This slide show presents information on the value of blogging as well as how to set up your own blog challenge for your PLN or students

1. 30 Day Blogging
Challenge
A Reflective Journey for both
Teachers and Students
Beth Leidolf, NBCT
email: leidolf.beth@gmail.com
blog: bleidolf.blogspot.com
Twitter: @bleidolf67
Google+: ElizabethLeidolf

2. By the end of this presentation...
- understand the benefits of blogging for both
teachers and students
- learn how to set up a blogging challenge for
your PLN or your courses

3. Our experience with blogging
Let’s share about our experiences using or
working with blogs- take the survey :)
Go to this link: http://tinyurl.com/bloggingfun

4. My beginnings with blogging
Justine Hughes and
The Te@chThought Community Wiki
fostering a global community of learners through reflection and
collaboration
● collaborative areas/pages where everyone contributes!
o Google in the classroom
o Genius Hour/Passion Hour
o reflective blogging
o book reviews
o Project based learning
o encouraging global competencies, literacy
o home and school partnerships
o student-centered classrooms

5. Te@chThought Community Wiki
September 2014- 30 Day Blogging Challenge celebrating
Reflective Teacher Month
- connecting teachers from around the globe
- encourage a community of learners
- reflective prompts
- supportive environment for sharing of ideas
- supportive feedback from moderators and participants
- over 100 reflective teachers participating
- positive feedback
October 2014-Connected Educators Month #ce14
- Tuesday Twitter chat 6 p.m.CST
- Thoughtful Thursday weekly blog posts
#reflectiveteacher

6. Why Blogging for Students?
Benefits to students:
-students sharing, creating content, leading discussions on topics
-blog posts encourage meta-cognition (thinking about thinking)
-more feedback and interaction from the instructor
-deepens critical thinking skills (What? Why? How?)
-writing skills improve with regular writing, reflection, peer feedback
-blogging increases student interaction with the course material
-more opportunities to interact with each other (student participation)
● seeing others thoughts, different POVs on issues, deepens own
perspectives about topic, issues

7. Why Blogging as an Educator?
Benefits to teachers:
-more opportunities for you to interact with students
-easier sharing and discussion of current events/relevant resources
with students or other professionals
-deep reflection on practice
● What do we do? What just happened?
● Why do I do what I do? Why did that just happen?
● How can I improve?
-get valuable/helpful feedback from other educators/experts in field
-extend your PLN
-make new connections!

8. Your own blog challenge...Step 1
Establish your blogging goals!
1. Who’s going to read/participate in challenge?
● students
● teachers
● teams, collaborative groups
● personal reflection/e-portfolio
1. What’s the purpose/reflective goal of the activity?
● overall growth and progress for students or yourself?
● students demonstrating proficiency in an area?
● personal goals, reflection
● district, curricular or team goals

9. Blogging platforms 13+
Wix
Wordpress
Blogger
Weebly
fuelmy blog in UK
blogcatalog- Education tab (14+)
kidblog- Teacher register, get permission from Ps for Ss under 13, 18 can get
own account
liveJournal
Tumblr- short-form blog
http://kidslearntoblog.com/45-best-blogging-sites-for-kids/

10. Other options for curating thoughts
Edmodo- social learning platform
Smore-design flyers
LiveBinders- e-portfolios
Google Sites
any other sites?
https://www.smore.com/xup31-mathemagical-moments-in-workshop?ref=board
https://www.smore.com/educators

11. Your own blog challenge...Step 2
Create and advertise!
1. Choose thoughtful or thematic questions
let’s generate some ideas!http://tinyurl.com/bloggingfun3
1. Get the word out
● social media
● school website
● district news sent home
● class websites, newsletters

12. Your own blog challenge...Step 3
Share, reflect and grow together!
1. Monitor and coach, provide consistent and
personal feedback, encourage visits to others blogs,
share your blog as well!
1. Blog of the Week- group voting
2. Badges for participation, blog of week
1. Highlight student/participant blogs- (safe) social media,
wiki page, class websites, school media/press

13. Your Feedback will be amazing!
Indicates community/teamwork building, growth, and
transferring of things learned to classroom work/teaching!
Thank you! Reflection is
helping me gather my
thoughts! -@anonenglish
What’s funny is that wasn’t
even planned on writing! lol
Which made me realize how
important reflection really is!
@KidsCreateArt
Feeling grateful to
have the opportunity
to learn from
thoughtful Ts
worldwide
@TrNancy13
The blogs are
terrific! Dedicated,
thoughtful
educators helping
students!
@kschneider44
Grateful for the
opportunity! Such a
motivating challenge!
Blog is now a valuable
asset to my practice!
@MrBlendy

14. Your moment to get started!
Let’s take our ideas to connect/reflect/grow with our
students and with each other!
Want to participate in a 30 Day Blogging Challenge? Te@chThought
Community Wiki kicks off another one in November!