Resource: The NYT Learning Network

Here's an interesting and timely idea for helping your students develop their reading and writing lives, as Bomer recommends in this week's reading.  They can explore the New York Times best seller lists to develop their own reading lists and reach conclusions about our culture.  Click here for the full lesson plan, plus materials.

Online Reflection Tips

Dear Pre-Student Teachers,

I just finished reading your blog postings and your comments/replies to one another, and I AM IMPRESSED!  Thank you for your engaging narratives of your first weeks of pre-student teaching.  Thank you for your insightful questions and early inquiry. 

Here are a few tips I’d like to share regarding your posts:

You are welcome to post on your blog as often as you like (and I’d encourage you to do so).  Remember that your required posts (Online Reflections) for CI 412/3 do have some parameters:

Title

Shoot for a creative, relevant title.  If you plan to post more frequently than required, just include “Online Reflection #___” in your title for the post you want me to evaluate.  For example, check out Tiffany’s blog post: The Set-up of the Class – Blog Post #1.  See?  Simple as pie.  If you have numerous posts on your blog, it will be helpful to me if you distinguish which posts you want me to evaluate for assignment purposes (I’ll read/assess all of them, but I’ll just evaluate four of them over the course of this semester). 

Blog Posts: Inquiry and Connections to Professional Resources

Remember that part of the requirement for each of your three “official” online reflections is that you engage in inquiry (share ideas/questions you’re wondering about) and connect to professional resources (e.g., show how you’re using our class texts and/or online resources to answer your own questions).   Each post should be 500-800 words in length.

Check out these excellent examples of inquiry in action (click the name, and you’ll connect to the post):

Vaughn Crandell

Jarod Regier

Mary Roseberry

Jake Wike

Use these posts as models for your future posts this year.  I have been somewhat lenient in my grading for this first post, but now that you’ve had a chance to review these examples (that go beyond reporting what’s happening in the classroom and actually engage in inquiry), you will be evaluated according to your ability to meet the expectations of the assignment.

Blog Design

Take note of the color and size of your text and the background of your blog.  Is it easy to read?  I’m not asking, is it possible to read.  Is it EASY?  If it’s not easy to read your posts, you will likely lose some of your potential audience.  Make sure your blog design allows for EASY viewing.

Replies/Comments:  Continuing the Conversation (and earning full points)

First, don’t forget to compose a thoughtful reply to at least one person’s post within 48 hours of the online reflection deadline (e.g., deadline for posts = Monday; deadline for replies = Wednesday).

Check your blog postings for replies, and then respond to them (you should receive an e-mail notification on the e-mail you connected to your blog when someone replies on your posts).  The best way to grow an audience is to respond to that audience.  Lauren Curley has done a fantastic job of creating dialogue in her first online reflection.  If someone has posted a question or made a connection to your experience, respond—if only to thank them for sharing an idea, experience, or advice.

In addition, when you reply to someone else’s post, you can click the “Subscribe by E-mail” link after the comments in order to receive notification when the blog’s author (or someone else) responds to your post.

The Importance Posting On Time

As you’ve probably noticed, I waited until after your comments/replies were due to begin my assessment of your online reflection performance.  This means, of course, that if you have updated your blog or posted comments on someone’s blog at some point yesterday afternoon or today, I most likely have not read it (and you have not earned credit for it). 

If you post a blog entry or a reply/comment after the deadline, send me the link via e-mail, so I can assess your work.  For online reflections 2 and 3, you will earn reduced credit for late postings of any sort.  For online reflection 1, however, I am being lenient because this is a new experience for most of you.  Please let me know how I can help, and send me links to any late posts by Friday, Sept. 13.

Thanks again for your stimulating online conversations!  I hope you will review one another’s postings on our class blog regularly (the blogs are listed according to most recent updates).  Use this as an opportunity to connect with your fellow pre-student teachers, sharing your successes and frustrations, and seeking out advice and resources. 

Thank you!

Dr. M