Feb
26
Written by:
Dan Maas
2/26/2010
In my visits to schools around the district, I try to drop into our Inspired Writing classrooms and see how the EeePC netbooks are being used in the writing process.
(Here, Mr. Reiner leads an all-class discussion)
Today I had a chance to get over to Centennial Academy for the Fine Arts and visit Mr. Reiner's 5th grade. As I walked in the classroom, the students were gathered in the front of the room discussing the different lenses they use to evaluate writing. Mr. Reiner was showing how one student had sent a message through their wiki to the class asking for specific feedback on a piece of writing. After the discussion, students went to their desks, the floor, even out of classroom to the media center with their EeePCs to engage in writing. Some students wrote on paper, but most used their computers. But even then, there were differences. Some students were writing on their own wiki pages, others were writing in a word processor and still others were using the web cam and microphone built into the computer to record their voices or take a picture of a book cover. After about 30 minutes, during which time students wrote, conferenced with each other and with Mr. Reiner, they came back to together to consider a nice section of writing from one of these Inspired Writers. Mr. Reiner went to the front of the room while a student took control of the computer and made sure the writing came up on the screen. The section of the story we heard was very descriptive as the author slowly allowed an image in our minds form as she told her narrative. At first, I thought the narrator was a child, but after a little while, I realized she was a lion or tiger! Nicely done.
If you wanted to see the work of this class, visit http://creativeclimate.wikispaces.com/ You will need to request access and identify yourself to Mr. Reiner as this is a secured wiki.
To the students in Mr. Reiner's classroom and other classes that have the new netbooks, I have some questions.
How is it different to have a classroom with the EeePCs compared to only working with pencil and paper?
Are there things you are learning that would be really difficult (or not possible) without the computers?
What would you say is the most important thing you have learned this year?
Thanks for welcoming us into your classroom and thanks for all the great writing!
6 comment(s) so far...
Re: Centennial Academy's Inspired Writers
Something not possible to do without the EEE PC is learning a lot about Online safety.
By zachrpacer on
3/10/2010
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Re: Centennial Academy's Inspired Writers
I think that some things may be difficult without EEE's for some people. In my opinion I think that there are other resources in the world to participate with.
By haydenjpacer on
3/10/2010
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Re: Centennial Academy's Inspired Writers
1. Well the EEEPC helps with spelling and all that, but you don't get to see how the student actually works with spelling and grammer. Including hand writing.
2. It can kinda be frusterating to spell things that are harder or more advanced.
3. I will answer this question later...
By pamelagpacer on
3/10/2010
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Re: Centennial Academy's Inspired Writers
Something that would not be possible without the EEEPCs is that we would not be able to access Mr R. wikispace and Mrs D. would not be able to see our learning. That why I am glad that we have EEEPCs.
By t.c.npacer on
3/10/2010
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Re: Centennial Academy's Inspired Writers
There is very many things we (5th graders at centennial) couldn't of used without the EEE computers. For example, we never would of learned about Electricity and Magnetism without Brain Pop(Educational website). The EEE really, extremely helpful. Another thing is without the EEE, us 5th graders would never of been able to connect and speak about school with out the wikispaces. The only way the 5th graders can get to wikispaces is......... EEE. Thank you so much for letting centennial use the EEE. It is an amazing piece of technology.
By robertcpacer1 on
3/10/2010
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Re: Centennial Academy's Inspired Writers
Something that would be possible with the tripple EEEPC's would be learning how to be safe online. EEEPC's help you learn how to stay safe is you learn to never give you name out incase some one comes up to you and tries to take you. You learn many things on how tobe safe and that was one of them.
By audreygpacer on
3/12/2010
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