The class website/ weblog (http://www.digitalanthology.blogspot.com/) is already an example of a collaborative global community that our class has created. But for my students to be more encouraged to write and publish, I thought that teachers are the best people to help them boost their self esteem.
I collaborated with the Filipino Teachers Network (http://www.pinoyteachersnetwork.blog-city.com/), which is an online organization for professional Filipino teachers across the world. It is already a growing e-community forged with the values of commitment and cooperation among professional Filipino teacher leaders. The project has the dimension of global collaboration, multiculturalism, and writing across the curriculum.
It is still an ongoing project wherein the Filipino teachers from the network and non-teacher Filipino readers are asked to post positive feedbacks and encouragements to the published works of my students in the class website.
It is surprising to know that my students exceeded their expectations of special children’s works.
Some of the Filipino teachers’ comments were:
“Thanks for sharing your students' poems; they were so sweet and reminded me that junior high kids are still kids and need lots of TLC!” ; a realization for this teacher.
“I like the one made by Larenzo most. But they're all great. I was only into plays, studying lessons and scribbling when I was 7. In fact, I only tried writing poems when I was 11 already.” / “This is so cool! I really admire these kids as I really suck in poetry. both in writing and reading!” ; my students learned that even teachers were struggling writers when they were still students.
For one thing, with the online publishing of my students’ works and collaborating with the Filipino teachers on giving feedback to their works, the students get to practice their writing skills. They learn how to organize their thoughts and present their ideas in a more linear way. They also get to meet other teachers (and eventually students) all over the world and share their experiences with them. After all, we are coming into the age of information and we are now living in one global village.
The teachers involved with this cyber project with my students are using non-traditional methods of teaching like me. We believe that teaching is a creative process and must evolve in the same pace as our students.
What do you think?
Opinion: Tech will shatter traditional modes of education
Future Laboratory co-founder Martin Raymond predicts mobile technology will totally transform traditional models of education, such that lessons will turn into "feeds" and classrooms will become spaces where students can obtain information directly from experts. In schools of the future, he says, pupils' discussions will transcend class and geographic barriers, so that power flows from the bottom up, rather than from the top down. The Guardian (London) (1/18)
6 comments:
Fads come and go. As a special educator, I'm looking mostly for some good, solid, emprically sound practices. Take some data on what you're doing, and see if it can be replicated by others. Then you may really and truly be on to something big.
dick
I'm with you on this one. My students tell me I'm the only teacher that regulary communicates via email and assigns web-based projects.
What are we all waiting for?
here in our homeland, we still have a long way to go to improve the state of teaching. there are still the traditionalists (those stuck in their comfort zones) who were taught by traditionalists and so on and so forth.
there are more ways to effective teaching and I hope we don't get left behind; and i hope there will be more who are willing to extricate themselves from their pits and strive for better instruction.
teacher sol, hello po. gusto ko rin yang non-traditional ways of teaching. pero sad to say, ang daming teachers sa Philippines ay hindi man lang computer literates... very sad...
Hey Teacher Sol,
I have been reading "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman. This books explains technology and how it flattened the world... it's funny and very informative. I can't help but to think that inspite what our country is going through right now, I hope teachers like you would include in your website teaching materials that would be accessed by the less-fortunate. Since we are already borderless and global... the big impact of this collaboration is to give materials reading, writing, math and science to young children that they can use and can relate to ( Filipinized???). An example would be to create simple Children stories and open the discussion for them to exercise critical thinking. If Gawad Kalinga create homes... why not create minds. We cannot but give back to the children of the next generation. We have people already involved in politics... but to move on... let's give what in our capacity to give. In the book "The World is Flat", you would be amazed how India did just this. This books gives a vision of the future. It impacts the future of first world versus third world countries and where third world country like ours can take advantage.
Cheers and God bless!!!!
Your push to include technology within schools has great value. More teachers as yourself should be doing the same.
As students offer their thoughts to the world via the Internet, it will allow us to move toward a global learning community, which will make great improvements to our world.
Nice job.
EduBlog
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