The Midpoint: Blogging to Bridge the Gap

Amanda Reese

April 25, 2010TE 848

Dr. Janine Certo

“Why do people write essays?” I recently asked my eighth grade students. A few hands

shot up, but most students fiddled with their pencils or answered with blank stares. I called on

Hailey who explained that people write “to make a point.” This, of course, was the path I

wanted our discussion to follow, but I needed to address the other obvious answer first. “Why

else?” I prompted, and several boys began to whisper and giggle. Brandon, with an impish grin

on his face, raised his hand and said, “Because they have to!”

The more I learn and teach about writing, the more I understand that middle school

students feel a real disconnect between academic writing and real life. There is a growing gap

between students’ writing lives inside and outside of the classroom. I know that sixth, seventh,

and eighth graders write constantly outside of school

—their Facebook updates cover my own Facebook

newsfeed and, as soon as the bell rings at three

o’clock, the texting frenzy begins. I know that my

students value written communication, and yet I face

mutiny every time I introduce a new writing

assignment.

Certainly, many students are overwhelmed by the demands of writing. "Writing is one

of the most complex literate activities in which children and adults engage" (Troia & Graham,

2003). From planning to revising and editing, the writing process involves much time and

sustained mental effort. Students are often inundated by the enormity of the task and need

help breaking it into series of smaller goals.

But the negative responses I receive from students emanate from more than that.

Students simply do not understand why they should bother putting forth any effort in the first

place. "Real writers are trying to make a difference, find their true audience, and cause some

result in that readership. Yet academic writing is notoriously turgid, arguably because the

impact of the prose is too often an afterthought, the writing a mere vehicle for offering up new

knowledge" (Wiggins, 2009). With no real purpose or audience for which to write, academic

writing is reduced to a tedious formula, a pointless activity with an endless list of dos and

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How often do you commu-nicate online?

DailyWeeklyNeverOther

don’ts. Students oppose writing in school because, quite frankly, they do not see why it

matters.

Adolescent Writing and Motivation

As teachers, we recognize that writing is a critical skill for students to master. In the

workplace, most jobs require some level of writing proficiency in order to communicate

information with others. We also recognize that students must be personally invested in their

own educations if true learning is going to occur. "Research on writing and motivation indicate

that students who have an interest for writing are more likely to set effective goals, make use of

helpful strategies, and seek feedback as they work with writing tasks" (Lipstein & Renninger,

2007). I can model writing strategies and require individualized practice, but students must be

motivated if they are to internalize and expand upon the knowledge and skills presented.

It is well known that middle school students are

motivated by social activities. The middle grades are a

time of heightened social awareness and a period

where social growth occurs. “We know that young

adolescents value school friendships and social

relationships far more than school subjects and

teachers” (Atwell, 1998). So often my daily curriculum

is split between teaching writing and teaching social

appropriateness. Instead of viewing the adolescent need for relationships as an obstacle or a

distraction, I can use it as a motivational tool in the classroom.

Thus, peer collaboration is essential in any middle school writing program. Students

enjoy interacting with others, and “learning is more likely to happen when students like what

they are doing. Learning is also more likely when students can be involved and active and when

they can learn from and with other students” (Atwell, 1998). By increasing opportunities for

collaboration and sharing in the classroom (Troia & Graham, 2003), teachers can motivate

adolescents to develop positive attitudes about writing. "When students described an

experience that deepened their interest for writing, it always contained a balance of meeting

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What do you like to do in your free time?

Students who listed "friends"

Other

their wants and needs as writers" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007). Effective and motivational

writing instruction addresses students’ needs for social interaction as it develops students’

writing strategies and skills.

As social awareness increases, audience becomes a crucial concept in adolescent writing

instruction. In writing, as well as in every facet of life, middle school students are motivated by

what others think of them (Potter, McCormick, & Busching, 2001). More than anything,

students want their individual voices to be recognized and appreciated by others, and writing

can fulfill this necessity. "Children need to have the opportunity to write for real audiences and

for broad purposes. . . . Authentic writing activities help students appreciate the power and

influence of writing and foster a positive motivational regard for writing" (Troia & Graham,

2003). As students are taught to write with a reader in mind (Atwell, 1998), they begin to

realize that “there are consequences for succeeding or failing as a real writer” (Wiggins, 2009).

A real audience who reads and responds to students’ work has a dramatic impact in the

classroom.

Although classified as egocentric, adolescents truly want their voices to make a

difference. "Adolescents have a strong need to be respected for their emerging ideas, and they

want schools to assist them in communicating these ideas effectively (Potter, McCormick, &

Busching, 2001). In addition to audience, adolescent writers are motivated by purpose and

willingly engage in writing when communication is necessary to achieve a goal. “When the

content of an English course is ideas—thinking and learning through writing, reading, listening,

and talking—and when students in the course pursue their own ideas and purposes in the

company of friends and their teacher, the middle school English classroom has the potential to

become an extraordinarily interesting place” (Atwell, 1998). Authentic writing is possible, and

even desirable, when students are given opportunities to write for reasons beyond a letter

grade.

Blogging in the Classroom

Blogging is one authentic way that teachers can bridge the gap between in-school and

out-of-school literacies and motivate students to write in the classroom (Zawilinski, 2009). "A

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blog, short for weblog, is an easily editable webpage with posts or entries organized in reverse

chronological order" (Zawilinski, 2009). In a blog, students can share their writing with a large

Internet audience and others can respond with written comments. "Broadening the audience

for student writing and thinking, providing a space for collaborating outside of the typical

classroom discussion, problem solving on the Internet, and learning to communicate safely--all

can be developed within the context of blogs" (Zawilinski, 2009). Blogging meets students’

needs for collaboration, audience, and purpose, and addresses their ever-growing desire to

maximize advances in technology.

First, blogging provides ample opportunities for collaboration with others inside and

outside the classroom. "The 'read/write' functionality of blogging, wherein readers are

encouraged to comment on blog posts and thus become part of an evolving, public discussion,

is a primary reason behind blogging's popularity . . ." (Ellison & Wu, 2008). As students post

their work and respond to each other, they are able to make visible contributions to ongoing

conversations about writing and other topics (Johnston, 2002).

Second, blogging allows students to write for real audiences and purposes. For self-

conscience adolescents, writing for an invisible Internet audience is relatively risk-free. Middle

school students are often afraid to share their work with other people; however, most students

are comfortable sharing information outside of school via text messages and the Internet.

"Posting to the Web takes that face-to-face sharing to a wider audience, in one sense making

the writer even more vulnerable, yet paradoxically it also makes the writer less exposed

through the 'safety' of digital distance" (Read, 2006). Blogging is one way to create a safe

publishing environment for middle school students.

On the other hand, the invisible Internet audience is still very real to students. The

audience is invited to read and respond to the initial post, and students can read and respond

to their comments. The presence of this audience motivates students to produce quality work.

"Students may be more invested in their writing if they know they are writing for an Internet

audience and their peers, as opposed to only an instructor" (Ellison & Wu, 2008). Blogging

motivates students to produce quality writing because real audiences and purposes are at

stake.

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Most importantly, blogging helps every student to become a successful writer. As Troia

& Graham (2003) discovered, ". . . in comparison to their peers with average writing skills,

students with poor writing skills were less likely to share their writing with classmates, help

others, select their own writing topics, or complete assignments at their own pace.” Because

blogging utilizes word processing tools like spell check, even struggling writers can feel

confident when publishing online. "Publishing work online enables students to make

contributions to the class, promotes peer learning, and encourages quality in work" (Johnston,

2002). With very little training, all students can share their writing with their classmates and

the world.

However, because blogging allows students literally to share their writing with the

world, Internet safety is a concern. "Think of it as a field trip that takes place in cyberspace.

You must take care not to allow your students to come to harm" (Lee, 2000). When blogging in

the classroom, each student must have parent permission to participate and last names should

never be used (Lee, 2000). It is vital to help students to protect their identities as they learn to

navigate the far-reaching audiences found online.

School Context and Participating Students

In order to study the effects of blogging in the classroom, I chose to pilot a blog with two

of my middle school language arts classes. I currently teach at Lansing Christian School (LCS) in

Lansing, Michigan, which has approximately six hundred students in pre-kindergarten through

twelfth grade. Of these students, eighty-seven percent are Caucasian, six percent are African-

American, five percent are Asian (most are foreign exchange students), and three percent are

Hispanic (Great Schools, 2010). LCS is privately funded through student tuition and donations,

so most students come from upper-middle class families. However, some students are at LCS

on scholarships, so there is a variety of socio-economic backgrounds represented.

Because we are a small school, all grades are housed in a single building, and the middle

school shares both staff members and facilities with the high school. The most notable of our

shared facilities are the computer labs. We have twenty-four computers in the library and

thirty computers in the high school computer lab available for student use. Unfortunately, the

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computer labs are only available during certain hours of the day. Our librarian teaches two

computer classes in the library each afternoon, and several high school teachers are assigned to

study halls in the high school computer lab. With six middle school classes and numerous high

school classes vying for the same computer facilities, my language arts classes rarely spend time

in either of the labs.

Due to this situation, and simply because they

enjoy technology, nearly half of my forty-three eighth

grade students bring personal laptops to school. These

students use their laptops in language arts, as well as in

other classrooms, to type papers and conduct research

online. They appreciate instant access to tools like spell

check, electronic dictionaries and thesauri, as well as the

ability to stay organized. For many students, a laptop

helps them to keep track of works in progress and to be more efficient with their time. For

students with writing disabilities, a laptop is a key component of their academic

accommodations.

Because so many of my eighth grade students show an interest in technology, I decided

to conduct a trial blog with them. I hoped that I could motivate them to write well by

combining things they enjoyed—technology and friends—with a true publishing experience. I

hoped to find that a blog increased the amount of effort students were willing to put into a

writing assignment, as well as the quality of students’ work.

In my eighth grade language arts classes, I teach a diverse group of learners. Across

both classes, there are nineteen males and twenty-four females. Three students are African-

American, one is Hispanic, one is Asian, and six are bi-racial. Five students participate in gifted

and talented programs and four students receive academic accommodations through

individualized education plans (IEPs). Most students in these classes claim to dislike writing.

Website Development

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Do you bring a laptop to school?

Yes

No

I began this project by experimenting with various blog sites. I was already familiar with

Google’s Blogger but was also intrigued by the professional look of WordPress. Some of my

favorite educational sites, like Nancie Atwell’s You Gotta Read This! (http://c-t-l.org/bookblog),

use WordPress. Thus, I began by creating two different blogs using WordPress’s free blogging

sites. The templates, designs, and various functions in the WordPress software were

impressive. I wanted to design a professional-looking publishing environment, because middle

school students tend to shy away from things that look cheesy or childish.

However, I returned to Blogger due to its flexibility with posting comments. Anyone can

post a comment on Blogger without signing in or supplying an email address like WordPress

required. I knew some of my students did not have email addresses and did not want to keep

them from participating. I also wanted to avoid the process of creating new accounts for each

student, as this would have been time consuming and full of technological glitches.

Additionally, since comments were open to the public, students’ friends and family members

could be invited to respond to students’ writing.

Using Blogger, I created a new blog called “The Midpoint: Thoughts About Life in the

Middle.” I wanted the blog title to reflect the unique voices of middle school writers. I then

chose a simple design and changed the colors to reflect the color palate in our classroom. I

wanted the website to look inviting and sophisticated—I wanted to ensure that students

respected the online community we would establish. I added a list of students’ favorite books

since we often study our novels as examples of exemplary writing and also included instructions

about posting comments.

In order to use this blog with students, I first had to secure parent permission. LCS had

parent permission to publish students’ photographs online but this did not include students’

work. I drafted and revised a permission form that allowed students to post writing online, as

well as a cover letter to parents (see Appendix). It took several days to get this form out to

parents and back into me, as middle school students are notorious for losing papers in their

lockers and backpacks. Fortunately, next fall, LCS is looking to combine my new permission

form with the current photograph release form. If I continue to blog in the classroom, this is

one step in the process that will already be completed.

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Teaching and Practice

To pilot this classroom blog, I asked students to write open letters about a media topic

of their choosing. We were at the end of a media literacy unit that focused primarily on

advertising, and students had developed strong opinions about the choices advertisers make

when broadcasting information to consumers. We used an open letter by John Creighton,

published in The Washington Times, as our model letter. Creighton (2010) wrote an open letter

to CBS about the lack of kid-friendly advertisements during the NCAA basketball tournament. I

chose this model letter for its obvious connection to our advertising unit, as well as its potential

to motivate students who were interested in the 2010 March Madness tournament.

First, we read the model letter out loud as a class

and brainstormed important characteristics of an open

letter. Students noted that Creighton used topic

sentences, addressed both sides of the argument, used

details and examples, and included a challenge at the

end. They also noted that the formatting included block-

style paragraphs, a title, and a byline. Using a model was

truly important because the open letter was a new writing style for students. "Most

importantly, blogging (like any new technology) is not a panacea and will not independently or

autonomously increase student learning. Sound instructional techniques must be developed

and practiced in order to achieve increased student learning" (Ellison & Wu, 2008). As with all

writing assignments in my classroom, I rely on explicit teaching where students step through

the stages of modeling, guided practice, and independent practice when presented with new

strategies or skills (Troia & Graham, 2003).

After establishing criteria for success, students brainstormed possible topics they could

address in a similar letter. On the list were disturbing content in movie trailers, inappropriate

language in commercials and programs, lack of truth in advertisements, lack of truth in food

presentation, and using Photoshop to alter images of models. After thinking together, I

distributed a rubric for this project (see Appendix) and explained what students needed to

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Characteristics of an Open Letter:

uses topic sentences addresses both sides includes a challenge at the end uses details and examples uses block style paragraphs includes a title and byline

accomplish over the next few days. I asked students to spend the rest of the hour choosing a

topic and organizing their arguments in a web map or outline.

The next day, I took both eighth grade classes to the library to use the computers.

Students drafted their letters using Microsoft Word, either on the school’s computers or their

personal laptops, and all worked diligently during the hour. Hannah, a high-achieving writer

finished her letter. Jordan, who receives accommodations and exhibits very low motivation in

school, listened to music on the computer and worked for the full period without redirection.

He chose to address the same topic as the model letter and wrote one paragraph than included

an introduction, his concern, and a possible solution; I was pleased because it often takes him a

week to write this much. Hayden, a high-achieving but reluctant writer, was absent the day

before. I asked him to read the model letter and then talked him through the characteristics we

listed as a class. Although Hayden initially struggled with finding a topic, he was able to self-

start using Creighton’s letter as a guide. Hayden finished planning and drafting nearly three

paragraphs during this time without any further prompting from me.

We returned to the library for a second day to allow students to finish drafting, revising,

and editing their letters. Most students finished drafting early in the hour, and several groups

voluntarily engaged in peer-conferencing. Hannah is one student who chose to peer-edit with a

partner; she also asked me to read her letter and give her some feedback about the use of a

dash, which I did. Hayden finished his letter and used a peer-conference to check his letter for

clarity. However, Jordan seemed to struggle with finishing his letter, so I provided direction in a

teacher conference. We talked about putting each new idea into its own paragraph, using

more examples, adding in missing words and punctuation, and paying attention to Creighton’s

formatting. Jordan listened attentively and made the necessary additions and corrections. His

level of cooperation showed how much he wanted to succeed at this writing task. When

students were done with revising and editing, they emailed their letters to me or saved them to

my USB drive. I needed the electronic copies in order to post students’ letters on the blog;

students could not post their own writing because I had not created individual accounts for

them.

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Over the weekend, I posted students’ letters on the blog. I made sure to identify the

authors only by their first names and last initials. The following Monday, I modeled appropriate

responses to a blog post and students practiced by writing responses to Creighton’s letter on

index cards. We talked about using a letter-like format with complete sentences and proper

punctuation, as well as using “The Language of Response” that we draw from in literary

discussions (see Appendix). Phrases like “I agree because…” were helpful sentence starters for

students. We also discussed the issue of privacy on the Internet and why students should avoid

using their last names when posting comments. After writing responses to Creighton, students

swapped cards and wrote a second response that extended the ongoing conversation. I was

impressed with the thoughtful ways they extended conversations about advertising. Again,

explicit teaching had a tremendous impact on the quality of responses students eventually

posted on our blog.

The following day I intended to return to the library so that students could respond to

others’ letters during class. However, we ran into technological problems with the school’s

Internet filter and this had to be assigned as homework. Ideally, we would have completed the

posting in class because this was new territory for many students and I wanted to be able to

guide them through it. Unfortunately, I could not even model how to post a comment because

the commenting function was blocked. Due to time constraints, I had to let students figure out

how to comment on their own at home. I did talk students through the process and clearly

explained that they had to identify themselves when commenting. As it states on the blog, I

delete all anonymous posts in an effort to maintain a positive publishing experience for

students. In the end, only fifty-nine percent of students successfully posted comments on the

blog; this included Hannah and Hayden. Twenty-seven percent had technological issues at

home and fourteen percent, including Jordan, did not attempt this part of the project. Had the

blog been accessible at school, all students could have seen their work online and engaged in

conversations with others.

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Challenges

My greatest challenge was getting the blog to work at school. LCS’s network filter blocks

all blogs, so it took me several weeks to get “The Midpoint” white listed for student use. I

contacted our technology director numerous times and eventually got the blog unblocked for

students, staff, and unregistered users (personal laptops). I then contacted our technology

director because the comment function within the blog was blocked. We were able to work all

of this out, but the day we were scheduled to use the library for posting comments, the

technology department changed the network filter. Unfortunately, staff and anonymous users

could no longer access the blog and students could no longer access the comment function.

These types of challenges are widespread in schools attempting to use blogs in the

classroom. Rosenfeld (2008) describes a new digital divide: "Such blanket blocking of Web 2.0

sites [like wikis and blogs] by district and school technology administrators prevents the

effective use of technology in teaching, the acquisition of vital 21st-century literacy skills by

students, and the professional development of teaching staff.” Sadly, by blocking online tools

like blogs, schools are only widening the gap between students’ in-school and out-of-school

writing lives. "Too many schools prevent students from using the tools that these same

students use outside school--tools that can engage and excite them to meaningful learning"

(Rosenfeld, 2008). As our librarian described it, “It’s a matter of curriculum driving the

technology versus technology driving the curriculum.” LCS is currently working out a way to

provide access to technology while securing the safety of all students online.

Results

Although this was a rather contrived assignment meant to explore blogging in the

classroom, it produced positive results. After the completion of the project, many students

reported that they gave less effort on this assignment compared to other writing assignments.

At first, I could not reconcile this with the fact that I witnessed their focused work over a period

of several days. It certainly appeared that they were giving more effort than before! As I

continued to look into this issue, I found that students believed this assignment was easier than

normal and, therefore, required less effort on their part. "As early as 1913, John Dewey noted

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that students who are interested in a subject are more likely to feel confident about their work

in that subject and exert effort that does not feel effortful" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007). The

combination of subject matter, technology, and peer collaboration made our blog a success.

Word processing tools increased students’ motivation. Especially for poor writers,

writing with a keyboard allowed students to avoid difficulties with handwriting (Troia &

Graham, 2003). A student who receives

accommodations said, “[Technology] made it less

boring.” Another student with accommodations

articulated, “Using a computer (laptop) helps so much.

I spend more time on my assignment and it’s more

interesting than writing.” As Jordan put it,

“[Technology] helped me become a better writer.

Even for high-achieving students, word processing

tools are useful. One student explained, “I’m more confident using [technology].” Another

added, “Since [posting comments] was so easy, I did that first. This makes it better so I won’t

dread doing homework.” In all, sixty-five percent of students found that technology had a

positive impact on their work, while thirty-five percent indicated no change. It is clear that

typing reduces the time and effort students must put into an assignment and results in greater

enjoyment as students navigate the writing process.

Writing for an audience also increased students’ motivation. When I began this project,

I wanted to research and develop publishing opportunities for my students. I knew that

publishing was the capstone step in the writing process—the reason real authors write in the

first place—and yet true publishing options for students seemed hard to find. My middle

schoolers were looking for something more sophisticated than the traditional bound class

anthology. "Teachers have known for years that publishing student work makes a huge

difference in the quality of kids' writing, but finding ways to make this possible was sometimes

difficult. The Internet is changing all this. . . . Teachers are helping students use the inexpensive

resources of the Internet to give their students' writing an authentic worldwide audience, with

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How did the use of tech-nology affect your learn-

ing?

Positive affect

No change

amazing results" (Lee, 2000). Likewise, I found that blogging is a fairly simple, adolescent-

friendly way to create an instant audience for students’ writing.

The presence of an Internet audience had a direct affect on students’ motivation to

revise and edit. Fifty-four percent of students indicated that publishing impacted the quality of

their work. One student explained, “We didn’t want to mess up and have everyone read the

mistake.” Another said, “I wanted people to like what I wrote.” Those that indicated no change

in the quality of work were strong writers intrinsically motivated in all academic work. Hannah

said, “I don’t mind people viewing my work after it’s finished. I did it the same as usual.”

Another strong student agreed, “I do all my work the same no matter what.” A few students

found the audience intimidating. “The assignment was not bad, but I didn’t like the part where

anyone could read my paper.” As one student put it, “It kind of gives me the creeps.”

The affect of audience on revision is well documented. "[S]tudents produce better

quality work when it is to be posted online. One reason is a matter of pride and a desire not to

be embarrassed when classmates see the work" (Johnston, 2002). Since students struggle with

revision (Troia & Graham, 2003), writing for a real audience is needed “to nurture a writer’s

skills and motivation” (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde,

1998). Above all, writing for an audience teaches

students why authors revise and edit in the first place.

"Revision is about thinking and communication, not

just fixing up mechanical details" (Troia & Graham,

2003). The presence of an audience helps to provide

more authentic writing situations in the classroom.

Interestingly, students most enjoyed sharing their work with each other. As one student

commented, “We are able to actually see others’ work for once.” Although we frequently share

works in progress, I overlooked the most immediate audience when considering publishing

opportunities for students. "Connecting student writers with a wider community means more

than just sending letters and books to people. Within the classroom itself, building a supportive

context for working collaboratively and sharing writing is perhaps the most important step a

teacher can take to promote writing growth" (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998). I intended to

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How did publishing affect the quality of your work?

Increased quality

No change

motivate student writers by providing a large Internet audience for their work but found that

an audience of peers is just as effective.

Consequently, the blog provided a forum for

quality discussions between classmates. Sixty percent

of students indicated that the blog increased the

quality of their discussions. “We got to comment

publically with everyone else’s opinions to form cool

conversations!” a student exclaimed. The blog more

closely resembles students’ writing lives outside of

school, so their interest in this type of communication

is understandable. As one student observed, “It’s easier to talk about this stuff online than in

real life.” Another student added, “The Internet is less awkward and you can say a lot more

than in person, so you actually thought about what you said.” Forty percent of students

indicated no change in the quality of their discussions, but this included students who could not

access the blog at home.

Future Implications

I love the idea of blogging in the classroom. This project inspired me to complete much

of the preliminary legwork necessary to get a blog up and running. My initial preparation

required many hours of work and, since this was a new endeavor, my students required

significant time for modeling and practice. "With any new tool or curriculum, an initial time

investment is typical. However, as familiarity and comfort grow, time demands diminish.

Additionally, the extra time is well spent given the new opportunities to develop higher order

thinking skills afforded through blogging" (Zawilinski, 2009). I will definitely continue to

incorporate blogging into my language arts curriculum. The possibilities for increasing students’

motivation and learning through blogging are too numerous to disregard.

Next year, providing LCS solves the technology situation caused by our network filter, I

want to create a hybrid blog with multiple pages to use with students. This blog would

combine publishing for a large Internet audience with space for peer collaboration. One page

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How did the blog affect the quality of your discussions?

Increased quality

No change

of this blog would be a showcase blog (Zawilinski, 2009)—a space reserved for finished pieces

and available for public viewing and comments. My hope is that students, parents, and other

family members and friends would read and comment on students’ writing regularly. I may

require students to publish at least one written piece each semester, and the blog would be

one publishing option. I learned that publishing is a key component of any writing program, as

students are more motivated to write when they are communicating with a real audience and

accomplishing a real purpose.

Additionally, the hybrid blog would support password-protected pages for peer writing

groups. As Hannah suggested, “Instead of doing letters, we could do stories we’ve written and

people could help us improve them.” "Getting response from peers in peer response groups

gives students a faster turn-around for response and validation from their social equals,

especially in terms of the content of their writing" (Read, 2006). By using the Internet for peer-

response groups, students would have more time to read and respond to others’ writing from

the safety of a digital divide. I expect that their conversations would be more thoughtful and

focused, as they were during this project, and inspire students to try new genres, topics, and

writing strategies (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998). Another benefit is that the written

comments would allow students to return to their peers’ suggestions as they work on a piece.

A blog is an ideal way to facilitate peer writing groups with this tech-savvy generation.

When use a blog with future classrooms, I will increase student ownership of the

website. I will set up individual student accounts each fall so students can personally publish

their writing and comment on others’ work. This would significantly decrease the amount of

work on my end and allow students to feel more involved in the publishing process. It would

also allow me to password protect certain areas like the pages dedicated to peer writing

groups.

In all, blogging provides teachers with a way to tie students’ writing lives outside of

school to their experiences within the classroom. I found that I can motivate students to write

by incorporating technology into my instruction—using the Internet both to provide a real

audience for students’ work and to support peer collaboration. Ultimately, through blogging, I

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discovered that I can move students from writing because the have to to writing because they

want their voices to be heard. This change in students’ attitudes has lasting consequences. Like

Read (2006) noted, "After all, our goal is to foster lifelong learners, people who write and think

because they want to--in school and beyond.” I believe that blogging has the potential to be

the midpoint between traditional and authentic writing instruction, the vehicle that bridges the

gap for today’s students.

Student letters and comments may be viewed at: http://www.lcsmidpoint.blogspot.com

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Works Cited

Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and learning . Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Creighton, J. (2010, March 12). Open letter to CBS: Show families respect. The Washington Times, Retrieved from http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/dispatches-heartland/2010/mar/12/open-letter-cbs-show-families-respect/

Ellison, N. B., & Wu, Y. (2008). Blogging in the classroom: A preliminary exploration of student attitudes and impact on comprehension. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 17(1), 99-122.

Great schools. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/michigan/lansing/4418-Lansing-Christian-School/

Johnston, T. (2002). Teaching with a weblog: How to post student work online. Proceedings of the Academy of Educational Leadership, 7(1), 33-37.

Lee, G. (2000). Getting in line to publish online. Voices from the Middle, 8(1), 23-34.

Lipstein, R. L., & Renninger, K. A. (2007). Interest for writing: how teachers can make a difference. English Journal, 96(4), 79-85.

Potter, E. F., McCormick, C. B., & Busching, B. A. (2001). Academic and life goals: Insights from adolescent writers. The High School Journal, 85(1), 45-55.

Read, S., & Fisher, D. (2006). Tapping into students' motivation: Lessons from young adolescents' blogs. Voices from the Middle, 14(2), 38-46.

Rosenfeld, E. (2008). Blocking web 2.0 tools in schools: Creating a new digital divide. Teacher Librarian, 35(3), 6.

Troia, G, & Graham, S. (2003). Effective writing instruction across the grades: What every educational consultant should know. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 14(1), 75-89.

Wiggins, G. (2009). Real-world writing: Making purpose and audience matter. English Journal, 98(5), 29-37.

Zawilinski, L. (2009). Hot blogging: A framework for blogging to promote higher order thinking. The Reading Teacher, 62(8), 650-661.

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Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (1998). Best practice in writing. In Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (Eds.), Best Practice: New Standards for Teaching and Learning in America's Schools, Second Edition (pp. 55-82). Portsmouth: Heinemann.

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Appendix

March 22, 2010

Dear Eighth Grade Parents,

Spring is already here, and I cannot believe how quickly this school year is passing! I am thrilled to see the improvements each student is making in language arts. Our plan is to finish up a unit on advertising before Spring Break and begin five-paragraph and persuasive essays when we return to school in April.

During our last weeks together, I would like to pilot a classroom blog with your students. I am researching blogging in the classroom as part of my graduate work at Michigan State University. I would love to see how blogging could be used to increase motivation and improve the quality of students’ written work. There are numerous studies about the benefits of writing for a real audience, and we already know that these students are Internet savvy!

In order to do this, I need your permission to publish your child’s work on the Internet. Attached is a permission form where you can choose to allow your child to publish his or her work on our classroom blog. If your student receives permission, we will identify his or her work only by his or her first name and last initial. However, if you choose not to allow this, your child’s grade will not be affected; he or she will receive an alternative assignment instead.

I welcome you to join in our blogging journey at www.lcsmidpoint.blogspot.com. Only students may post writing, but you are encouraged to respond to their pieces. I simply ask that you identify yourself in some way, as I will delete any anonymous comments.

Thank you for allowing me to work with your students each day!

Sincerely,

Amanda Reese

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Appendix

Lansing Christian SchoolPermission to Publish Student Work on the Internet

Student’s Name: ___________________________________________________ Grade: _____________ I give permission to Lansing Christian School to publish my student's work on the School's web site and on additional classroom web sites managed by the School’s teachers. Student work includes but is not limited to drawings, materials, or writings from my student's classroom, including individual work by my son/daughter. I understand that any work published on the School’s web site or on additional classroom web sites is available worldwide to anyone with access to the Internet. I also understand that the School cannot protect my student's classroom work against unauthorized uses or copyright violations. I agree to hold the school and its officers, employees, and agents harmless for any unauthorized uses or copyright violations arising from the publication of my student's work published on the School's web site or additional classroom web sites. In addition, I release any claims against the School and its officers, employees, and agents for any damages, awards, claims, or liabilities that may arise from any unauthorized uses or copyright violations of my student's work. Select only ONE agreement:

YES

I agree to allow the student’s work to be published on the School’s web site and on additional classroom web sites. This permission is valid for the school year of the date indicated below,

unless sooner revoked by me in writing.

NONo, I do not agree to allow the student’s work to be published on the school’s web site or on additional classroom web sites. This denial of permission is valid for the school year of the date

indicated below, unless sooner revoked by me in writing.

Signature of Parent/Guardian: ______________________________________ Date ________________

Name of Parent/Guardian: ______________________________________________________________

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Appendix

An Open LetterDUE _____________________________________

Your Job:

Write an open letter to advertisers, media producers, a specific corporation, or to someone else of your choice (your choice must be approved). In your letter, either agree or disagree with something the recipient is or is not doing. Share your concerns or applaud their efforts! Advocate for change or encourage the types of ads that already exist! Use John Creighton’s letter as a model.

Your Letter:

Use the block letter format with:o a title “Open Letter to __________: ________________________”o a bylineo a greetingo block-style paragraphs (no indents, skip lines between paragraphs)

Use at least three paragraphs (with at least three sentences in each) Use clear and concise language to get across a meaningful point Turn in both a printed copy and an electronic copy Respond to at least two other letters posted on our classroom blog:

www.lcsmidpoint.blogspot.com Label your comments with your first name and last initial only

Criteria Points Possible

Points Earned

Format: typed (12 pt. font), block style, 3+ paragraphs 10

Message: thoughtful, clear and concise 15

Error-free paper 10

Both printed and electronic copies turned in 5

Two or more polite, constructive comments 10

TOTAL 50

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Appendix

The Language of Response I agree because…

I disagree because…

I also noticed…

I’d like to add that…

I didn’t understand…

Say more about what you mean.

I don’t understand what you mean.

Can you show where that is in the text/illustration?

What is your evidence?

Why do you think that?

I think the author meant…

How do you know that?

We’re getting far away from the text.

What does the author say that makes you think that?

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The Midpoint: Bridging the Gap with Blogging

Amanda Reese

TE 848 – Spring 2010

Dr. Janine Certo

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Introduction: Bridging the Gap

Why do people write essays? “because they have to” or “to make a point”

"Writing is one of the most complex literate activities in which children and adults engage" (Troia & Graham, 2003).

Gap between students’ outside writing lives and writing in the classroom

"Real writers are trying to make a difference, find their true audience, and cause some result in that readership. Yet academic writing is notoriously turgid, arguably because the impact of the prose is too often an afterthought, the writing a mere vehicle for offering up new knowledge" (Wiggins, 2009).

Adolescent Writing and Motivation

"Research on writing and motivation indicate that students who have an interest for writing are more likely to set effective goals, make use of helpful strategies, and seek feedback as they work with writing tasks" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007).

Adolescents are motivated by social activities:

"When students described an experience that deepened their interest for writing, it always contained a balance of meeting their wants and needs as writers" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007).

“Learning is more likely to happen when students like what they are doing. Learning is also more likely when students can be involved and active and when they can learn from and with other students” (Atwell, 1998).

“We know that young adolescents value school friendships and social relationships far more than school subjects and teachers” (Atwell, 1998).

“Middle school students look for in school what matters in life; they don’t look at school as a place to get ready for what matters in life. Social relationships matter in life, and in spite of our view of adolescents’ social needs as a distraction from our agendas as teachers, adolescents nonetheless figure out how to work out their needs in school” (Atwell, 1998).

"Other researchers have found social and personal goals to be important determinants of academic behavior, pointing out that students' level of engagement in achievement activities is also motivated by their concern about others views of them and by their individual "life-task" goals" (Potter, McCormick, & Busching, 2001).

In a study, A Place Called School, conducted by John Goodlad (1984): “Students chose as favorites the classes in which they routinely collaborate with other students and the teacher, have some say about the product, and take an active stance, classes in which whole-group listening and busywork are minor components” (Atwell, 1998).

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Features of Exemplary Writing Instruction: "Cooperative arrangements where students help each other plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish their written work" (Troia & Graham, 2003).

Adolescents are motivated by purpose:

"Yet, if we are to judge by the bulk of secondary school writing assignments--namely, assignments to find out if you read the book . . . or aimless prompts . . . --we would assume that students are writing for no purpose or person" (Wiggins, 2009).

"The good news is that adolescents want to make a difference, and writing is one of the few ways to do so in the otherwise predictable place called school" (Wiggins, 2009).

“When the content of an English course is ideas—thinking and learning through writing, reading, listening, and talking—and when students in the course pursue their own ideas and purposes in the company of friends and their teacher, the middle school English classroom has the potential to become an extraordinarily interesting place” (Atwell, 1998).

"The qualities of good writing are more effectively taught as a series of problem solving decisions related to the overall purpose and audience of the writing task. Real audiences and authentic purposes serve to strengthen student motivation toward effortful striving" (Potter, McCormick, & Busching, 2001).

"When students and teachers analyze pieces of writing together in an exchange of views, students can retain a sense of individual authority as authors and teachers convey standards of writing in an authentic context. Individual, group, and peer conferences are a time-consuming but necessary activity for looking at the writer's experiments with diverse styles and purposes through the lens of both basic and enhanced versions of good writing" (Potter, McCormick, & Busching, 2001).

"Adolescents have a strong need to be respected for their emerging ideas, and they want schools to assist them in communicating these ideas effectively (Potter, McCormick, & Busching, 2001).

"Interest for writing affects the ways that students approach writing and the results they achieve" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007).

"Too often we teach Writing Skills and the Writing Process rather than helping students find something worth communicating. How can you write to make a difference if you have nothing to say? . . . Why learn to write well if you have no desire to achieve any effect?" (Wiggins, 2009)

Adolescents are motivated by audience:

“They learn to write with a critical reader in mind, someone who wants information, needs sense, and has questions the writer must anticipate” (Atwell, 1998).

"That's what 'authentic assessment' in the teaching of writing amounts to: ensure that students

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have to write for real audiences and purposes, not just the teacher in response to generic prompts" (Wiggins, 2009).

"But the point is to open the mind or heart of a real audience--cause a fuss, achieve a feeling, start some thinking. In other words, what few young writers learn is that there are consequences for succeeding or failing as a real writer" (Wiggins, 2009).

Features of Exemplary Writing Instruction: "Students presentation of work in progress and completed papers to other children to receive praise and critical feedback" (Troia & Graham, 2003).

"Children need to have the opportunity to write for real audiences and for broad purposes. . . . Authentic writing activities help students appreciate the power and influence of writing and foster a positive motivational regard for writing" (Troia & Graham, 2003).

Blogging in the Classroom

Bridging the Gap:

"Classroom blogs bridge the ever-widening gap between out-of-school literacies and in-school literacies" (Zawilinski, 2009).

"Broadening the audience for student writing and thinking, providing a space for collaborating outside of the typical classroom discussion, problem solving on the Internet, and learning to communicate safely--all can be developed within the context of blogs" (Zawilinski, 2009).

"But, for many young adolescents, sharing their writing is a scary thing to do. . . . Posting to the Web takes that face-to-face sharing to a wider audience, in one sense making the writer even more vulnerable, yet paradoxically it also makes the writer less exposed through the 'safety' of digital distance" (Read, 2006).

Characteristics of a Blog:

"A blog, short for weblog, is an easily editable webpage with posts or entries organized in reverse chronological order. Many different formats for blogs are emerging, and the features that are used depend on both the blogger and the tools provided by the blog host" (Zawilinski, 2009).

Blogging to include all students:

". . . in comparison to their peers with average writing skills, students with poor writing skills were less likely to share their writing with classmates, help others, select their own writing topics, or complete assignments at their own pace" (Troia & Graham, 2003)

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"Publishing work online enables students to make contributions to the class, promotes peer learning, and encourages quality in work" (Johnston, 2002).

"The blog method allows students to independently contribute to a class web page with minimal training" (Johnston, 2002).

Blogging for an audience:

"Students may be more invested in their writing if they know they are writing for an Internet audience and their peers, as opposed to only an instructor" (Ellison & Wu, 2008).

"The 'read/write' functionality of blogging, wherein readers are encouraged to comment on blog posts and thus become part of an evolving, public discussion, is a primary reason behind blogging's popularity . . ." (Ellison & Wu, 2008).

"Blogging can potentially provide students with a window into peers' perspectives, a doorway to a global audience, and mirror through which to reflect one their own thinking and writing" (Ellison & Wu, 2008).

Blogging to Increase Quality of Writing:

"Teachers have known for years that publishing student work makes a huge difference in the quality of kids' writing, but finding ways to make this possible was sometimes difficult" (Lee, 2000).

"given the fact that blogging exposes students to a wider audience for their writing, we can hypothesize that students might attend more carefully to online writing opportunities (as opposed to papers submitted to an instructor)" (Ellison & Wu, 2008).

"The Internet is changing all this. . . . Teachers are helping students use the inexpensive resources of the Internet to give their students' writing an authentic worldwide audience, with amazing results" (Lee, 2000).

Blogging Safety:

safety considerations: permission slips for each student, never using last names, "Think of it as a field trip that takes place in cyberspace. You must take care not to allow your students to come to harm" (Lee, 2000).

Blogging to Collaborate:

"Students can make a visible contribution to the course and to their classmates when their work is posted online" (Johnston, 2002).

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"Peer learning is made possible by a student's ability to read the work of classmates that is posted online" (Johnston, 2002).

"Finally, students produce better quality work when it is to be posted online. One reason is a matter of pride and a desire not to be embarrassed when classmates see the work" (Johnston, 2002).

Blogging meets the human needs of relatedness and the ability to "current capabilities as well as develop new talents" (Read, 2006).

"Even with digital distance, bloggers can meet their relatedness needs because they can receive feedback on their posts through commenting" (Read, 2006).

"Getting response from peers in peer response groups gives students a faster turn-around for response and validation from their social equals, especially in terms of the content of their writing" (Read, 2006).

School Setting

Lansing Christian School private school, funded through student tuition and donations approximately 600 students pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, approximately 120

middle school students, 42 eighth graders number of computers available for middle school and high school classes: 24 in the

library, 30 in the high school computer lab

Participating Students

number of eighth grade students: number of students that bring a laptop to school: Focus Students: Jordan, Hayden, Hannah Questionnaire info

Website Development

Started with WordPress:

displays look more professional than Blogger several model classrooms use WordPress (c-t-l.org/bookblog)

Used Blogger due to posting flexibility:

anyone can post

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you can post a comment without giving an email address students did not have to log in to comment, allowed all students to

comment, even those without email (I could post their writing through my account)

allowed us to bypass school restrictions allowed parents and friends/family to join in the conversation

Blogger Set-Up:

Chose a simple design for its professional vibe (I didn’t want the blog to look cheesy – I wanted students to respect the online community)

I changed the colors to make it adolescent-friendly and to reflect the colors in our classroom

I added a book list (since we study our novels as examples of exemplary writing)

I also added instructions about posting comments

Parent Permission:

School had permission to publish students’ photos but not students’ work Had to draft and revise a permission form in order to do this project It took several days to get this form out to parents and back in to me School is looking to include this on their photo permission slip in the fall

Teaching and Practice

Summative assessment at the end of a media literacy unit that focused primarily on advertising.

Day 1: Model Letter and Planningo Used model letter – read it together, as a class students listed important

characteristics of the letter (topic sentences, address both sides, include a challenge at the end, use details and examples, use block style paragraphs, include title and byline)

o As a class brainstormed possible topics students could address: Display ratings for commercials, Disturbing content in movie trailers, Inappropriate language in commercials and programs, Lack of truth in advertisements, Lack of truth in food presentation, Questionable advertising techniques (weasel words), Using Photoshop to alter images of models

o "Most importantly, blogging (like any new technology) is not a panacea and will not independently or autonomously increase student learning. Sound instructional techniques must be developed and practiced in order to achieve increased student learning" (Ellison & Wu, 2008).

o “What appears to be necessary is substantially more individualized and explicit teaching (i.e., use of extensive modeling, guided practice and coaching with

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informative feedback, and numerous and varied opportunities for independent practice)” (Troia & Graham, 2003)

o Day 2: Drafted similar open letters over a period of two days

o Focus Students: Jordan - listened to headphones, wrote one paragraph, worked the entire

time, did not have to redirect him at all (very unusual) Hannah - engaged in peer-editing on own, asked me to read and give

feedback Hayden - absent yesterday, had to plan and begin writing today, had

initial difficulty selecting a topic but was able to self-start using the model letter as a guide

Day 3: Encouraged students to peer edit since this letter would be available for the entire 8th grade to read, however most were doing this already; I collected both print and electronic copies of the letters so I could post them on the blog (I did this for the sake of time and simplicity—it would have taken a lot more time to set up accounts for each student and this would have caused further technological problems)

Day 4: Modeled and practiced appropriate responses to someone’s blog post. Responded to the model letter and then responded to responses in an effort to carry on the conversation someone else started. This had a huge impact on the quality of responses students made the next day.

Day 5: My intention was to have the students respond to each other’s blogs during class. However, we ran into technological problems and this had to be assigned as homework.

Challenges

Getting the blog unblocked at school – all blogs are blocked at school Throughout the previous three weeks, I had been in contact with the technology

department to get the blog unblocked. It took three separate requests to get the blog unblocked for students, staff, and unregistered users (personal laptops).

It took additional emails to get the comment tool available for use. Unfortunately, on Day 4, the technology department chose to add a filter to the

internet, requiring us to sign into every website we visited. Suddenly, the staff and anonymous users were no longer allowed to access the blog and students could not access the comment function.

This is a widespread issue in schools:

"Such blanket blocking of Web 2.0 sites [like wikis and blogs] by district and school technology administrators prevents the effective use of technology in teaching, the acquisition of vital 21st-century literacy skills by students, and the professional development of teaching staff" (Rosenfeld, 2008).

"We now have a new digital divide--between, on one side, students and teachers who have access to the tools of 21st-century learning and, on the other, those who have that access

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blocked" (Rosenfeld, 2008).

"Too many schools prevent students from using the tools that these same students use outside school--tools that can engage and excite them to meaningful learning" (Rosenfeld, 2008).

Results

A contrived assignment with future benefits:

"With any new tool or curriculum, an initial time investment is typical. However, as familiarity and comfort grow, time demands diminish. Additionally, the extra time is well spent given the new opportunities to develop higher order thinking skills afforded through blogging" (Zawilinski, 2009).

Students reported “less effort”:

"As early as 1913, John Dewey noted that students who are interested in a subject are more likely to feel confident about their work in that subject and exert effort that does not feel effortful" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007).

". . . bypassing text transcription difficulties by allowing poor writers to dictate their compositions or write with a keyboard" (Troia & Graham, 2003).

Students worked harder on revision:

Student struggle especially with planning and revising (Troia & Graham, 2003).

"Revision is about thinking and communication, not just fixing up mechanical details" (Troia & Graham, 2003).

"Publication of student writing is vital . . . The old idea that the teacher is the only legitimate audience robs students of the rich and diverse response from audiences that is needed to nuture a writer's skills and motivation" (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998).

Students enjoyed simply sharing their work with each other:

"But connecting student writers with a wider community means more than just sending letters and books to people. Within the classroom itself, building a supportive context for working collaboratively and sharing writing is perhaps the most important step a teacher can take to promote writing growth" (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998).

Future Implications

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using a blog (like “Our Best”) to publish for real audiences, using a blog to foster peer-collaboration about writing pieces, create a blog that could do all of this!

Blogging to Support Collaboration:

". . . when students hear and read one another's work in a positive setting, they are inspired to try new topics and learn new writing strategies" (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998).

"This community, in turn, becomes the most powerful motivator available for further efforts at carefully crafted communication" (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998).

"Blogs can have multiple pages. . . . A teacher may assign a specific page of the blog to a single student. A parent searching for that student's writing would easily locate the writing on that student's page through a list of names in a side column of the blog" (Zawilinski, 2009).

"A literature response blog simply moves [the idea of literature response journals] online where the teacher may sometimes post a prompt and invite student responses to a text" (Zawilinski, 2009). -students also expressed an interest in using the blog for their bi-weekly literature response papers

Blogging to Publish for Real Audiences:

"Many teachers use blogs to post student art projects, podcasts (audio clips), and writing in showcase blogs" (Zawilinski, 2009). - my initial intention was to create a showcase blog, however students indicated interest to use the blog for revision purposes with larger pieces of writing

I am developing a portfolio assessment process for next year. Students are to turn in one piece of writing each month and to choose one piece to publish each quarter. All monthly pieces will be compiled into a portfolio. Students may publish their pieces to the class website, publications that accept student writing, or to writing contests. The website will include links to possible publishing opportunities.

"'Can I put one of my poems up there?' In response to this student request, Stephanie set up a new page within her classroom blog, called Our Best. This was a place where students could publish their writing and artwork: a showcase for student work. She knew her students would benefit from a broad audience for their work, so she made this area of the blog available to anyone. She was somewhat apprehensive about doing so, but she set the blog's permissions to require her approval before any comments appeared on the blog. She invited students to share the blog address with family and friends, so they could see their 'published' pieces and receive comments. She was amazed at how many people provided thoughtful comments. Parents and grandparents, especially, posted many wonderful comments about work that appeared here. The demand from her students to publish their work at Our Best made the creative juices flow in their classroom" (Zawlinski, 2009).

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"After all, our goal is to foster lifelong learners, people who write and think because they want to--in school and beyond" (Read, 2006).

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Works Cited

Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and learning . Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Ellison, N. B., & Wu, Y. (2008). Blogging in the classroom: A preliminary exploration of student attitudes and impact on comprehension. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 17(1), 99-122.

Johnston, T. (2002). Teaching with a weblog: How to post student work online. Proceedings of the Academy of Educational Leadership, 7(1), 33-37.

Lee, G. (2000). Getting in line to publish online. Voices from the Middle, 8(1), 23-34.

Lipstein, R. L., & Renninger, K. A. (2007). Interest for writing: how teachers can make a difference. English Journal, 96(4), 79-85.

Potter, E. F., McCormick, C. B., & Busching, B. A. (2001). Academic and life goals: Insights from adolescent writers. The High School Journal, 85(1), 45-55.

Read, S., & Fisher, D. (2006). Tapping into students' motivation: Lessons from young adolescents' blogs. Voices from the Middle, 14(2), 38-46.

Rosenfeld, E. (2008). Blocking web 2.0 tools in schools: Creating a new digital divide. Teacher Librarian, 35(3), 6.

Troia, G, & Graham, S. (2003). Effective writing instruction across the grades: What every educational consultant should know. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 14(1), 75-89.

Wiggins, G. (2009). Real-world writing: Making purpose and audience matter. English Journal, 98(5), 29-37.

Zawilinski, L. (2009). Hot blogging: A framework for blogging to promote higher order thinking. The Reading Teacher, 62(8), 650-661.

Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (1998). Best practice in writing. In Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (Eds.), Best Practice: New Standards for Teaching and Learning in America's Schools, Second Edition (pp. 55-82). Portsmouth: Heinemann.

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Second Draft

The Midpoint: Blogging to Bridge the Gap

Amanda ReeseTE 848 – Spring 2010

Dr. Janine Certo

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“Why do people write essays?” I recently asked my eighth grade students. A few hands shot up, but most students fiddled with their pencils or answered with blank stares. I called on Hailey who explained that people write “to make a point.” This, of course, was the path I wanted our discussion to follow, but I needed to address the other obvious answer first. “Why else?” I prompted, and several boys began to whisper and giggle. Brandon, with an impish grin on his face, raised his hand and said, “Because they have to!”

The more I learn and teach about writing, the more I understand that middle school students feel a real disconnect between academic writing and real life. There is a growing gap between students’ writing lives inside and outside of the classroom. I know that sixth, seventh, and eighth graders write constantly outside of school—their Facebook updates cover my own Facebook newsfeed and, as soon as the bell rings at three o’clock, the texting frenzy begins. I know that my students value written communication, and yet I face mutiny every time I introduce a new writing assignment.

Certainly, many students are overwhelmed by the demands of writing. "Writing is one of the most complex literate activities in which children and adults engage" (Troia & Graham, 2003). From planning to revising and editing, the writing process involves much time and sustained mental effort. Students are often inundated by the enormity of the task and need help breaking it into series of smaller goals.

But the negative responses I receive from students emanate from more than that. Students simply do not understand why they should bother putting forth any effort in the first place. "Real writers are trying to make a difference, find their true audience, and cause some result in that readership. Yet academic writing is notoriously turgid, arguably because the impact of the prose is too often an afterthought, the writing a mere vehicle for offering up new knowledge" (Wiggins, 2009). With no real purpose or audience for which to write, academic writing is reduced to a tedious formula, a pointless activity with an endless list of dos and don’ts. Students oppose writing in school because, quite frankly, they do not see why it matters.

Adolescent Writing and MotivationAs teachers, we recognize that writing is a critical skill for students to master. In the

workplace, most jobs require some level of writing proficiency in order to communicate information with others. (Writing Next info?) We also recognize that students must be personally invested in their own educations if true learning is going to occur. "Research on writing and motivation indicate that students who have an interest for writing are more likely to set effective goals, make use of helpful strategies, and seek feedback as they work with writing tasks" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007). I can model writing strategies and require individualized practice, but students must be motivated if they are to internalize and expand upon the knowledge and skills presented.

It is well known that middle school students are motivated by social activities. The middle grades are a time of heightened social awareness and a period where social growth occurs. “We know that young adolescents value school friendships and social relationships far more than school subjects and teachers” (Atwell, 1998). So often my daily curriculum is split between teaching writing and teaching social appropriateness. Instead of viewing the

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adolescent need for relationships as an obstacle or a distraction, I can use it as a motivational tool in the classroom.

Thus, peer collaboration is essential in any middle school writing program. Students enjoy interacting with others, and “learning is more likely to happen when students like what they are doing. Learning is also more likely when students can be involved and active and when they can learn from and with other students” (Atwell, 1998). By increasing opportunities for collaboration and sharing in the classroom (Troia & Graham, 2003), teachers can motivate adolescents to develop positive attitudes about writing. "When students described an experience that deepened their interest for writing, it always contained a balance of meeting their wants and needs as writers" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007). Effective and motivational writing instruction addresses students’ needs for social interaction as it develops students’ writing strategies and skills.

As social awareness increases, audience becomes a crucial concept in adolescent writing instruction. In writing, as well as in every facet of life, middle school students are motivated by what others think of them (Potter, McCormick, & Busching, 2001). More than anything, students want their individual voices to be recognized and appreciated by others, and writing can fulfill this necessity. "Children need to have the opportunity to write for real audiences and for broad purposes. . . . Authentic writing activities help students appreciate the power and influence of writing and foster a positive motivational regard for writing" (Troia & Graham, 2003). Students can be taught to write with a reader in mind (Atwell, 1998). They will begin to realize that “there are consequences for succeeding or failing as a real writer” (Wiggins, 2009) when a real audience is reading and responding to their work.

Although classified as egocentric, adolescents truly want their voices to make a difference. "Adolescents have a strong need to be respected for their emerging ideas, and they want schools to assist them in communicating these ideas effectively (Potter, McCormick, & Busching, 2001). In addition to audience, adolescent writers are motivated by purpose and willingly engage in writing when communication is necessary to achieve a goal. “When the content of an English course is ideas—thinking and learning through writing, reading, listening, and talking—and when students in the course pursue their own ideas and purposes in the company of friends and their teacher, the middle school English classroom has the potential to become an extraordinarily interesting place” (Atwell, 1998). Authentic writing is possible, and even desirable, when students are given opportunities to write for reasons beyond a letter grade.

Blogging in the ClassroomBlogging is one authentic way that teachers can bridge the gap between in-school and

out-of-school literacies and motivate students to write in the classroom (Zawilinski, 2009). "A blog, short for weblog, is an easily editable webpage with posts or entries organized in reverse chronological order" (Zawilinski, 2009). In a blog, students can share their writing with a large audience and others can respond with written comments. "Broadening the audience for student writing and thinking, providing a space for collaborating outside of the typical classroom discussion, problem solving on the Internet, and learning to communicate safely--all can be developed within the context of blogs" (Zawilinski, 2009). Blogging meets students’ needs for collaboration, audience, and purpose, and addresses their ever-growing desire to

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maximize advances in technology.First, blogging provides ample opportunities for collaboration with others inside and

outside the classroom. "The 'read/write' functionality of blogging, wherein readers are encouraged to comment on blog posts and thus become part of an evolving, public discussion, is a primary reason behind blogging's popularity . . ." (Ellison & Wu, 2008). As students post their work and respond to each other, they are able to make visible contributions to ongoing conversations about writing and other topics (Johnston, 2002).

Second, blogging allows students to write for real audiences and purposes. For self-conscience adolescents, writing for an invisible Internet audience is relatively risk-free. Middle school students are often afraid to share their work with other people; however, most students are comfortable sharing information outside of school via text messages and the Internet. "Posting to the Web takes that face-to-face sharing to a wider audience, in one sense making the writer even more vulnerable, yet paradoxically it also makes the writer less exposed through the 'safety' of digital distance" (Read, 2006). Blogging is one way to create a safe publishing environment for middle school students.

On the other hand, the invisible Internet audience is still very real to students. The audience is invited to read and respond to the initial post, and students can read and respond to their comments. The presence of this audience motivates students to produce quality work. "Students may be more invested in their writing if they know they are writing for an Internet audience and their peers, as opposed to only an instructor" (Ellison & Wu, 2008). Blogging motivates students to produce quality writing because real audiences and purposes are at stake.

Most importantly, blogging helps every student to become a successful writer. As Troia & Graham (2003) discovered, ". . . in comparison to their peers with average writing skills, students with poor writing skills were less likely to share their writing with classmates, help others, select their own writing topics, or complete assignments at their own pace.” Because blogging utilizes word processing tools like spell check, even struggling writers can feel confident when publishing online. "Publishing work online enables students to make contributions to the class, promotes peer learning, and encourages quality in work" (Johnston, 2002). With very little training, all students can share their writing with their classmates and the world.

However, because blogging allows students to literally share their writing with the world, Internet safety is a concern. "Think of it as a field trip that takes place in cyberspace. You must take care not to allow your students to come to harm" (Lee, 2000). When blogging at school, each student must have parent permission to participate and last names should never be used (Lee, 2000). It is vital to help students to protect their identities as they learn to navigate the far-reaching audiences found online.

School Context and Participating StudentsIn order to study the effects of blogging in the classroom, I chose to pilot a blog with two

of my middle school language arts classes. I currently teach at Lansing Christian School (LCS) in Lansing, Michigan, which has approximately six hundred students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Of these students, eighty-seven percent are Caucasian, six percent are African-American, five percent are Asian (most are foreign exchange students), and three percent are

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Hispanic (Great Schools, 2010). LCS is privately funded through student tuition and donations, so most students come from upper-middle class families. However, some students are at LCS on scholarships, so there is a variety of socio-economic backgrounds represented.

Because we are a small school, all grades are housed in a single building, and the middle school shares both staff members and facilities with the high school. The most notable of our shared facilities are the computer labs. We have twenty-four computers in the library and thirty computers in the high school computer lab available for student use. Unfortunately, the computer labs are only available during certain hours of the day. Our librarian teaches two computer classes in the library each afternoon, and several high school teachers are assigned to study halls in the high school computer lab. With six middle school classes and numerous high school classes vying for the same computer facilities, my language arts classes rarely spend time in either of the labs.

Due to this situation, and simply because they enjoy technology, nearly half of my forty-three eighth grade students bring personal laptops to school. These students use their laptops in language arts, as well as in other classrooms, to type papers and conduct research online. They appreciate instant access to tools like spell check, electronic dictionaries and thesauri, as well as the ability to stay organized. For many students, a laptop helps them to keep track of works in progress and to be more efficient with their time. For students with writing disabilities, a laptop is a key component of their legal accommodations.

Because so many of my eighth grade students show an interest in technology, I decided to conduct a trial blog with them. I hoped that I could motivate them to write well by combining something they enjoyed—technology—with a true publishing experience. I hoped to find that a blog increased the amount of effort students were willing to put into a writing assignment, as well as the quality of students’ work.

In my eighth grade language arts classes, I teach a diverse group of learners. Across both classes, there are nineteen males and twenty-four females. Three students are African-American, one is Hispanic, one is Asian, and six are bi-racial. Five students participate in gifted and talented programs and four students receive academic accommodations through individualized education plans (IEPs). Most students in these classes claim to dislike writing.

Website DevelopmentI began this project by experimenting with various blog sites. I was already familiar with

Google’s Blogger but was also intrigued by the professional look of WordPress. Some of my favorite educational sites, like Nancie Atwell’s “You Gotta Read This!” (http://c-t-l.org/bookblog/), use WordPress. Thus, I began by creating two different blogs using WordPress’s free blogging sites. The templates, designs, and various functions in the WordPress software were impressive. I wanted to design a professional-looking publishing environment, because middle school students tend to shy away from things that look cheesy or childish.

However, I returned to Blogger due to its flexibility with posting comments. Anyone can post a comment on Blogger without signing in or supplying an email address like WordPress required. I knew some of my students did not have email addresses and did not want to keep them from participating. I also wanted to avoid the process of creating new accounts for each student, as this would have been time consuming and full of technological glitches.

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Additionally, since comments were open to the public, students’ friends and family members could be invited to respond to students’ writing.

Using Blogger, I created a new blog called “The Midpoint.” I chose a simple design and changed the colors to reflect the color palate in our classroom. I wanted the website to look inviting and sophisticated—I wanted to ensure that students respected the online community we would establish. I added a list of students’ favorite books since we often study our novels as examples of exemplary writing and also included instructions about posting comments.

In order to use this blog with students, I first had to secure parent permission. LCS had parent permission to publish students’ photographs online but this did not include students’ work. I drafted and revised a permission form that allowed students to post writing online, as well as a cover letter to parents (see Appendix A). It took several days to get this form out to parents and back into me because middle school students are notorious for losing papers in their lockers and backpacks. Fortunately, next fall, LCS is looking to combine my new permission form with the current photograph release form. If I continue to blog in the classroom, this is one step in the process that will already be completed.

Teaching and PracticeTo pilot this classroom blog, I asked students to write open letters about a media topic

of their choosing. We were at the end of a media literacy unit that focused primarily on advertising, and students had developed strong opinions about the choices advertisers make when broadcasting information to consumers. We used an open letter by John Creighton, published in The Washington Times, as our model letter. Creighton (2010) wrote to CBS about the lack of kid-friendly advertisements during the NCAA basketball tournament. I chose this model for its obvious connection to our advertising unit, as well as its potential to motivate students who were interested in the 2010 March Madness tournament.

First, we read the model letter out loud as a class and brainstormed important characteristics of an open letter. Students noted that Creighton used topic sentences, addressed both sides of the argument, used details and examples, and included a challenge at the end. They also noted that the formatting included block-style paragraphs, a title, and a byline. Using a model was truly important because the open letter was a new writing style for students. "Most importantly, blogging (like any new technology) is not a panacea and will not independently or autonomously increase student learning. Sound instructional techniques must be developed and practiced in order to achieve increased student learning" (Ellison & Wu, 2008). As with all writing assignments in my classroom, I rely on explicit teaching where students step through the stages of modeling, guided practice, and independent practice when presented with new strategies or skills (Troia & Graham, 2003).

After establishing criteria for success, students brainstormed possible topics they could address in a similar letter. On the list were disturbing content in movie trailers, inappropriate language in commercials and programs, lack of truth in advertisements, lack of truth in food presentation, and using Photoshop to alter images of models. After thinking together, I distributed a rubric for this project (see Appendix) and explained what students needed to accomplish over the next few days. I asked students to spend the rest of the hour choosing a topic and organizing their arguments.

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The next day, I took both eighth grade classes to the library to use the computers. Students drafted their letters using Microsoft Word, either on the school’s computers or their personal laptops, and all worked diligently during the hour. Kelly, a high-achieving writer finished her letter. Jordan, who receives accommodations and exhibits very low motivation in school, listened to music on the computer and worked for the full period without redirection. He chose to address the same topic as the model letter and wrote one paragraph than included an introduction, his concern, and a possible solution. Hayden, a high-achieving but reluctant writer, was absent the day before. I asked him to read the model letter and then talked him through the characteristics we listed as a class. Although Hayden initially struggled with finding a topic, he was able to self-start using Creighton’s letter as a guide. Hayden finished planning and drafting nearly three paragraphs during this time without any prompting from me.

We returned to the library for a second day to allow students to finish drafting, revising, and editing their letters. Most students finished drafting early in the hour, and several groups voluntarily engaged in peer-conferencing. Kelly is one student who chose to peer-edit with a partner; she asked me to read her letter and give her some feedback too, which I did. Hayden finished his letter and also used a peer-conference to check his letter for clarity. However, Jordan seemed to struggle with finishing his letter, so I provided direction in a teacher conference. We talked about putting each new idea into its own paragraph, using more examples, adding in missing words and punctuation, and paying attention to Creighton’s formatting. Jordan listened attentively and made the necessary additions and corrections. His level of cooperation showed how much he wanted to succeed at this writing task. When students were done with revising and editing, they emailed their letters to me or saved them to my USB drive. I needed the electronic copies in order to post students’ letters on the blog; students could not post their own writing because I had not created individual accounts for them.

Over the weekend, I posted students’ letters on the blog. I made sure to identify the authors only by their first names and last initials. The following Monday, I modeled appropriate responses to a blog post and students practiced by writing responses to Creighton’s letter on index cards. We talked about using a letter-like format with complete sentences and proper punctuation, as well as using “The Language of Response” (Appendix A) that we draw from in literary discussions. Phrases like “I agree because…” were helpful sentence starters for students. We also discussed the issue of privacy on the Internet and why students should avoid using their last names when posting comments. After writing responses to Creighton, students swapped cards and wrote a second response that extended the ongoing conversation. I was impressed with the thoughtful ways they extended conversations about advertising. Again, explicit teaching had a tremendous impact on the quality of responses students eventually posted on our blog.

The following day I intended to return to the library so that students could respond to others’ letters during class. However, we ran into technological problems with the school’s Internet filter and this had to be assigned as homework. Ideally, we would have completed the posting in class because this was new territory for many students and I wanted to be able to guide them through it. Unfortunately, I could not even model how to post a comment because the commenting function was blocked. Due to time constraints, I had to let students figure out how to comment on their own at home. I did talk students through the process and clearly

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explained that they had to identify themselves when commenting. As it states on the blog, I delete all anonymous posts in an effort to maintain a positive publishing experience for students. In the end, only fifty-nine percent of students successfully posted comments on the blog; this included Kelly and Hayden. Twenty-seven percent had technological issues at home and fourteen percent, including Jordan, did not attempt this part of the project. Had the blog been accessible at school, all students could have seen their work online and engaged in conversations with others.

ChallengesMy greatest challenge was getting the blog to work at school. LCS’s network filter blocks

all blogs, so it took me several weeks to get “The Midpoint” white listed for student use. I contacted our technology director numerous times and eventually got the blog unblocked for students, staff, and unregistered users (personal laptops). I then contacted our technology director to allow blocked. The day we were scheduled to use the library for posting comments, the technology department changed the network filter. Unfortunately, staff and anonymous users could no longer access the blog and students could not access the comment function.

These types of challenges are widespread in schools attempting to use blogs in the classroom. Rosenfeld (2008) describes a new digital divide: "Such blanket blocking of Web 2.0 sites [like wikis and blogs] by district and school technology administrators prevents the effective use of technology in teaching, the acquisition of vital 21st-century literacy skills by students, and the professional development of teaching staff.” Sadly, by blocking online tools like blogs, schools are only widening the gap between students’ in-school and out-of-school writing. "Too many schools prevent students from using the tools that these same students use outside school--tools that can engage and excite them to meaningful learning" (Rosenfeld, 2008). As our librarian described it, “It’s a matter of curriculum driving the technology versus technology driving the curriculum.” LCS is currently working out a way to provide access to technology while securing the safety of all students online.

ResultsAlthough this was a contrived assignment meant to explore blogging in the classroom, it

produced positive results. After the completion of the project, many students reported that they gave less effort on this assignment compared to other writing assignments. At first, I could not reconcile this with the fact that I witnessed their focused work over a period of several days. It certainly looked like they were giving more effort than before! As I continued to look into this issue, I found that students believed this assignment was easier than normal and, therefore, required less effort on their part. "As early as 1913, John Dewey noted that students who are interested in a subject are more likely to feel confident about their work in that subject and exert effort that does not feel effortful" (Lipstein & Renninger, 2007). The combination of subject matter, technology, and peer collaboration made our blog a success.

Word processing tools increased students’ motivation. Especially for poor writers, writing with a keyboard allowed students to avoid difficulties with handwriting (Troia & Graham, 2003). A student who receives accommodations said, “[Technology] made it less boring.” Another student with accommodations articulated, “Using a computer (laptop) helps so much. I spend more time on my assignment and it’s more interesting than writing.” As

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Jordan put it, “[Technology] helped me become a better writer. Even for high-achieving students, word processing tools are useful. One student explained, “I’m more confident using [technology].” Another added, “Since [posting comments] was so easy, I did that first. This makes it better so I won’t dread doing homework.” In all, sixty-five percent of students found that technology had a positive impact on their work, while thirty-five percent indicated no change. It is clear that typing reduces the time and effort students must put into a written assignment, creating greater enjoyment as students navigate the writing process.

Writing for an audience also increased students’ motivation. When I began this project, I wanted to research and develop publishing opportunities for my students. I knew that publishing was the capstone step in the writing process—the reason real authors write in the first place—and yet true publishing options for students seemed hard to find. My middle schoolers were looking for something more sophisticated than the traditional bound class anthology. "Teachers have known for years that publishing student work makes a huge difference in the quality of kids' writing, but finding ways to make this possible was sometimes difficult. The Internet is changing all this. . . . Teachers are helping students use the inexpensive resources of the Internet to give their students' writing an authentic worldwide audience, with amazing results" (Lee, 2000). Likewise, I found that blogging is a fairly simple, adolescent-friendly way to create an instant audience for students’ writing.

The presence of an Internet audience had a direct affect on students’ motivation to revise and edit. Fifty-four percent of students indicated that publishing impacted the quality of their work. One student explained, “We didn’t want to mess up and have everyone read the mistake.” Another said, “I wanted people to like what I wrote.” Those that indicated no change in the quality of work were strong writers intrinsically motivated in all academic work. Kelly said, “I don’t mind people viewing my work after it’s finished. I did it the same as usual.” Another strong student agreed, “I do all my work the same no matter what.” A few students found the audience intimidating. “The assignment was not bad, but I didn’t like the part where anyone could read my paper.” As one student put it, “It kind of gives me the creeps.”

The affect of audience on revision is well documented. "[S]tudents produce better quality work when it is to be posted online. One reason is a matter of pride and a desire not to be embarrassed when classmates see the work" (Johnston, 2002). Since students struggle with revision (Troia & Graham, 2003), writing for a real audience is needed “to nurture a writer’s skills and motivation” (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998). Above all, writing for an audience teaches students why authors revise and edit in the first place. "Revision is about thinking and communication, not just fixing up mechanical details" (Troia & Graham, 2003). The presence of an audience helps to provide more authentic writing situations in the classroom.

Interestingly, students most enjoyed sharing their work with each other. As one student commented, “We are able to actually see others’ work for once.” Although we frequently share works in progress, I overlooked the most immediate audience when considering publishing opportunities for students. "Connecting student writers with a wider community means more than just sending letters and books to people. Within the classroom itself, building a supportive context for working collaboratively and sharing writing is perhaps the most important step a teacher can take to promote writing growth" (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998). I intended to provide a large Internet audience for students but found that an audience of peers is just as effective.

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Consequently, the blog provided a forum for quality discussions between classmates. Sixty percent of students indicated that the blog increased the quality of their discussions. “We got to comment publically with everyone else’s opinions to form cool conversations!” a student exclaimed. The blog more closely resembles students’ writing lives outside of school, so their interest in this type of communication is understandable. As one student observed, “It’s easier to talk about this stuff online than in real life.” Another student added, “The Internet is less awkward and you can say a lot more than in person, so you actually thought about what you said.” Forty percent of students indicated no change in the quality of their discussions, but this included students who could not access the blog at home.

Future ImplicationsI love the idea of blogging in the classroom. This project inspired me to complete much

of the preliminary legwork necessary to get a blog up and running. My initial preparation required many hours of work and, since this was a new endeavor, my students required significant time for modeling and practice. "With any new tool or curriculum, an initial time investment is typical. However, as familiarity and comfort grow, time demands diminish. Additionally, the extra time is well spent given the new opportunities to develop higher order thinking skills afforded through blogging" (Zawilinski, 2009). I will definitely incorporate blogging in my future classrooms. The possibilities for increasing students’ motivation and learning through blogging are too numerous to disregard.

Next year, providing LCS solves the technology situation caused by our network filter, I want to create a hybrid blog with multiple pages to use with students. This blog would combine publishing for a large Internet audience with space for peer collaboration. One page of this blog would be a showcase blog (Zawilinski, 2009)—a space reserved for finished pieces and available for public viewing and comments. My hope is that students, parents, and other family members and friends would read and comment on students’ writing regularly. I may require students to publish at least one written piece each semester, and the blog would be one publishing option. I learned that publishing is a key component of any writing program, as students are motivated to write when they are communicating with a real audience and accomplishing a purpose.

Additionally, the hybrid blog would support password-protected pages for peer writing groups. As Hannah suggested, “Instead of doing letters, we could do stories we’ve written and people could help us improve them.” "Getting response from peers in peer response groups gives students a faster turn-around for response and validation from their social equals, especially in terms of the content of their writing" (Read, 2006). By using the Internet for peer-response groups, students would have more time to read and respond to others’ writing from the safety of a digital divide. I expect that their conversations would be more thoughtful and focused, as they were during this project, and inspire students to try new genres, topics, and writing strategies (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 1998). Another benefit is that the written comments would allow students to return to their peers’ suggestions as they work on a piece. A blog is an ideal way to facilitate peer writing groups with this tech-savvy generation.

In all, blogging provides teachers with a way to tie students’ writing lives outside of school to their experiences within the classroom. I found that I can motivate students to write

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by incorporating technology into my instruction—using the Internet both to provide a real audience for students’ work and to support peer collaboration. Ultimately, through blogging, I discovered that I can move students from writing because the have to to writing because they want their voices to be heard. This change in students’ attitudes has lasting consequences. Like Read (2006) noted, "After all, our goal is to foster lifelong learners, people who write and think because they want to--in school and beyond.” I believe that blogging has the potential to be the midpoint between traditional and authentic writing instruction, the vehicle that bridges the gap for today’s students.

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Works CitedAtwell, N. (1998). In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and learning .

Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Creighton, J. (2010, March 12). Open letter to cbs: show families respect. The Washington Times, Retrieved from http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/dispatches-heartland/2010/mar/12/open-letter-cbs-show-families-respect/

Ellison, N. B., & Wu, Y. (2008). Blogging in the classroom: A preliminary exploration of student attitudes and impact on comprehension. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 17(1), 99-122.

Great schools. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/michigan/lansing/4418-Lansing-Christian-School/

Johnston, T. (2002). Teaching with a weblog: How to post student work online. Proceedings of the Academy of Educational Leadership, 7(1), 33-37.

Lee, G. (2000). Getting in line to publish online. Voices from the Middle, 8(1), 23-34.

Lipstein, R. L., & Renninger, K. A. (2007). Interest for writing: how teachers can make a difference. English Journal, 96(4), 79-85.

Potter, E. F., McCormick, C. B., & Busching, B. A. (2001). Academic and life goals: Insights from adolescent writers. The High School Journal, 85(1), 45-55.

Read, S., & Fisher, D. (2006). Tapping into students' motivation: Lessons from young adolescents' blogs. Voices from the Middle, 14(2), 38-46.

Rosenfeld, E. (2008). Blocking web 2.0 tools in schools: Creating a new digital divide. Teacher Librarian, 35(3), 6.

Troia, G, & Graham, S. (2003). Effective writing instruction across the grades: What every educational consultant should know. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 14(1), 75-89.

Wiggins, G. (2009). Real-world writing: Making purpose and audience matter. English Journal, 98(5), 29-37.

Zawilinski, L. (2009). Hot blogging: A framework for blogging to promote higher order thinking. The Reading Teacher, 62(8), 650-661.

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Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (1998). Best practice in writing. In Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (Eds.), Best Practice: New Standards for Teaching and Learning in America's Schools, Second Edition (pp. 55-82). Portsmouth: Heinemann.

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Writer’s Memo

Writer’s MemoLooking back through the various drafts of this piece, I am struck by the amount of time

and effort I put into planning. I spent several days compiling information from sources, simply reading and typing the quotations and citations into a Word document. After completing this task, I spent a week mulling over the angle I wanted to take. I could not figure out a clever way to tie together audience, blogging, and my project, and, thus, could not figure out where to begin my introduction. However, as I cleaned and organized around the house, a magical thing occurred—my brain simultaneously organized the information and offered the possible angle of “blogging to bridge the gap.” It fit nicely with the title of my blog, “The Midpoint,” and so I began to draft a lead and create an outline of points I wanted to cover.

In the classroom, teaching students to gather and organize information is a must. I know I need to plan where my paper is going—both in my head and on paper—before I can begin drafting. This plan may change as I draft, but I need to be able to see the whole picture before I start. I realized that I do not spend enough time with students on brainstorming and outlining. These are difficult but crucial skills to master, as they set the foundation for success when writing in any genre.

When revising and editing subsequent drafts, I relied on both the model paper and reading out loud. In my teaching and my own writing, I found that a model is tremendously helpful. When writing this paper, the model showed me what my audience (instructor) was expecting and what types of information to include. The model was exceptionally helpful when I began compiling information about my school and students because I do not have much practice with this. Reading out loud was an important tool for me when I was stuck during drafting and when I was ready to polish my entire piece. These are two tools I will continue to teach my students.

When guiding the writing of students in this expository genre, I struggle with where to draw the line in my instruction. Obviously students’ work is not as involved as this piece, but there are key elements that I would like for them to use. The current topic of discussion among our middle school team is whether students should be taught to use in-text citations. I understand the value and purpose of this skill, but I wonder if this is too much new information for students to handle. Typically, students come into my class with very little research experience and find a “Works Cited” page alone to be overwhelming and difficult. It is hard to break a piece like this into smaller chunks for students, especially when the school curriculum offers no guidance.

Lastly, the idea of incorporating visual aids was new to me. I found that my graphs helped to pull information from the text for the reader and highlighted certain facts and figures. I worked to create and position the graphs so that they complemented the text and did not distract from it. I found the visual aids were a fairly simple way to draw attention to important figures in my research. I will certainly encourage students to experiment with this idea too!

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