Sixth Grade Teachers

Five Things Ms. Howard has Learned About Blogging:

1. Just because you write something doesn’t mean that it will interest anyone.

2. You must read other blogs and comment on them if you want others to read your blog.

3. It’s important to stay on topic in a post…and read the comments on the posts! Sometimes it’s important to respond (in a comment) quickly, and sometimes it’s important to reflect and then respond in another post.

4. Don’t be a reporter of news, life events, wonderings, happenings. View the world with a writer/blogger’s eye and reflect on what’s happening. A reflective post is always inspiring.

5. Try to take risks. If you surprise yourself and “jump off the edge”, you will surprise your readers too!

I introduced my lesson today with this list. The sixth graders are doing an excellent job with their posts, and I am incredibly proud of their willingness to jump into the blogging world with reckless abandon. It’s truly a powerful example of reflective writing, I’m sure that the kids could easily write a more in-depth and inspirational list of the “five things they have learned about blogging” and at some point, I encourage them to do so.

In the coming weeks (and specifically by Monday), I am encouraging each student to respond actively to the blogs they are reading. Trinity School’s Writer’s Exchange is a great way to connect with other bloggers in the Trinity community. A few students have found blogs outside of Trinity (Helen’s horses comes to mind) that they read with great consistency. As a group, their next posts will be a little similar. They have been asked to LINK or CONNECT to other bloggers. It’s a challenge, but I think they’re up for it!

As you know, our sixth grade classes have begun maintaining their own personal blogs. They have now posted at least twice, and had the opportunity to read each other’s blog posts and comment on them. Before posting on the blogs, we spent a lot of class time reading blogs and brainstorming appropriate topics for posts. We discussed the content, structure, and style of blogs we read, and what factors made us want to read someone’s blog. Mr. Kjellstrom helped us immensely by posting tips for us on how develop our ideas into informative, reflective, and interesting blog posts. Read Mr. Kjellstrom’s tips for bloggers!

For several nights in a row now, I have sat on my couch glued to my computer screen, reading the blog posts. Around ten o’clock (which is extremely late for me to still have my eyes open, let alone reading something) my husband, Matt asked me, “What are you still doing on the computer? I thought you said you were done with your work for tonight.” I explained that I was reading my students’ blogs. Even after I explained what the blogs were all about, he still didn’t get it. “Well, what do they write about?” he asked. I shared some of the posts with him, and his reaction was: “These are sixth graders’ writing this? Really?”

Yes. It’s true. It is hard to believe as you read the students’ first posts that they were written by twelve-year-olds. As I read the posts, I was struck by the depth of the students’ insights, and the honesty in their writing. The students have written on a variety of topics including technology, writer’s block, memories, their families, balancing sports and academics, encouragement and perseverance. Some took on controversial topics such as the war, the epidemic of obesity in our country, and saving the environment. It is inspiring to read about the students’ concern for others and for social issues.

So, why blog? These first posts demonstrate the power of blogging. Our sixth grade students are writing freely about topics that matter to them personally. They are expressing their ideas and opinions in a public forum, and responding to each other’s ideas. Their posts are creative and reflective. I am certain that when you read them, you will be impressed by the depth of the students’ thoughts and the eloquent way in which they express their ideas. So, check out the sixth graders’ blogs and you will not be disappointed!

Here are a few examples of the excellent sixth grade blogs to get you started:

Emma K.’s blog: http://trinityweblog.org/emmku0708

Linzy’s blog: http://trinityweblog.org/linsc0708

Drew’s blog: http://trinityweblog.org/dreja0708

Happy reading!

Last week, the sixth graders were busy exploring a number of blogs. On Thursday, we focused their attention on one topic: water. They explored six to seven blogs, and we asked them to consider a number of questions. In light of the “first post” that is looming on the horizon, their responses to the last question we asked were encouraging. It’s obvious that this group of sixth graders is serious about blogging.

What makes a blog appealing? Unappealing? Why?

“The posts [on this blog] were appealing because they seem organized. They are colorful and full of pictures which make it more interesting. I do think that it’s more convenient to have links so a reader can learn more information.”-Christopher

“I found that the writer of the post didn’t go into great depth on the posts. I disliked this because I feel that this didn’t help newcomers like me grasp the feel of the post quickly. I did like how each post had real-life situations that brought more life to the blog.” – Linzy

“I liked the way the writer expressed herself by using a story instead of just stating the facts.”-Darcy

“I love the pictures! I think that writers not only include pictures, but they include good ones (they make me want to look at them). Also, I love how a few of the posts (but not all of them) begin with quotes.”-Madeline

“This blog appeals to me because I can tell that the blogger understands and cares a lot about the topics they write about. They put a lot of time and effort into this blog.”-Simons

“I didn’t like the fact that the posts were so short. In Mr. K’s blog and Mrs. Tait’s blog the posts were much longer.”-Eric

“I noticed that the posts aren’t all happy all of the time. Posts can open up your eyes to problems and most importantly, how you can help.”-Lizzie

“I find it unappealing that the author hasn’t been keeping up with the blog.”-Brian

“I like the way the writer writes. I like the wording.”-Caroline

“I find the posts appealing because they make you think. I don’t like that some authors start off with a quote because I am the kind of person who likes to get more information first and then reflect on it a little more.”-Wellie

I already see powerful, reflective reading and writing going on.

Way to Go, Trinity School Sixth Graders!!