This template originally came from the Unitec In Schools website. We are using this to attack our goals. Our goals need to be

I - inspiring
S - specific

M - measurable
A - achievable

R - realistic
T - timebound

After a rough start getting the teachers on board (they know they haven’t blogged in a little while and I wonder how long after posting this it will take them to post again), there are some classes that are making some huge steps in their blogs.

Like I mentioned in my last post, Room 6 are away and flying and I think having a teacher that understands, enjoys and uses Web 2.0 technologies helps to get it up and running. The writing that is in that blog is really cool and they are now starting to get comments from family and friends around the world.

The two year 2 classes (room 7 and Room are starting to make advances as well. On Tuesday afternoon, I took 2 kids from each class and showed them how to get on to their blogs dashboard and how to write and publish a post. I then got them to do it over and over (slightly boring but they seemed to enjoy it). Since then Room 8 has added to their post by using blogging as part of the writing rotation. While the novelty is still there, I hope they run with it so that it becomes a regular part of the learning. Next step…how to add pictures. Just exported kidpix pictures to start with and then on to photos etc.

Room 3 also are able to blog pretty much by themselves - once their teacher gets them going. Have to say, because I don’t know the kids and their writing abilities, it’s hard to tell whether what they are writing is more meaningful than usual. We are also about to try using voicethread as a way of recording their IBL. I saw what Marnie (a teacher up at Meadowbank) had done with her year 2’s and could see the potential for this right away.

I gave 2 classes my little writing survey last week (one class is a yr4/5 and one is a yr5/6). Totally anon of course with only a B or a G to distinguish between the genders. Yesterday I was collating the results and came up with some interesting findings - oh my goodness - no wonder our kids don’t like writing!!!

Of the 60 (ish) children surveyed - all of them write for their teacher at school, with the next most common answer was friends with 14 children saying they also sometimes wrote for them.  Parents were the third most common answer.

At home most children answered that they wrote for their parents and extended family.

Sadly, across both catergories (at school/at home) only 15 children answered that they wrote for themselves.  THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.

Some of the more perceptive children answered that they wrote for portfolios, display and the principal.  Not exactly a real and authentic audience.

If we want our kids to become better writers (who enjoy writing) we need to provide them with an authentic audience where people will read, comment and converse with the kids rather Mr/Mrs So and So at the front of the class…..

Does any of this surprise you????

Ok, so I have thought about what I would like my goal to be for this term.  As we still have this big focus on writing, I thought it would be interesting to compare two classes and their attitudes to writing - especially for an audience.  I would like to see if the children’s like/dislike of writing changes when they know that there is an audience of people outside of their classroom - particularly their teacher - reading their writing, if they enjoy it more, put more effort into it and if their overall attitude improves.

In order to do this, I will survey a class of children (yr 5 and 6) about their attitudes towards writing (similar to the one they have already done) but include a few questions about audience and the perceived audience.  I will then ensure, with the help of the classroom teacher, that they continue to blog regularly (if not daily) throughout the term.  At the end of the term I will survey the children again and see if their attitudes have changed either negatively or positively.