Blogging with 3rd Graders - Better than I Ever Imagined!!

As they arrived in my classroom today, they read this Morning Message:
     Dear 3rd Graders, 
               You will be leaving early today and I will be spending the afternoon teaching teachers                about blogging. I need your help. Please complete this sentence on the index card at your seat - 
     I like blogging because_____________. 
                                                                        Thank you,   
                                                                               Mrs. Donnelly

Backstory - I introduced the idea of blogging to my students on February 29th (10 days ago) and today, our class of 23 students, one teacher, the librarian, the Principal and the school-based sub (a total of 27) have posted small moment stories and taken time to make "positive comments to keep the writer writing". As I check the total posts and comments on the dashboard right now, it reads:

POSTS - 111

COMMENTS - 733

Yes, those are both 3-digit numbers and not a typo. My kids LOVE having a place to write their stories that their peers can read. They also LOVE giving comments.

How do I know?
This is what was written on the index cards:

• I like blogging because when someone comments on your small moment, it really encourages you to keep writing.
• I like to blog because I can tell stories about what I'm doing when I'm not in school!!
•  I like blogging because I like share what I'm doing every week.
• I like to blog because I like to read story and comment.
• On Kidblog my favorite thing is expressing my comments. When I asked why, the response was: Because I like making people want to feel good about their stories and making them write more.
• I like to blog because you can tell a story of something that happened to you. If it is sad or happy or anything. Also because you got to see the comments that people give you to keep you writing.
• I like posting and commenting. I also like just reading a blog.
• I love to blog because you get to share moments of your life with students.
• I like to blog because -comments -making stories -commenting on other people
• I like to blog because you can tell people about your life and you tell people without meeting them.
• I like to blog because you can say how you liked their story and you can write stories and you can blog about whatever you want whenever you want! I love blogging.
• I like to blog because commenting on everyones interesting stories and then writing one of your won and reading all your comments
• I like blogging because your brain is learning and also your friends read it. It's like you're a real writer.
• What I like about blogging - writing stories  - leaving comments  - I like to read other people's stories
• I love to blog because I like writing and hearing other people's comments on my story. I also like that I can look at other people's stories and comment on them. I also like that I can see the teachers' stories too, I (heart-shape) blogging!!!
• I like to blog because you can add comments and the photos are cool.
• What I love about Kidblog is that I can share things about my life out loud.
• I like to blog because I like sharing my stories about what I am doing. I also like seeing what other people are doing and comment on stories.
• I like to blog because you get to see other people's hard work and you can comment on it.
• I like blogging because it is fun and is a good place to privately share your experiences.
• I like to blog because you can tell people cool stories that happened to you without having to say it so many times for everybody to hear it because you just write it once and everyone can hear it.
• I like that you get to comment on people.
• I like that you can share what you do outside of school.

Once the kiddos left today, as a staff we had time to grow professionally. I volunteered to share why I like to blog and how the 3rd graders were doing with this new tool - Kidblog. A few colleagues chose to join me for a discussion where the first thing I did was share the index cards! 

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Special thanks to Kathleen Sokolowski who shared a presentation she did on WHY BLOGGING HERE.  Reading through her powerpoint and even borrowing a slide, inspired me to create the things in this folder:    My Blogging Folder

It contains the powerpoint I share today with my staff that tells My Blogging Story and the powerpoint I used to teach the 3rd graders about blogging. It also includes 2 handouts I sent home to the parents as an introduction to Kidblog and the March Writing Challenged inspired by TwoWritingTeachers! Thank you so, so much!

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