Shadow Blogging

This week my students have been "practicing" weblog posting (with pencil and paper) as a step in our preparation for our actual literature discussion blog. In the second semester of our weblogging project, it seemed like more time spent talking about the composing part of the process might render more meaningful posts when we're up and running. We reviewed post titles, pictures, comments - leading to conversation, and rules of netiquette. Although we'd already reviewed "kinds of posts" detailed in our "Blogging Expectations" handout, it seemed as if some safe practicing with established small writing groups might be a good way to dive in to our new literature project To Kill A Mockingbird. I've been reading over these posts, and I am encouraged because I am seeing great examples to use in class tomorrow - clever titles, interesting analysis of plot and character and setting, questions posed to the "writing group" with answers and speculations in the comments. One student wrote that discussion of family lineage appears early in the book because it proves that "if no one knew each other's heritage, people wouldn't treat people differently," which he guesses will emerge as a theme. Another group commented back and forth to get to the bottom of Burris Ewell's cooties, which were really lice. They seem to have the hang of it.

So, the I hope the technology accomodates us on Friday. Tomorrow I'll collect e-mail addresses from students who already have e-mail addresses, and I'll pass out the form for accessing Yahoo (or other free e-mail) and try some "one on one" time at my computer to help kids set up e-mail who need help. I don't have an aide first block, but I do for second and third, and I am hoping that if I create some independent working time, I can do some chaos prevention for our first lab time on Friday. Last Thursday the class completed a ReadWriteThink lesson on online persona, and tomorrow I will review display names, e-mail addresses, and ask students to commit to display names by class on Thursday.

*When I lived in Japan, I noticed that people meditated and often practiced activities in their heads - so to speak. In a pottery shop, for example, I remember seeing a customer pretend to pick up a tea cup (he never actually touched it) and pretend to lift it to his lips and sip. I asked a native what on earth the customer was doing and was told that he was "shadow sipping" to get the feel of the tea cup without touching it to see if it seemed like he would like it. I know it may sound weird, but it came to me that we needed to practice "shadow blogging" to see what feels right.