To prepare for my workshop, my 3rd graders created posts today on our classroom blog that are reflections on the blogging experience.  The questions I asked them were: What do you like about blogging?  Why is it different then writing things down in your writer’s notebook?  Do you like giving or receiving comments better?  What is your favorite comment that you received?  What is your favorite post that you have written?  What else would you like to write about on the blog?

Here are some of their thoughts:

“I like blogging because typing is easier and you don’t get writer’s cramp.”

“I like receiving comments because each new one is from a new person in the world.”

“I like blogging because it is relaxing.”

Please visit “The View from 3rd Grade” to read the rest of their thoughts.  Please also take 5 minutes to leave a comment.  The 3rd graders have worked hard and they get so jazzed when others notice!

The assignment for their first posts was about friendship and they had to respond to the following questions:  What qualities do you look for in a friend? What are some responsibilities that you have toward your friends? If friendship were a color, what color would it be for you? How are you a good friend to other people? What’s your favorite thing to do with a friend?

At 8:00am they arrived to school bouncing off the walls and in full costume.  We had 3 of the 4 Beatles, a ladybug, a birthday present, Indiana Jones, and so on.  By 8:20 I was reminding them that the parade was not until 10:00 and we that we needed them to calm down and cooperate.  Now I was having serious misgivings about doing anything academic.

At 8:30, half of the class went to science and the other half followed me (dressed as Bob the Builder) into our smaller room down the hall.  They were very excited when I told them to each get a laptop because we would be writing our first blog posts.  I gave directions while demonstrating on my new smartboard and set them to work.  I walked around between the tables to monitor their progress and to be available for tech assistance.  As I walked around I realized very quickly that it was totally silent except for the sound of fingers tapping on the keyboards.  Here were thirteen 8 and 9-year old kids in full costume, working, focused, engaged, happy.  It was an awesome sight.  I was further amazed when almost half of them completed the post before time was up.  I was only requiring 4 sentences, but that can take an eternity for a child who is new to typing.

Now our classroom blog is up and running!  Please click here to see The View From 3rd Grade or click the link to the right under the “Additions” menu.  The 3rd graders are excited and ready to receive comments from you.  Drop on in for a visit!

1) I can’t show the kids that new program because the smart cart is too big to fit comfortably in my room along with 15 third graders.

2) I’m too bogged down by email to get past my inbox each day (and I think they must breed in there because there is always more each day).

3) No one (administration, parents, other teachers, etc.) is forcing me to try all these new Web 2.0 tools, so I don’t have to.

4) It’s too hard to implement more tech into my curriculum because I don’t yet have “buy in” from my fellow teachers whose support I need to have.

5) I am not as excited to post on this blog these days because I am not getting the readership I had hoped I would.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY . . . now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, I need to get back on track. Here are the reasons why I have to get past the excuses:

1) I knew it would be hard to jump onto a moving train. Yes, getting “plugged in” is a lot like drinking from a fire hose, but that doesn’t mean that I should “unplug” when I get overwhelmed. One way I am doing that is by focusing on one tool to implement in my classroom. After I get one success under my belt, I will be ready to take on the next new tool.

2) My students will benefit from my newly acquired knowledge. I have already impressed them by using simple programs like Microsoft Journal to record thoughts they have brainstormed for social studies and writing. They are much more comfortable with technology than I am because there world has never been without it.

3) I am personally benefiting from each new skill I learn. I have already made new friends that I haven’t met (yet.) People read my blog (even though it is not as many people as I would like) and give me positive feedback.

4) I have to help bring my fellow teachers “on board.” If I wait for some of them to be as fire up as I am, it could be a long wait. If I keep them posted on my progress and show them tools that would be easy for them to learn, I am sure that someone will be inspired. I am going to start by showing
Download You should check it out if you haven’t seen it yet.

I got this ball rolling and I need to keep it going now. I’ll keep you all posted throughout my journey.

No more excuses . . . for now.

Here are some things I have taken away from this experience:

1) Taking the risk often pays off

We all get comfortable at some point in our lives and feel like things should just stay as they are. Although it is nice to feel safe, it also means you stop growing in a way. Watching these presentations was not risky – just a time investment. But joining the live chat events and talking with people who are fully immersed in web 2.0 practices was risky. I had no idea how I would be received. As a result of taking the risk, I have already expanded my network of colleagues to people who teach in other places in the world.

2) Don’t keep it all to yourself

When I began this journey toward integrating tech into my classroom in 21st century ways, I was doing it because I was trying to make a name for myself. Being a young teacher and working for a school with yearly contracts makes me feel like my position is somewhat vulnerable. I wanted to become indispensable. Next, I thought about the ways I could effect the lives of the students in my classroom. So now, at least I was thinking about how to share this with 3rd graders.

Well, a total shift happened for me after seeing Brian Crosby’s presentation entitled “Obstacles to Opportunities- The Whys and Wherefores.” Now I am thinking about how I can “infect” my local colleagues (the ones in the Lower School) with the passion I have developed for this type of teaching/learning.

3) Say “thank you”

In one of the very first presentations I watched, the presenter reminded educators that we owe thanks to the people at Wikispaces, Edublogs, and Flickr to name a few. They have provided free access to teachers who are using these tools to enhance their classrooms. Wow. I had not even paused to catch my breath so I certainly hadn’t thought about giving credit where credit is due. A big thank you should also go to all of the presenters, moderators, people behind the scenes, and people handling tech support for K12online. I hope you feel your hard work has paid off.

While I am giving thanks, it is important once again to recognize the people who have inspired me to take this journey. Thank you to my family who let me shut myself in a quiet space to work on report cards and bounce in and out of “When Night Falls” (the 24 hour live chat event which concluded the conference). Thank you to the head of the Lower School for believing in me, encouraging me, and supporting me along the way. Thank you to our technology department for allowing access to many websites and tools that are blocked in schools around the world. And the biggest thank you goes to Vinnie Vrotny, our Director of Academic Technologies, who began as my inspiration and has become a mentor and a friend.

Now I must return the favor by inspiring others and showing them that a little risk, some sharing, and some gratitude can take you a long way.