Be A Helper To Gain Valuable Experience!

Modified on September 9, 2009 by Sue Waters

Are you looking for a learning opportunity for yourself and/or your students?

Become a Student blogging challenge helper!

The Student Blogging Challenge needs teams of helpers who are willing to comment on class and student blogs for the duration of the Challenge (finishes end of November).

We would like to do is allocate 5 class blogs and 10 student blogs to each willing helper.

The more helpers the better!

Currently we already have 253 individual student blogs and 65 class blogs participating from twelve countries (USA, Austalia, New Zealand, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Hong Kong, Canada, Scotland, Thailand, Venezuela). You can check out the Challenge participant list here!

Benefits for you!

This is an ideal chance for teachers and preservice teachers (student teachers) to:

Increase their understanding of how blogs can be used with students
Observe the impact blogging can have on student learning
Investigate the different approaches to class and student blogging

It’s also perfect for students and classes that aren’t in the position to be a Challenge participant but would like to be involved in a less formal manner.

A key benefit is commenting is an important part of blogging. It’s often where most learnng happens. Unfortunately most people find commenting more challenging than writing posts.

Being a helper will increase your commenting skills while giving you (or your students) opportunities to practice.

How to become a Help!

Can you help?

Just write a comment on this post to tell us you want to be a Challenger Helper and we will contact you with more information.

If you are enjoying reading this blog, please consider Subscribing For Free!

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49 thoughts on “Be A Helper To Gain Valuable Experience!”

isaak on September 10, 2009 at 12:58 am said:

Hi,
I am interested in participating. Thanks.

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jamavon on September 10, 2009 at 1:14 am said:

Hi,

I would love to be a challenge helper!
(Pre-Service Teacher, Qld, Australia)

Cathy-Anne

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michele berner on September 10, 2009 at 1:23 am said:

I would be interested in being a Challenge helper. I have my own class blog with yr 7 English and students have their own blogs. Not quite ready to participate in a blogging challenge. This would therefore also assist me. So count me in!

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alijoy on September 10, 2009 at 1:26 am said:

Hello Sue
I would love the opportunity to be a blog reader and commenter. CPD and enjoyment rolled into one!

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Suzette on September 10, 2009 at 1:30 am said:

Hi Sue
This sounds very interesting. I’d love to help out an gain valuable experience. Sing me up!

Suzette

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msgiraud on September 10, 2009 at 3:43 am said:

I want to use blogging more effectively in my classes. I am struggling to find ways to make blog writing relevant to my work with 10th grade English classes. I am certain it is, but haven’t yet found a rhythm or method that works. I would love to get some ideas and see some good examples.

I suppose I should sign up to participate, huh? I am having some issues with filters at my school. Edublogs seem to get through better than blogger blogs do. I may have to have kids migrate to edublogs because of the fliter issues.

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Ms. Johnson on September 10, 2009 at 5:10 am said:

I would be willing to be involved, as well.

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Graeme Bennett on September 10, 2009 at 2:37 pm said:

Hi Sue,
Count me in!

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poulingail on September 10, 2009 at 3:18 pm said:

Sue
Please enlighten me and no doubt others about the nature of commenting on the student blogs. I ask because last year I visited a few blogs for the purpose of commenting and sometimes found little substance there.
Should we be looking to support the fact that they simply have a blog page? “Nice beginning here Chad. Keep at it and soon you’ll want to share more thoughts and ideas.”
If there is simply a collection of their favorite movie idols or vampire conversations, how do we respond? “Uh, I see you like the Twilight series. Have you …. ??”
Or how about the person who comments on your own blog, “I saw your blog and it’s neat; why not visit mine and leave a comment okay.” So you go to it and find a collection of avatars.
I guess I really need to understand where they are in their blogging journey and to understand how much work they have done to get there. I am used to commenting on content so please help me to wrap my head around what it means to really comment on student blogs. I think you know I’m up for the job but do need more guidance.
Thanks Sue.
Gail

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mrshenchy on September 10, 2009 at 4:38 pm said:

I would love to help out and gain this valuable experience!

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Gail Desler on September 10, 2009 at 4:43 pm said:

I’d love to help, Sue (and Sue)!

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Lisa Hill on September 10, 2009 at 5:06 pm said:

Oh, I know what a struggle it is to get people to comment on blogs! Yes, I’ll help out too:)

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mestrojans on September 11, 2009 at 12:51 am said:

Hi Sue,

I would like to learn more about participating.

Carrie

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jkmcmahon on September 11, 2009 at 7:47 am said:

I am willing to be a challenge helper/

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mstreen on September 11, 2009 at 2:34 pm said:

I would love to help and learn more about the blogging process. I read a lot of blogs, comment on a few, but haven’t yet made that leap to blog myself. I think this would be a great learning experience for me.

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Sue Waters on September 11, 2009 at 4:46 pm said:

Hi everyone so far who has offered to be a helper! It is definitely going to be exciting and I can guarantee as you work with the blogs you will gain insights yourself.

Gail is definitely correct. One of the biggest challenges faced is some times there might not be much on the blogs that have substance to comment at and it is very important that it isn’t about commenting for commenting sake. In the last challenges I always visited blogs of students that commented on my posts and for some would need to spend some time searching their posts to find one that I could share my thoughts or add to the conversation. The other hard aspect is also teaching them (the students) that they need to also engage back in the comment conversations.

There is quite a bit of skill involved in all of this — so my thoughts are that I create a page on this blog. The page will include your names with blogs that you will be mainly looking after — feel free to also add more to your list if you want.

But we also need on this page tips or advice on how commenting on the student blogs. Would love to hear all your suggestions on the information we should add to this page. If you have thoughts please leave a comment here so I can start writing the page.

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kleinblog on September 12, 2009 at 2:57 pm said:

I would be interested in helping. Just let me know what I need to do.

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Janet Bianchini on September 13, 2009 at 5:23 am said:

I would love to help out. Sounds like a great idea!

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Fiona Beal on September 13, 2009 at 7:02 am said:

Hi Sue (and Sue), this is Fiona Beal (http://fionabeal.edublogs.org) from South Africa. I have absolutely loved being an edublogger along with my Grade 4&5 class in the last seven months. The new challenge sounds amazing, and I would love to be a helper. Many thanks…

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silva.lu80 on September 13, 2009 at 3:47 pm said:

I would like to participate. Count me in.

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Miss W. on September 13, 2009 at 11:38 pm said:

Sue,
Once the helpers have been allocated classes and students, perhaps they could come to my classblog and leave a little blurb about themselves so the teachers and students can find out about their helper. I have created a post where they could do this http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/09/14/blogging-challenge-helpers/

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Sue Waters on September 14, 2009 at 12:02 am said:

Hi everyone, I started creating the page with information about how to be a challenge helper.

But I will need blog URL (if possible) or school web site addresses so Sue Wyatt and I can quickly drop past. To make the teachers in the Challenge feel comfortable we have said “All helpers will be either a teacher, a student, a pre-service teacher or a blogger related to education”

Before we get you started we need you to do the following:

1. Can you please leave your blog URL here so we can check it out?
2. Drop past Sue Wyatt’s post and leave a blurb of background about yourself so the teachers and students know more about the people helping them – http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/09/14/blogging-challenge-helpers/

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sampletech4 on September 14, 2009 at 5:32 am said:

I would be interested in assisting with this. I have been an educator for over 25 years. I have taught at all three levels (high school, middle, and elementary). I am currently an Instructional Technology Specialist with the Armstrong Atlantic State University ETC. I work with teachers and students in five school districts integrating technology into the classroom.

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Tracy on September 14, 2009 at 6:50 am said:

My students already have blogs, but I would love to help with comments. Just let me know what I need to do!

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lgwilliams on September 14, 2009 at 12:05 pm said:

Hi Sue
One of my classes is ‘playing’ this year & I would like to be a helper if you still need ‘hands up’
LGW

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Sue Waters on September 14, 2009 at 6:07 pm said:

Hi Everyone, can I get you to dorp past Sue Wyatt’s post – http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/09/14/blogging-challenge-helpers/#comments and add a blurb about yourself.

If you are trying to work out what type of information to write Graeme, Janet and Lisa’s information are all excellent examples.

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Pam Thompson on September 15, 2009 at 3:55 am said:

Hi Sue

Don’t know if you need any more helpers but I’m willing to help if you do. My class has a blog and I have several students registered in the challenge too – although some only registered this week as Googledocs was blocked at school!

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- Sue Waters on September 15, 2009 at 4:18 am said:
  
  @Pam Thompson, I’m after as many helpers as I can get as that will make the workload easier for everyone. If you could go to Sue Wyatt’s post and add your blurb that would be excellent.
  
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msvrburton on September 15, 2009 at 11:09 am said:

Ms. Waters,
I would love to assist you in the challenge. I look forward to making comments to help out because I know that it is a great responsibility to complete this challenge.

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Lisa Hill on September 15, 2009 at 2:42 pm said:

I’ve had a go at writing a Comments Policy that articulates the focus on writing well that we want to see happening at our school: see http://mossgielparkps.globalteacher.org.au/commentspolicy/ and please comment on it (LOL) if you have suggestions for improvement.

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- Sue Waters on September 16, 2009 at 4:15 am said:
  
  @Lisa Hill, I think it was excellent and I hope you don’t mind but I am linking to it from my post on Commenting Guides
  
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Sue Waters on September 16, 2009 at 3:42 am said:

Hi Everyone, I’ve now written the page about being a Challenge Helper and started giving people their class and student blogs to look after.

Can you please check here – http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/student-blogging-challenge/

Also I need you to add your blurb here http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/09/14/blogging-challenge-helpers/#comments before I can add your name against a student list.

Can you please visit Sue Wyatt’s blog and do this if you haven’t?

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ghkcole on September 16, 2009 at 11:22 am said:

I would like to participate

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- Sue Waters on September 16, 2009 at 2:36 pm said:
  
  @ghkcole, thanks for letting me know and I’ve added your name to the list here http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/student-blogging-challenge/
  
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poulingail on September 16, 2009 at 1:31 pm said:

Hi again Sue. Great post on commenting on student blogs. Please assign me as a helper with commenting.

Gail Poulin

now off to http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/09/14/blogging-challenge-helpers/#comments to post a blurb about my own awesomeness ;p

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- Sue Waters on September 16, 2009 at 2:36 pm said:
  
  @poulingail, Thanks Gail. I’ve also added your name on to list — and you are awesome
  
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Ms Cahusac on September 20, 2009 at 1:14 am said:

Hi organizers,

I’d love to be a Blogging Challenge Helper, if it’s not too late
My class blog is entered already and there are 14 of my Gr. 5 students entered individually as well. This has been a great element of our intro to blogging in class, we’re really enjoying the challenge!

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mrsc123 on September 20, 2009 at 9:20 pm said:

I’d love to be a helper in the challenge.
My class blog http://mrsc123.edublogs.org is entered and some of my students are entering their own blogs. I’d like to get them to help with the commenting too if that’s OK?

Ann

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Sue Waters on September 20, 2009 at 9:24 pm said:

@Ms Cahusac and Ann (Mrsc123), definitely not too late to be a helper and the more we can get the better.

First I need you to add your details to this post – http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/09/14/blogging-challenge-helpers/#comments and let me know when you have done that. Then I will add your details here – http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/student-blogging-challenge/

@Ann — sure it would be excellent for your students to help you with the commenting on the blogs.

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- Ms Cahusac on September 23, 2009 at 6:34 am said:
  
  @Sue Waters, I’ve added an intro to the blogging challenge post for Helpers.
  
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  - Sue Waters on September 23, 2009 at 10:52 pm said:
    
    @Ms Cahusac, thanks for letting me know and I’ve now added blogs against your name on this page – http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/student-blogging-challenge/
    
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scully on September 21, 2009 at 6:47 pm said:

Hi, I think this would be a valuable experience for my 5/6class. We have a blog in infant stage and I would love to continue to learn more.
Ta Mel

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- Sue Waters on September 21, 2009 at 8:16 pm said:
  
  @Mel we would love your class to be helpers. First I need you to add your details to this post – http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/09/14/blogging-challenge-helpers/#comments and let me know when you have done that. Then I will add your details here – http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/student-blogging-challenge/
  
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rdaugherty73 on October 12, 2009 at 2:24 am said:

I may be too late but I would love to help!

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- Sue Waters on October 13, 2009 at 9:53 pm said:
  
  @rdaugherty73, Definitely not too late. Just drop past Miss Wyatt’s blog and leave the comment on her post and then let me know you’ve done it so I can add you to the list.
  
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jjfreo on December 17, 2009 at 4:43 am said:

Hi Sue,
I intend to begin a classroom blog or web 2 project in 2010. Will you still run a classroom blogging challenge? can you give me any advice?

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- Sue Waters on December 18, 2009 at 11:23 pm said:
  
  @jjfreo, Yes the student blogging challenge is starting again in February – Sue Wyatt runs the challenge and will be able to give you an indication of the date.
  
  Always happy to give advice on Web 2.0 and blogging any time
  
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