Blogging in the Elementary Classroom

Des Moines' Jackson Elementary, whose faculty fit the definition of "professionals seeking on their own seeking to improve their practice" as well as any in the state, have been working with Heartland's Toy Waterman to look at blogging in their curriculum. Susan Crook, a 4th grade instructor, has been using the tool to promote discussion in her classroom.

A couple things Susan's class is doing really well:

1. The prompts are short, but involve a range of questions, including questions that analyze, synthesize, and apply content to students' lives
2. The students are using the tool to reflect and pose questions.

I've highlighted one of the interchanges below on the topic of slavery and student quilt patterns: