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      Learning a new blog
      Submitted by Ms. Johnson on 16 February, 2011 - 20:27

      So, I've just about given up on winning this thing.  But the good news is that I've started a classroom blog for my students. 

      I keep a personal blog at Blogger, but I started by classroom blog at Wordpress.  Why?  Well, I just wanted to make crossover hard for myself I guess.  No, not really.  I thought having a different host site would help me keep the two apart in my mind.

      So, I'm learning some new skills and figuring out the quirks.  Is it just me, or is the learning curve on a new software painful?  Things that were so easy on Blogger are tricky on Wordpress, and I'm discovering things that Wordpress can do that I never dreamed of doing in Blogger.

      So, if you want to check out my classroom page and give me some constructive feedback, I'd appreciate it.  A word of warning: I've been changing things about every hour trying to get it to fit my vision.  Noting is working *quite* right, if you know what I mean.

      msciarajohnsonsclassroom.wordpress.com

      The students asked me if I could have come up with a longer name.  I told them I started with msj, and worked my way up :)

       

      Average: 5 (2 votes)

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      Aisha Ertugrul's picture
      Aisha Ertugrul
      A winner
      Submitted on 18 February, 2011 - 07:23

      If you started a classroom blog then you have won the ELT Blogathon, and so have all your students!

      You chose to put your efforts towards something for your students AND yourself.

       

      Wordpress is much more complicated than Blogger, but as you say much more professional.

      Words of advice:

      • choose a theme that is popular because most of the system faults would have been worked out. 
      • sometimes wordpress chews up and spits out pieces of code, so if something is missing, it is not your fault.
      • a visual element of some kind

       

      CONGRATULATIONS!

       

       

      solmaz21's picture
      solmaz21
      Blog
      Submitted on 17 February, 2011 - 10:27

      First of all, I suggest you keep reading blogs here to have your motivation up around. Second, glad to see blogathon contributed you somehow, like it does to all of us :-)

      I like your blog and the color is good (I checked right before writing a comment). You can share interesting links and videos, so that students visit your blog more than just to see their homeworks or texts. I wish you good luck and believe you will do a great job!

      Aisha Ertugrul's picture
      Aisha Ertugrul
      I just looked at it.
      Submitted on 18 February, 2011 - 07:08

       

      Your writing is wonderfully clear and concise.

       

      I think the year twelves will get a lot of help from it. Exams are their number one priority, and you've given them a a better opportunity to succeed.You have also given them a better chance to focus and study.

       

      I agree with Osman, but you probably planned it anyway:

      • add links to connect to what your students must be able to do . For example the stylistic devices I saw listed on your blog could link to a page that helps them see an example or two, just for a quick clarification. What do you think? 
      • The basic Literature and Writing links could do as well.
      • Later you can start to use the bullets and numbers to help focus visually.

       

      britishcouncil_elt's picture
      britishcouncil_elt
      Congratulations!
      Submitted on 17 February, 2011 - 14:59

      Cong-ra-tu-la-tions!

      merveoflaz's picture
      merveoflaz
      Don't give up
      Submitted on 17 February, 2011 - 21:03

      Dear Ms Johnson,

      It is great to hear another teacher in Blogathon starting her own blog. Congrats and good luck!

      I think Blogathon has already given us a reward. It's the motivation and inspiration for us to start blogging. Gosh! I think I should write about this in my next post:)

      Don't give up reading others' post in here. I'm looking forward to reading your comments.

      Aisha Ertugrul's picture
      Aisha Ertugrul
      Additional thoughts
      Submitted on 18 February, 2011 - 07:22

      This morning I was thinking about the tag line you had, A Place to Discover What You Missed in Class.It sounds like it is a blog just for students who were absent. I would write it in the positive, A Place to Discover What You Need to Succeed, or something along those lines.

      It is your blog and you know what is best.

      seabiscuit's picture
      seabiscuit
      Learning a new blog
      Submitted on 18 February, 2011 - 21:16

      Hi Ms. Johnson,

      I visited you blog and really liked your blog slogan "A Place to Discover What You Missed in the Class". I'll add your blog link to my bookmarks folder. By the way, your blog name is pretty good and unique :=) I'm sure you'll make wonders in your blog. I'm also on my way to generate my own blog although I feel myself as a rookie. I'll post the link as soon as I finish it.

      Thanks,

      Bülent

      Ms. Johnson's picture
      Ms. Johnson
      Thanks!
      Submitted on 19 February, 2011 - 11:07

      Thank you all for the feedback and encouragement.  The ideas that you have given me will help me to refocus the goal of the blog and make it useful to my students.

      I appreciate all of you who took the time to look and offer some help.

      Ms. Johnson