Blog Post #10

What Can Learn From Mrs. Cassidy?

What Can We Learn From Mrs. Cassidy? Mrs. Cassidy teaches first grade and requires her students to write blogs once or twice a week. This approach to teaching is a great way to keep parents updated on their child's progress in school without having to wait for a parent teacher conference. They get to see the strides they are making in writing and all the comments on their child's blog left by people all over the world. I think blogging is one of the most basic techniques used in classrooms today and should be used by all teachers at this point. I actually just got introduced to blogging this semester in EDM 310 and now I see the many benefits of it. It's a great way for teachers to stay connected to their students at all times and to really understand what level their on because we all know it is impossible to be a successful teacher without reaching out to your students outside of the classroom. The most obvious impediment I might encounter is students having access to inappropriate things on the internet. Besides having blocks on all computers, I would simply explain to my students the dangers of going to sites that have not been approved by me or their parents. Also, I would never leave my students unattended on a computer. Just as I would watch them while taking a test to make sure that they are not cheating, I would watch them on the computer to make sure they are only on the sites that have been approved.

One of the benefits I may encounter by using Mrs. Cassidy's approach have already been stated. Basically, blogging is a way for the teacher (me) to stay connected to their students and for teachers and parents to keep track of the students' progress. Also, I like Mrs. Cassidy's suggestion to play off of your own interest when choosing which technological tool to use in your classroom. For example, if you like videos, try to start by introducing YouTube. If you want to focus on writing, start by introducing blogs. I love how she highlighted the benefits of Twitter as well. She stated how she met people from all over the country using Twitter, including Dr. Strange, and how rewarding it is to be able to help someone professionally that you don't even know. That person can help you as well. This is why it is important to have a PLN.