7 Reasons to Write in my Blog!

7 Reasons to Write in my Blog! & 7 Reasons for YOU to Read it!



Why give 7 Reasons to Write?  Why give 7 Reasons to Read?  
Because I have all of these "THINGS!" rolling around in my head and I need to get them out! 
Why 7 reasons?   (10 was too many, 5 is just average) That is a goal I've set for myself - let's see if I can achieve it!
    RTW #1: For Keeping & Sharing Information.  Writing in this blog is a way I'm making notes for myself but also for you. For example, I might write about the ideas I am formulating for next year.  My short-term memory is kaput. By writing the ideas down and making them concrete, I can hang on to them and move them around like chess pieces.  Switching from paper list-making to computer lists has been difficult. I really do like writing things down. I tell my students that the thoughts go from your brain, travel down your neck, through your arm, into your hand, around the fingers, into the pencil and onto the paper. I think it's a memory-thing.  Perhaps this will help. Skip the pencil-to-paper part and go directly to type/blog/publish?! Well, I may have to put a filter on that. I DO want to get rid of the paper stacks.  It will also help you get a handle on what's going on in my head (Ha!) and in my classroom.  I've been there, done that and understand the parental dilemma of asking "What did you do in school (enrichment) today?" "Nothing."  RTR #1: for your information.
    RTW #2: Two-way communication.  If I can get some of my thoughts out and share them with you there's a chance you will communicate back to me.  You may feel that I'm way off base and be willing to try to improve my thinking.  Or maybe you think that something I blog about is a good idea and want to see it come to fruition or something like that and are willing to say so or help.  This is also RTR #2:  two-way communication!
   RTW #3: Writing Practice.  The more I practice writing and blogging the better I will get at writing and blogging. And if I'm preaching it to my students I need to practice it as well. Your RTR #3 is to, eventually, be amazed at my improvement!
   RTW#4: An Ad for my Wiki. I want you to want to come to my wiki. Whether or not you come to read my blog, please do visit the wiki. You might come for information on what's going on in class and stay for a new link to an interest you have.  Or you might need something to keep your mind alive on a cold, cold, wet day when you're stuck inside &; the Cat in the Hat is nowhere to be seen...so you have to entertain your brain all by yourself...THAT is an example of self-directed learning - figuring out WHAT you want to learn and HOW you can go about doing it!  So this is an "AD" for my Wiki, so to speak, so now you WANT to read it, right? RTR #4
   RTW #5:  Helping to Keep me on Track.  I would like work into being organized/disciplined enough to keep this blog up to date, with postings maybe weekly but at least monthly.  My stepdad gave me the book by Henriette Anne Klauser Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want And Getting It and there is a lot to be said about seeing a goal (in written form or in print) that gives the idea substance and makes it more achievable. I know that, personally, I can remember something better if I have both seen it and say it. I think the reason is that really seeing something or slowing down enough to say it keeps me focused (& we all know I need focus!) on something long enough for it to seep into the little gray cells (Hercule Poirot was fond of saying that). And now that you have READ this you are on your way to become your Teacher's Keeper and will (gently) help me achieve my goal.  Right?  RTR #5: you are keeping me on track!
   RTW #6:  Being an Example.  Don't knock it!  It's taken me two weeks to get this far! This blog is MY example to my students:  - to set the goal and do it!  - to write things down  - to show task commitment - to examine and share thoughts. My daily planner asks me (daily) to DUMP all of my thoughts on any topic onto one page and get them out of the way.  I don't have to remember or worry about them because I have them in the dump and can re-examine, delete, delegate, follow-up on any of these things later. It is becoming a very "freeing" experience.  RTR #6: to be an example, make me walk the walk, don't ask students to do something I don’t/won't do.
   RTW #7:  REFLECTION. The finish line is in sight!  My #7 reason should probably be my #1 reason to write this blog. REFLECTION.  I subscribe to a wonderful blog Copy / Paste by Peter Pappas, dedicated to Relinquishing Responsibility for Learning to the Students (see the beginning thread (2010)  at
http://www.peterpappas.com/2010/01/taxonomy-reflection-critical-thinking-students-teachers-principals-.html   and updated in 2011 at
http://www.peterpappas.com/2011/06/elementary-students-reflect-on-their-learning-taxonomy-reflection.html.
and this one, in June of this year, really struck a chord in me. His main objective in these issues is helping both students and teachers make learning MEANINGFUL.  I am assuming that you, the reader, are familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy, one picture of the hierarchy of learning objectives.  If you aren't or need a refresher this site is very helpful:  http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
Remembering is the first step, the easiest objective.  (Too) many of school activities seem to stay in this objective.  If you can remember it and spit it back out for a test you get the A. It seems how you do on the test is the most important objective. That's not learning (to me).  I believe our goal is to go beyond Remembering, past Understanding, to practice Applying and move our thinking forward to focus on the top (HOTS: Higher Order Thinking Skills) three:  Analyzing, Evaluating, &; and Creating.
    Going along with Socrates who proposed that the 'unexamined life is not worth living'- the lessons, units, teaching practices, just about everything about "school" should be examined, in depth. The unexamined lesson isn't worth learning. WHY am I supposed to be doing this?  Students need to have a good handle on WHY about what they are learning.  Teachers need to be able to answer these questions about what they are supposed to be facilitating (notice I didn't say teaching). 
   So, REFLECTION is my current hot button, obviously my soap box. I plan on asking my students to take the time to reflect on the activities and projects we delve into this year.  I would imagine that their reflections will impact my reflections greatly! Your RTR my blog #7 is that I will be making it meaningful!
There.  7!  VII!  Seven!   I feel drained.  Maybe next time I'll try for 8...
'Till next time!  XXOO!!  Mrs. Mac
PS My delightful daughter, who teaches creative writing on the side while attending medical school at Northwestern, says I use too many exclamation points.  C’est la vie!