Module 3: Assignment 1: Blogging

I'll be honest, before I read this article, I thought, "There is NO way I can using blogging in my first grade classroom!"  These kids can't even type, much less blog!  However, the more I read, I proved my own thinking wrong.  I loved the idea of the staff blogging. This is sort of an on-going professional development model.  There are people that I work right down the hall from that I don't see all week.  I'm not exaggerating!  We are so busy and so wrapped up in what we're doing, that we don't have the time to speak to other, much less confer with one another about ideas, plans, etc.  A school blog account would be an awesome way to do that!  Of course, someone in the building, preferably the principal, would have to lead the blog.  As I was reading the article http://kidzblog.en.softonic.com/,  a wonderful idea occurred to me (this doesn't happen often, so you'd better listen up! :) )  I think it would be wonderful to have fifth graders blog with first graders about the first graders' writing.  For example, the first grade teacher would type in a sample of the students' writing.  The fifth graders would then blog about how the writer could make it better, edit the writing, offer suggestions, etc.  The first graders would then confer with the fifth graders about the whys of their suggestions.  The fifth graders would hold the first graders accountable to change their writing.  Not only does this help the first graders, it would also help the fifth graders feel responsible, review their own writing techniques, etc. Once the accounts have been made, the fifth grade teacher does very little to maintain the blogging activity.  My trouble in this would be finding a fifth grade teacher in my building to get on board with me on this idea.  Wish me luck!