Chapter 2

There are several quotes in this chapter that gave me a reason to stop and think:
1. “Blogs engage readers with ideas and questions and links. They ask readers to think and respond. They demand interaction” (18)
This made me think of the correlation between blogging and the teaching of reading. The blog requires students to read, to think about what they have read, to respond to that reading, and all the while they are interacting with another human being in some way, even if it is not face to face. These are the things that we try to encourage our students to do when they read offline as well. Why not combine the two activities to help reinforce the strategy? This can only help make the use of reading strategy easier. And, students respond so much better, in most cases, when you use technology as the medium. This is exciting!
2. “…blogs are a collaborative space, as readers become a part of the writing and learning process” (19).
Again, I thought of the push toward a constructivist methodology in our training as new teachers, and how the blog will help us to bring students together in a safe, interactive manner. This truly is a tool for learning, specifically for the teaching of reading and writing. I think students will feel much less pressure and initial resistance to writing if they are in this interactive space online. Further, it can be used as a springboard for other activities.
3. “Even at this still-early stage of development, blogs are being used as class portals, online filing cabinets for student work, e-portfolios, collaborative space, knowledge management, and even school websites” (21).
I couldn’t help thinking about one of the #1 problems for every teacher when I read this part of the chapter: PAPER. On the most basic level of thinking, blogs create a space for students to file work, for teachers to grade work without a pen and paper, and for administrators, parents and other members of the community to view their progress. What a novel idea! This could help cut down on the waste of paper for daily assignments, and the stacks upon stacks of paper that teachers inevitably carry home to grade.
4. “Tom, who teaches at my school, has his students use their blogs to become experts in an area of their choice” (29).
This struck me for two reasons: it encourages student choice, and it meets about 10 NCTE, NTS, and IRA Standards. By allowing students to have a choice in the subject matter about which they write, you effectively draw them in and allow their passion to shine through their writing. This will most likely come through in the product, thus increasing the quality of their writing, boosting portfolio scores, test scores, grades overall, etc.