As term two comes to an end, I have been looking and reading the blogs of the classes and I am really impressed.  The kids writing has been consistently getting better and more and more adventurous.  The writing is showing more of their own voice. 

I’m not sure if it is the topic for the term (space and aliens) or if it is coming from somewhere else, but I’m feeling that there is a sense of voice and purpose of the writing.  Room 6’s blog has become something of a hit around here, and when you read it you can understand why.  The kids love to read the wacky adventures, the silly poems and realise that their friends wrote it. 

I’ve begun giving kids the time to read and comment on the blogs during their ICT time.  It’s so good to see the kids actually appreciate other kids writing.  I ask them to make a positive comment and then ask a question about the writing or give the author a piece of advice.  I thought this might be a difficult task but even the year three’s have been able to write sensible comments and enjoy the sense of giving back to the author.

So in a nutshell….

Finally blogging is starting to take off here in our classrooms.  It’s been a useful tool to get our kids writing for an authentic audience.  Where to from here???  Keep the thumb of the classes to use their blogs - whether it is the juniors copying and pasting the publishing through to the seniors who argue points in the comments…I am starting to feel I have achieved something.

Tags: writing, kidsengagement, blogging