The Learning Spy found at www.learningspy.co.uk is a blog all educators should feast their eyes on. This thought provoking blog, written by David Didau, encourages teachers to think critically about today’s teaching practices and looks at ways to improve the learning environment our students engage in daily. Some of the blogs postings you’ll find here include topics such as…
- Instructional practices
- Student performance
- Writing Strategies for students and teachers alike
- Building student independence
- Testing & Assessments
In, Why can’t we tell a good teacher through lesson observations? we learn that teaching styles vary from one group of students to the next and teaching fads come and go. Read on to find out why teacher observations are not the end all be all to proving the high quality teacher in the classroom.
These topics pervade the blog and allow you to keep digging up useful and interesting information that in my eyes, makes better teachers. I followed this blog so that I can keep up to speed with the latest in instructional practices and get a new perspective of what educational trends are working and ones that need some work.
http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au
A second blog that should inspire teachers to be their best and build upon best teaching practices is Primary Tech by Kathleen Morris. You can find her at Primary Tech . Kathleen’s blog gives teachers confidence that they can incorporate technology into their instructional day through blogging. Giving students a digital voice while learning electronically, and expressing their thoughts with their classmates provides them with a rich and authentic mode of learning that meets the needs of a 21st century learner.
Some of her content rich topics include…
- Blogging and Literacy
- Student Blogs as Portfolios
- Benefits of Blogging
These posts, such as Blogging and the Literacy Curriculum, discuss the importance of being transliterate and show how Kathleen incorporates literacy into her language arts block in a natural and seamless manner.
ePortfolios will eventually follow people much like their social media status. Starting a blog as a portfolio shows children and adults alike that you can build your resume through your professional educational experiences…along with the college degree you will be much more marketable. Paper portfolios are bulky and “old school.” Kathleen demonstrate the authenticity of what a Blog Portfolio can show.
You’re sure to be encouraged to become a tech savvy educator after reading Kathleen’s use of blogging in the classroom. The piece that I felt truly inspired by was the fluid feel of how she uses blogs. There are no rigid routines and all engagement is meaningful. Enjoy!
COOL CAT TEACHER BLOG: Teaching students with new tools, enthusiasm, and belief that teaching is a noble calling.
This fantastic blog, written by a teacher, author, and speaker Vicki Davis, provides just the ticket that every educator needs. A glimpse into the work and life of educators. Their struggles as well as successes resound throughout. This blog gets to the heart of why teachers teach, the students. Plenty of useful technology introductions and useful ideas for incorporating them into your busy life as well as the lives of your students are embedded within the postings. Postings number in the hundreds each year telling me Vicki is onto something big and COOL. She knows how to talk the talk and walk the walk so that teachers and students alike improve upon themselves as she forges ahead in this technological forest. One theme that resounds in her postings is bringing out the best in people as the way to succeed in life and education. Vicki shows this through her vivid, yet down to earth posts and podcasts.
I plan on sharing these special blogs with my colleagues as a way to build strong educators. Teachers need to see that they are not alone in the world of education and technology. Once educators get their hands on some high quality blogs their likelihood of revisiting them improves dramatically. I can see the value of following people who resonate with your teaching philosophy and style, yet don’t forget, we learn from those who we disagree with as well. The most important thing to note with blogs is quality of content. Looking closely and critically at the content of blogs before hitting that infamous “Follow” button is important. Don’t bog yourself down with too many blogs to follow too soon. Be selective and implement only the technology or teaching strategies that are going to work for you.
SLM508MAB 
Primary Tech is one of my favorite blogs too. I agree blogging is a natural piece of what she does in her classroom with her kids, as technology should be! I thought kathleen had wonderful resources and she certainly has seemed to think of every aspect of blogging from the how-to’s, parent interaction and student engagement.
-Dina
I was amazed to see some educator’s blogs that could be considered controversial. And it is okay. Educators can express their viewpoints in a respectful way. It was also great to see that so many were willing to share their journey and struggles with integrating technology.
I have a question for you. According to our assignment we had to answer these questions – How might you incorporate blogs in your classroom? How might you use professional blogs for professional development?
Do you think you addressed these questions in this post?
I think you’re right on point with the blogs your chose and your idea of sharing them as a way to build strong educators. Blogs certainly are a great way to do this. I was impressed with your blogs as well as others that our fellow colleagues have written about because of the way they connected other educators. One way we can all become stronger educators is to collaborate and communicate with others in the same boat as us.
I also looked at and reviewed Primary Tech. All of the strategies that are discussed in her blog entries are like going to a world class technology conference from the comfort and convenience of where you happen to be at that particular moment! I say that I learned more from looking at different blogs in one hour then I ever could have learned from my traditional information sharing networks in the course of a year. I think blogging will change the way that professional development is offered, not only in education, but in other professions as well!