To write this blog entry I went back to where I started from, Blog #1. I haven’t read this entry in 3 months. I was interested, and excited to see what I had written and thought, “back then”. Reading the blog brought a smile to my face. I still believe strongly in my vision, however, like I had hoped for, my vision has evolved to include so much more.
The “more” essentially translates in the “hows”. At the beginning of this course I had no idea of how I was going to execute my vision with any sort of confidence. At this point I feel as if I am gaining confidence. I have learned that authenticity and choice are quintessential in engaging and meaningful learning. I learned that if I write beside my students in a writer’s workshop environment there will be increased engagement. I have learned different strategies to make learning fun. I have learned that it is ok to play with language, draw, and read children’s books to students as a stepping off point. I have learned to support students with writing prompts and territories (things we never had in my English classes). I have learned the value of group work in supporting students with oracy. I have learned that oracy is just as important as writing and reading. It is the skill for integrating interpersonal, thinking, and language skills. I recognize that balance is the key to the ELA curriculum, which is supported by the IRPs. I have learned that students need encouragement but want honest, and thoughtful feedback. My vision is not yet clear, but it is becoming clearer.
Blogging has been a forum for which I was able to sort out my “hows”. I have grown through being able to express my vision. Now for a confession… I thought that blogging was a “new age” way of writing essays and handing in papers. It turns out my opinion has evolved once again. Blogging has a valid place in ELA education. It has forced me to think critically about my posts (as I have a very large and authentic audience), and to develop an ELA teaching philosophy. It has been a useful tool, one that I will try to incorporate into my classroom.
