Write every day. That’s what “they” say, right? Our students should be writing every day. I agree. And in fact, my students have always written everyday. They write answers to questions about the books we read. They write words that contain the phonics patterns we study. They write stories, and they write down notes as they research, read, and learn from other authors.
The problem: the majority of this writing stays crammed in their desks. Imagine if there was a way to connect the writing they are already doing every day to others? What might happen if their ideas and their writing get shared with their parents long before that overly crammed backpack comes home at the end of the year? What if they could share their ideas and experiences with other students in our district, state, country, or from all around the world? As a wise student told me, if we put all of these great ideas together, we can make one big awesome idea. Could this awesome idea help build empathy? Solve problems? Have a lasting impact? That’s what we want to find out.
My friend and mentor, Mrs. Campbell, and I are excited, and a little bit nervous, to use blogging as our way to dig our second graders’ ideas out of the recesses of their desks, and share them with the world. Soon you will be able to not just follow my journey through this exciting experiment, but also follow each of their unique learning journeys through second grade. Together let’s watch them grow as readers and writers, and get the chance to see first-hand just what can happen when learners get connected outside of their classroom walls!
Parents, teachers, instructional coaches, administrators…If you have experience blogging with primary students, I would love to hear!
