Wow! That's the first thing that came to mind as I browsed through all of the different pages and blogs attached to this school blog. In my opinion, Russell Street School has got it right.
I like that the main blog has kind of that overview feel of happenings going on in the school. My school actually does this as well. Our principals take control of posting and updating the big things going on in our school. Mostly it's pictures from school events or activities going on in the classroom. Our blog has basically taken the place of the monthly school newsletter that used to go to print and get mailed home. But I have to say that this school has really showed me the potential that is out there to do so much more.
I love the different uses of all of the classroom blogs. I noticed that most of them post updates about what's going on in the classroom, and that's a great way to keep parents informed. But I really love how it appears that students are actually using technology and producing the items published on the blogs. As an English teacher, I loved to see that in Room 12 (Dozen Fresh Eggs) the students are using technology to produce things like book trailers and putting it out on the Internet for a worldwide audience looking for feedback. I think that is so much more meaningful for than simply writing a book review for the teacher. I think that some kids really need that push of knowing they are writing and producing for a "real" audience.
I also just want to add that the freedom and flexibility that the teachers and students have in creating their class blogs and deciding what and how to post to those is awesome. I think that one of the main reasons something like this is so successful is that it appears that all of the teachers and administrators are on board and fully support teaching students not only the required content, but the technology they will need in life. With that in mind, my school has maybe a handful of teachers who would support something of this nature. How do you do it? How do you get teachers to almost have a new way of thinking in order to prepare students for the new world we live in?
I think you ask an excellent question on how do they get so much buy in from their teachers? It seems like most K-12 schools in the US have many reluctant teachers that would be hard to convince to participate in a school wide initiative like this.
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