graduate work to the merits of classroom blogging. We sure have a lot of common interests!

The Case for Blogging in the Classroom

My blogging output has certainly suffered as I’ve been finishing up my last semester of graduate school. I’ll be all done December 5th when I take the comprehensive exam to receive a masters degree in Education Policy and a California Administrative Credential. I thought I might combine my blogging and my graduate work by sharing one of my final research papers, an article on blogging’s role in the school community. I make the case for blogging on three fronts:

Continue reading ….

via The Case for Blogging in the Classroom « Creating Lifelong Learners.

Blogging Benefits Students

Now that our schools are equipped with the latest technology, encouraging students to express themselves in writing is easier and more satisfying than ever.

As we all know, writing requires reflection and the organization of  thoughts and ideas.  At times I think that I have not really “learned” something until I have finished the process of reflection and writing.

“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear. ” – Joan Didion

Last spring, our Jackson-Via Computer Club members learned about poverty, we discussed solutions,  and each student produced a blog post and illustration for our blog. Lots of thinking, lots of learning, lots of writing – and they loved it!

More about why we should encourage student writing:

K-12 Grades: How Writing Benefits Students

by Pamela Zinkosky

Like other art forms, writing is its own reward. As students improve writing skills at K12 grades, the act of writing, like the act of painting, playing the piano or sculpting, brings a joy all its own to the participant, and then doubles its reward by producing something that others can appreciate — the poem, story, article or other work.

Writing has many side benefits, especially when included in a well-rounded curriculum. Here are just a few of them:

• Individuality. Writing is, by nature, personal and individual. It forces children to use their own words to express their own thoughts and feelings. In a world of peer pressure and sameness, elementary grades through high school writing is a valuable way for students to nurture individuality and deal with younger kids’ and teenagers’ issues.
• Self-expression. Writing can be a way for children to express problems or feelings that they wouldn’t otherwise express. It provides an alternate means for communication that can liberate them from embarrassment, shame or fear that may cause them to keep feelings to themselves.
• Independent thinking. Roy Peter Clark, teacher and journalist, says that learning to write also means learning to think. “The writing process gives students a path for clear thinking,” he says. “The act of writing involves understanding the world and yourself. Young writers must think independently and respond to criticism of their work.”
• Confidence building. Closely related to its cultivation of individuality is writing’s confidence-building capabilities. Writing is a solitary activity, and it results in something that belongs solely to the writer, says Sherrie Gentry, teacher consultant for Western Michigan University’s Third Coast Writing Project and middle school teacher for Whitefish Township School in Paradise. She adds, “Parents and teachers can use this to help students feel confident and proud.”
• Listening skills. Clark notes, “Good writers listen to the teacher and write down key words. They conduct an interview and listen for what is most important. They listen to a teacher’s question about their work or to the comments of other students. They translate these questions into improvements in their stories. They listen to the stories of other children.”
• Reading and speaking skills. Clark says that good writers also become good readers and speakers. “A good writing teacher helps a student speak more effectively. The student finds her ‘voice’ on the page and shares it with others through oral interpretation. She learns to read her words aloud to others with feeling and emphasis,” he says.

Pamela Zinkosky is a freelance writer.
via K-12 Grades: How Writing Benefits Students | EduGuide.

Thanks, volunteers!

Our Book Fair was a big success.

Remember the Jackson-Via Book Fair – November 9-13

Your help with the Book Fair at any time will be greatly appreciated, and any purchases will benefit the school. I hope to see you there! – RuthK

From Amanda Sherriff:

The Book Fair is from Monday, November 9 through Friday, November 13.  The times that we need the most help are in the mornings (8 – 9 am) and at lunchtime (11:15 – 2:00).  

Jackson-Via PTO News Flash – Outdoor Learning Centers

Outdoor Learning Centers at Jackson-Via Elementary School

On October 29th, from 12:00 – 1:00 at the Charlottesville Community
Design Center (CCDC) on the Downtown Mall, local designers Reed
Muehlman, Jessica Primm, Eugene Ryang, and Chris Woods, along with
Jackson-Via staff, will present a Master Plan for Jackson-Via
Elementary School’s Outdoor Learning Centers during a brown bag lunch
session.

This visionary Master Plan was created during the CCDC’s annual Design
Marathon held on October 2nd, with inspiration drawn from student,
staff, parent, and community input. The Master Plan, on display this
month at CCDC, weaves together student drawings and professional
design, and includes elements such as “The Giant’s Steps” and a
“Robin’s Nest”. The comprehensive plan includes elements for habitat
and ecology education, food production, and spaces for children’s
exploration, observation, and reflection on Jackson-Via’s expansive 20
acres.

The community is invited to join the brown bag lunch session to learn
more about this creative partnership’s vision to extend learning
outdoors at Jackson-Via.

For further information contact:
ElizaBeth McCay, Principal, 434-245-2416
Jessica Primm, Landscape Architect, 434-882-0520

Via Jackson-Via PTO

Can anyone help with the Jackson-Via newsletter?

Dr.McCay has asked whether any of our JABA FISH volunteers might have some time to help with a newsletter.  If you are interested, please let me know!

, etc.

Thanks for all your hard work so far – it is really appreciated!

RuthK

We welcome Mary!

…and another!  Welcome, Mary!

We now have 8 active JABA FISH volunteers at Jackson-Via.

Wordle – Beautiful Word Clouds

Wordle is one of my favorite web tools. By pasting in a block of text you can tell in an instant whether your writing reflects your intended meaning and emphasis.

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

Create your own.

via Wordle – Beautiful Word Clouds.

I now have a Book Buddy – what fun!

My Book Buddy for this year turned out to be a student whom I  had met already during my library volunteer time, and it is hard to say which of us is more pleased and excited by our new status as buddies!  She is a very eager beginning reader and has boundless enthusiasm for the reading and writing that we are doing together. After four sessions I am beginning to feel like a “pro” thanks to Emily Flory’s mentoring.

My own children and grandchildren do not live close enough for this kind of twice-a-week activity, so I really appreciate the opportunity to participate in this wonderful program in the inter-generational setting of an elementary school.

I hope to be able to continue this for many years to come!

Volunteers needed for the Jackson-Via Book Fair

Book Fair - November 9-13, 2009

If you can help, please let Amanda know!