Using Blogging as Part of the Curriculum

Seeds of Learning, an accelerated learning program in Redmond, WA, has made blogging a major part of the curriculum.

(PRWEB) April 21, 2006 -- Seeds of Learning Academy, an accelerated learning program in Redmond, WA, has made blogging a major part of the curriculum.   

“Students get more excited about learning when it’s an interactive process...instead of complaining about making changes, they vie for a chance to re-post on the blog,” says Seeds of Learning teacher Felisa Rogers. In addition to making suggestions about each others work on the class blog (http://seedsoflearning.blogspot.com/), students keep personal blogs ( http://spaces.msn.com/adorasvitak/) allowing teachers better insight into their thought processes and learning styles.
   
“You might be surprised by the level of freedom we allow on the personal blogs,” Felisa says, adding that Seeds of Learning teachers don’t censor language or content. The program’s founder, Joyce Svitak, explains, “We feel that it’s more important to understand what our students are thinking-in this way we can better meet their needs and tailor lesson plans to better suit their learning styles. In order to foster a feeling of freedom, we don’t censor their writing-we even encourage them to voice any complaints about class. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little decorum to revitalize the way a child feels about writing.”

Recent class blog topics include a formally written bill to legalize swearing in the classroom, and a satire of the WASL (Washing Assessment of Student Learning) test. If this sounds a little free and easy for comfort, students can direct you to the schools list of blogging rules:

The blog should include reactions to current events.
The blogger must write descriptively, including references to all five senses.
The blog must include daily descriptions of an event or incident in their lives.
The blog should describe emotions.
The blog should include creative writing, including poetry and satire.
The blogger should write fiction to support his/her arguments

'We've had some amazing results,’ says Felisa. ‘Blogging doesn’t have the same stigma with kids as the words ‘assignment’ or ‘essay’. I have students who once had little interest in writing pestering me to give them blog topics.’

For another example of student blogs, go to (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=G_irl_X)
For information on their published 8 year old author Adora Svitak, please visit www.adorasvitak.com

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