1. to reflect on my teaching experiences
Since I became a teacher, many predecessors have recommended me to write a journal that records daily classroom events so that I can get closer look at my students as well as improve my classroom management skills through reflection. However, in my five years of teaching experience, I never wrote a journal, making excuses that I was too busy with more important works to do. Last semester, I could realize the importance of recording what happens during the class through my own experience of meta-cognitive learning: writing weekly journal about my English learning. While I was reading the chapter 2, I thought that I can use my blog for this purpose. In this case, I believe this blog is to be very personal, so I won’t let anybody read my postings. I can make use of the posting when I consult with parents for reference.
2. to communicate with parents
Elementary school students are needed parents’ help. Sometimes I give them homework which requires their parents’ participants or help. I do write down detailed instruction on the blackboard giving them oral explanation at the same time, however, some of students just miss things or cannot understand, especially when they are younger students. If I had my blog that enable myself to communicate with parents, I did not need to spend as much time to explain what my students should do for homework. In addition, I can use the blog to announce my philosophy as an educator and the classroom policy & system to parents at the beginning of the semester. Each year, when new semester starts, we have open classes and have time to talk to the parents. But majority of parents could not come to school on the day. We exchange the ideas for better education but that is only one time event at the beginning of the year. In my culture, parents can be never comfortable when talking to their children’s teacher. Blogs can be a good method that relieves the uncomfortableness of saying their opinion at any time of the year.
3. to create a dynamic teaching site
I am kind of a teacher that always tries to spend more time with students who are slow or have some problems. Those students are usually behind in terms of their schoolwork, so I ask fast students to help these students. I give more feedback on these students. But on the other hand, I am very sorry for who cannot get my attention, those who are smart and can do things by themselves. For these students, a blog as a dynamic teaching site will provide good feedback: further information that they could dig in. I do not want to use blogs for something that all students should participate in. I want to use it for extension of what we learned by linking the real world, for something that we want to discuss from our own interest. The contents will vary according to what’s happening in the world and the classroom and students can participate in freely with their interests.
Since I became a teacher, many predecessors have recommended me to write a journal that records daily classroom events so that I can get closer look at my students as well as improve my classroom management skills through reflection. However, in my five years of teaching experience, I never wrote a journal, making excuses that I was too busy with more important works to do. Last semester, I could realize the importance of recording what happens during the class through my own experience of meta-cognitive learning: writing weekly journal about my English learning. While I was reading the chapter 2, I thought that I can use my blog for this purpose. In this case, I believe this blog is to be very personal, so I won’t let anybody read my postings. I can make use of the posting when I consult with parents for reference.
2. to communicate with parents
Elementary school students are needed parents’ help. Sometimes I give them homework which requires their parents’ participants or help. I do write down detailed instruction on the blackboard giving them oral explanation at the same time, however, some of students just miss things or cannot understand, especially when they are younger students. If I had my blog that enable myself to communicate with parents, I did not need to spend as much time to explain what my students should do for homework. In addition, I can use the blog to announce my philosophy as an educator and the classroom policy & system to parents at the beginning of the semester. Each year, when new semester starts, we have open classes and have time to talk to the parents. But majority of parents could not come to school on the day. We exchange the ideas for better education but that is only one time event at the beginning of the year. In my culture, parents can be never comfortable when talking to their children’s teacher. Blogs can be a good method that relieves the uncomfortableness of saying their opinion at any time of the year.
3. to create a dynamic teaching site
I am kind of a teacher that always tries to spend more time with students who are slow or have some problems. Those students are usually behind in terms of their schoolwork, so I ask fast students to help these students. I give more feedback on these students. But on the other hand, I am very sorry for who cannot get my attention, those who are smart and can do things by themselves. For these students, a blog as a dynamic teaching site will provide good feedback: further information that they could dig in. I do not want to use blogs for something that all students should participate in. I want to use it for extension of what we learned by linking the real world, for something that we want to discuss from our own interest. The contents will vary according to what’s happening in the world and the classroom and students can participate in freely with their interests.
Hyeyoung,
ReplyDeleteYou have some great ideas on how to use blogging for personal reflection and communication. I especially like your idea of using blogs to communicate with parents who are not at ease speaking directly with teachers. Also, I've never thought about using blogs to address the challenges of a multi-level classroom. I'll keep your idea of optional blogging in mind when trying to engage more advanced learners in new and interesting ways.
Brooke
Hyeyoung,
ReplyDeleteYou have provided some thoughtful ways to use blogs. The only one that I would take care in using is the reflective journal one. Even if you do not allow comments on it and do not list it for search engines, it is still available on the Internet for anyone who happens to find it. So any reflections should be things which you are willing to share with a wider public as well as use meta-cognitive skills for your own learning.
Dr. Burgos