Children as Bloggers: How Class Blogs Can Promote Literacy, Learning & Thinking

As an educator, I've been blogging for almost 15 years and have written a number of blogs for varied purposes. But how might we make better use of blogging with children? I wrote about this topic ten years ago! I thought maybe it's time to return to the topic. Many teachers have experimented with blogging for children as have some parents. But could we make better use of the Blogosphere? In this post I thought I'd outline a few basic ways in which children could become bloggers, and why it's worth considering.

Why might blogging be good for children?

There seem some obvious reasons for using blogs in the classroom or at home:

1. Encouraging children to explore new internet applications for communication and learning is important.

2. Children need to experience web applications like blogs as creators, not just as consumers. Just as we want children to use written narrative forms like literature as readers and writers, so too we want them to explore web applications as creators not just users or consumers.

3. Each application that we experience on the Internet requires a range of web-based generic skills as well as some that are unique to the application.

4. The act of writing a blog post can lead to significant research and related learning. For example, it is an excellent way to develop web comprehension and research skills. Skills like checking your sources, not plagiarising content engaging readers etc.

5. Blogs also offer authentic readers and audiences for children. So much classroom writing is simply for the teacher 'as examiner', but blogs offer 'real' readers who will respond as learners and fellow writers. This is powerful.

6. Blogs can offer a means for children of many nationalities to communicate and share their ideas around the globe.

7. Blogging can offer a wonderful means for children to practice a second language.

8. Using blogs as creators as well as consumers highlights the need for children to consider issues such as truth and fiction, privacy, copyright and so on.

How can teachers and parents use blogging to promote learning?

a) Showcase blogs

One of the most common ways teachers use blogs is to showcase children's work. The blog can be set up to showcase work in specific subject areas or can vary by form. For example:

• Poetry and narrative writing. Here's a blog just about poetry blogs.
• Units of work. Here's one for a 5 year old 'Prep' class based on a 'Kindness' unit (The term 'Prep' class is used in some Australian states)
• Drawings and art units (here)
• Videos (class activities, class performances, readers' theatre etc)
• Podcasts (personal stories, public speaking, family history, oral reports etc)

Kathleen Morris tells how she got into showcase blogs for her students (here) as well as how colleagues have used them.

b) Classroom News blogs

This is a common way for teachers to blog. It can have an important role in keeping parents informed about the work that their children are doing as well as being an excellent way to showcase children's work. Here is a 4th Grade class blog in the USA (here). News blogs offer less opportunities for children to compose than other forms of blogging but has a place.

c) Literature response blogs

This application offers children a greater opportunity to respond to the writing of other students. It is simply a way to take activities online that require children to respond to literature that they have read (or which has been read to them). Often the teacher posts the first entry or task and students then respond to the book that has been read. I love Kath Murdoch's children's response blog (here).  

d) Writing blogs

These are simply blogs that allow children to share their writing. Here is a wonderful site that shows you how to help children to write their own 'Choose Your Own Adventure' story (here).

d) Science blogs

Using blogs to share ideas on science or activities for science is also a great way to give children a chance to read and write scientific texts. Here's a great example 'Science Fix'.

e) STEM blogs

Sites that offer opportunities to share the outcomes of Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) projects and ideas are another great application of blogging for children. Here's a great one called 'Learning is Messy'.

Summing Up

Encouraging children to explore blogging is a useful way to get them to use technology to share and promote writing and reading for varied real world purposes and with authentic audiences. As well, it encourages children to write for 'real' audiences.

The above should not be seen as the only options, try to be creative with blogs. Once you are familiar with the various options for setting up a blog, play around with your site and think creatively about how you might use this powerful technology application to stimulate children to read, respond, write, reflect and learn.

Could Dr Seuss Help us Deal with the Corona Virus?

I've always found that children's literature offers great human wisdom and insights for many situations in life. As the world has struggled with the Covid-19, I think we've observed some of the best and worst of human behaviour. There have been numerous stories of human sacrifice from medical staff and age carers treating others at great personal risk and cost, airline staff transporting patients home from foreign countries, generous people sharing food, shelter and belongings with unemployed workers. As well, families separated in different countries with little prospect of getting home, have been given help from varied countries and agencies to journey back to loved ones. These are all examples of human cooperation and generosity. Where does children's literature come in? Children's literature can teach, challenge, inform, and offer emotional support while shining a light on the human condition and how we relate to one another.

In times of crisis, human traits like generosity, sacrificial care and a willingness to forgo self-interest, might just help us to overlook our differences and difficulties together. Yet, there is a darker side to humanity in times of trouble. Selfishness can also be shown by some. There is no place for stubborn self-interest in a crisis; whether it's hoarding food and essential goods (while others have little), or something as simple as stubbornly refusing to keep social distance when asked to by authorities. Young backpackers having parties in parks and on beaches, a man leaves enforced isolation to visit his girlfriend, unnecessary travel is undertaken, putting others at risk and potentially spreading the virus, and so on.

If you've experienced or observed such selfishness, why not share a bit of Dr Seuss wisdom with your children. This might just help them to understand why we all need to do different things in these difficult times, like stepping aside to allow social distance on walking trails or pathways. Or perhaps, not riding your scooter or bike down the centre of a path, and instead, keeping your distance in the interest of others. Dr Seuss has always had a way of embedding social commentary within funny stories. 'The Zax' is a little story that might just help to open up such conversations with our children.

'The Zax' is a wonderful story within the Dr Seuss collection titled 'The Sneetches and Other Stories'. While the other three stories in the volume are also excellent and have much to teach us about human behaviour, 'The Zax' shines a light on the futile nature of stubborn self-centredness. And of course, this has been seen in abundance around the world as interests of varied kind have often got in the way of quick responses to Covid-19. The story begins with two unusual creatures walking on a straight path towards one another with great purpose.

One day, making tracks

In the prairie of Prax,

Came a North-Going Zax

And a South-going Zax.

Trouble was, they were in a direct line for a collision.

And it happened that both of them came to a place

Where they bumped. There they stood.

Foot to foot. Face to face.

"Look here, now!" the North-Going Zax said. "I say!

You are blocking my path. You are right in my way.

I'm a North-Going Zax and I always go north.

Get out of the way, now, and let me go forth!"

And so, it continues:

"Who's in whose way?" snapped the South-Going Zax.
I always go south, making south-going tracks.
So you're in MY way! And I ask you to move...

How might this story all end? Well, it seems that the rest of the world moved on while they remained fixed in their stubbornness.

Well...
Of course the world didn't stand still. The world grew..
In a couple of years, the new highway came through
And they built it right over those stubborn Zax
And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.

Thankfully, the crisis we find ourselves into today around the world has also led to acts of great generosity, kindness and sacrifice. I pray that we might see more of these positive virtues as we support one another in the midst of this global challenge.

I would love to hear your thoughts on other children's books (for all ages) that might be helpful to share with our children right now, as they try to deal with a frightening time while at the same time growing as people.

Here's another lovely example of how a Dr Seuss classic story has been used for social commentary at this challenging time.  Kristi Bothur published this lovely example on YouTube just a few weeks ago. "How the Virus Stole Easter". If you loved 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' you'll enjoy this video based on the Dr Seuss classic picture book that offers a reflection on Covid-19 and reinforces the need for 'hope' and prayer.