Okay, the last few days I've been doing decidedly non-technological prep. Well, it's technological to the extent that it involved the computer and the printer and the copier, but you know what I mean. So anyway, I've finally finished setting up 125 two-pocket folders for my incoming students, with the class letter in the left pocket, lined paper in the right pocket, and my business card in the slot. (I'll be adding pens to the folders as close to last-minute as I can stand.) I'm hoping that providing them with a minimal organization baseline on day one might help some of the more helpless among them.
I've also finally gotten around to sketching out my lesson plans for the first week. This includes planning what they're going to do online. I'm going to get them blogging as quickly as possible -- day two -- and start giving them videos to watch at home on the evening of day three. The video they'll be watching will give them tips and tricks for the following day's listening and notetaking diagnostic, plus a secret word. If they can write the secret word on the top of the diagnostic, they get bonus participation points.
Okay, yes, this is lightweight content and involves a reward economy, but I think that's how I'm going to get them into the idea of watching these videos. Most of my students are nothing if not mercenary!
As for blogging, I need to put together a guideline page for blogging directions and expectations. My starting ideas are that students are expected to write once a week in their class blogs, the entries must be relevant to the class material, and the students must follow appropriate language guidelines. I'm not going to start assessing blog entries yet; just doing them will be a good place to start.
I plan to research class blogging a bit more before school starts. I want to see what other people have been doing.
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