We are part of the Edublog Student Blogging Challenge.
This week the focus is on the idea of community. One of the things we love about our class blog is that it is a fabulous way to build an online community!
There are many benefits to our online community. By having a class blog, we get to practice and promote our reading and writing skills. In addition, it gives us an online place to strengthen our digital citizenship skills and build quality digital footprints. Most of all, the class blog provides a wonderful space for students, families, and global friends to learn about one another. :-)
Here is an excellent example of our online community. One connection leads to another. Watch the connections build in the comment section!
This photo about The Real Four Corners started a chain of comments!
The above photo lead to this geography post: Family Blogging Month :: The 50 States and some graphing about which states family members had visited.
Here is Allie's graph. (Click to enlarge.)
The Family Blogging Month :: The 50 States blog post lead to this chain of interesting comments in the comment section!
Allie and Chaolin replied:
Allie's mom replied back to the girls:
Elie's mom joined in with a comment for Allie's mom:
Elie's dad wrote to his wife, Elie's mom:
Allie's mom replied back to Elie's mom
What a wonderful exchange! We love our online community!
What do you like about our online community?
What other communities do you belong to? How did you get involved and what do you enjoy about the community?
Posts
dear Chaolin,
ReplyDeleteI am very exited about the sleepover at your house and mine after that! My favorite state is California but I have been to one other state Arizona! When you come over I can teach you some Animal jam or scratch, scratch is a game/video program, and you can program games or videos it is a very fun and educational! Animal jam is a game that you can have a house and if you are a member you can have a choice of houses! and there are pets and games in animal jam. What is you favorite state?
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteI love that you put the big conversation between Allie's mom, Chaolin and Allie, also Ellie's mom. 'Cause people that never blogged before could see in blogging its like a big conversation like being face to face with the person you're talking with!
Sincerely,
Rose
Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed Family Blogging Month! Thank you for the opportunity to be part of such a special online community.
I really enjoyed staying connected and learning more about each other, especially since I have not been able to see many of your class-members and their parents much due to my schedule. It also opened up interesting discussions that may not have taken place in the rush of pick up and drop off and allowed me to meet their family members from near and far. I really feel a deeper appreciation and closeness to many of your students because I was able to communicate both with them and their extended families.
While I really loved to stay connected while in town, this upcoming week I am especially grateful for our online community as I am going to be overseas.
This weekend, I am traveling out of the country and having this online space means the world to me. I look forward to paricipating and staying connected with my son, your class, and this global online community while abroad. Thank you for this meaningful way to keep connected no matter the distance apart.
I must say that aside from connection, I have really enjoyed getting to witness the tremendous growth of your students through their comments and replies, both as regards their writing skills and digital citizenship. It truly is a global learning community!
Looking forward to blogging with you from abroad,
Liat (Elie's Mom)
@ Liat, (Elie's mom)
DeleteThank you for all your wonderful contributions to our online community! You are what I like to call a Virtual Volunteer. As kids get older, there are not many opportunities to be in the classroom (or work schedules interfere), so this online space is a fabulous way for us all to connect! You always jump in and comment with everyone, and that helps brings the blog to life. I really appreciate you, Liat. :-) I also love your use of html code to bold your words. Well done!
Like you mentioned, I love to watch the incredible growth in the areas of writing and digital citizenship. We are living at a remarkable time where online communities are a part of life, and we need to teach children how to be responsible contributors.
We are looking forward to hearing about your trip abroad!
Warmly,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteYour amazing online community not only connects families in the classroom and people from around the world, but maintains connections from the past! My son, Rexon, was a student in this class in 2011, and as a family I remember the expansive feeling of our hearts and minds opening to the wonders of blogging. Being away for awhile, It is such a pleasure to go into the classroom archives and view the joy of learning that he and his classmates experienced. I just watched their sweet faces sing and wish their blogging buddies a Merry Christmas...so heartwarming!
Thank you Mrs. Yollis, for all the joy and passion you bring to teaching, and cultivating and maintaining this admirable global online community. Keep having fun!
Sincerely,
Whitney
@ Whitney, (Rexon's mom)
DeleteWhat a lovely surprise! Thank you for leaving such a wonderful comment! I was tearing up reading your kind words.
I love that the blog is a special place that keeps our memories of being together all in one spot. Looking through the archive and watching the movies brings me great joy and satisfaction. It is hard to believe that this is the ninth year of the blog. We are a big family of bloggers!
Please say hello to Rexon for me, and if you are ever on campus...please stop by!
Again, your comment means the world to me.
Warmly,
Mrs. Y♥llis