The concept of using blogging to extend the classroom is an interesting one. Sharing writing, ideas, and criticisms outside of the classroom walls with possible immediate feedback is exciting.
I teach in the Detroit Public Schools and I know we are often our own worst enemies. The Media Center where I teach has 35 fairly new computers. Truthfully, teachers do not use them very often. I think the problem is an uneducated workforce. I am 59 years old and agewise I represent a large group of teachers. Many will be retiring within the next ten years. They simply resist learning anything new. Our principal refuses to send out paper announcements to staff. They are asked to check email daily but many don't. They haven't learned to email or use the internet efficiently. Educators who refuse to learn those simple things will not use something like blogging. I am not sure how to overcome "teacher resistance".
As I read over these three articles, I wondered how many teach in urban schools. Many of the schools in Detroit are 100 years old. The last one I taught at was built in 1925. It was beautiful but "unwired". My present school is new and each classroom has computers. They frequently break or are stolen. There is no money for repairs. Suburban schools make the assumption that students have computers at home. Detroit teachers assume the opposite.
My students are intelligent and bright. Unfortunately they are excluded from much technology that would make their learning more interesting and richer.
My grandparents had 68 grandchildren and we have a family website called Cousins Count. It is an active site that in the ten months since it was formed has had 9000 hits. Recently my 90 year old aunt died and the news was posted on Cousins Count informing family all over the country and beyond. Arrangements were announced the same way. Even my 86 year old mother blogs on Cousins Count. I love the "togetherness" that a blog can bring to a widespread family.
I am enjoying this class and its challenges. It is very different from anything I have ever done in school. I think that with proper training that a "willing" staff could effectively use blogging in the classroom.
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5 comments:
Hello Marge,
I am one of those teachers that you are talking about. I have been so used to teaching in my comfort zone, that I have been negligent when it came to incorporating the Internet with my students. On the other hand, I do come from a Detroit Public School that was not fully wired. Thus, my students could not access the web even if I were comfortable. But I wanted to at least teach them how to navigate in Microsoft Word more often. However, I have been teaching for six weeks at a brand new state of the art school and I have only dusted the four computers. Now, don't get me wrong, I pull up information to pass on to the students or handouts to enhance my teaching often. Well, I have no excuse now not to have my students involved on the Internet and hopefully the pace of this class will allow me the time needed to feel comfortable and equipped.
Marge,
Some interesting comments in your first reflective post. You mention some thoughts about using blogs to extend the classroom beyond the traditional walls, but what about how blogs can be used within the traditional confines of the classroom?
MKB
I agree that teachers have to be willing and open minded to integrating technology in the classroom because of how our society is inundated with it, and it's not slowing down. I love technology and find learning new things to be challenging and exciting, but I am also nervous about how to manage technology within the classroom and use it effectively. Rather than speculate, the smart thing to do would is try it and learn how we as teachers can make it work for us.
Marge, I am in the came situation. I teach at a charter school and we have two computer labs but only half of the computer work. The equipment is outdated. Most of my middle school students do not have computer and/or Internet connection at home. My students hate to read and hate writing even more. As I read the articles. I could see all of the benefits, but I could not think of a way to introduce blogging to my students.
Marge,
Your reflection reminded me of my recent teaching assignment within DPS. While many of the schools' classrooms were equiped with most of the trappings of a modern classroom, many of the teachers were "Old School" and did not fully utilize the tools given to them. As a business instructor, I found this to be unacceptable. The students are being cheated. So, here we are at Wayne State, learning one "Killer App" at a time, and making sure we are not like the others. Good on us!
Brad :-)
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