Classroom Blogs at Durham Academy

Many of our teachers at DA are embracing blogging as a method of publishing student writing for an authentic audience.  Our teachers have created Edublog accounts with the help of our Digital Learning Coordinator, Karl Schaefer.  I have been so impressed with the very cool topics that students are writing about.

In 6th grade, Mrs. Donnelly's class is blogging about their grammar projects.  Students selected a grammar rule to present to their class, and then wrote a blog entry to explain what they learned from creating the presentation.  These projects are great mini-lessons that Mrs. Donnelly can refer back to all year.




In Mrs. Williams's 6th grade language arts class, students are reflecting about Durham Academy's new 1:1 iPad program.  Students are writing about how they use the iPads, what they like, and what has been challenging for them.  I love their honest reactions to the new program.  One student wrote, "Instead of getting my papers ruined or ripped in a binder, they are safe on the iPad. So far I think the iPads are really good learning tools."  Another student had mixed feeling about the initiative, "iPad is a helpful tool however, I like to use paper and pencils better, some things are too good to change!"

In fifth grade language arts, students review the books they are reading like The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Artemis Fowl.  Finally, our French teacher has her students blog in French on various topics.  I have to use Google Translate to figure out what they have written!