Motivational Learning

The video Blogging Buddies is really what teaching is all about. This video is a great demonstration of scaffolding and how teaching and leaning from others can really help motivated and improve a child' s learning. A college class has become blogging buddies with a first grade class. The classes blog each other and the college students give advise and answer questions.




The most significant takeaway would be how the blogging buddies can be of help to a students confidence in reading and writing. Both classes use the blog as a way to connect to the other classroom students and they can ask questions and assist the others in any way possible. Not only can the college students help the 1st graders but the 1st grades can help the college students complete their study on Language Development and Literacy. The blogs give the younger students a way to connect to older mentors and even create great relationships that could inspire all.

After watching this video, I can only wish I had this type of technology when I was in elementary school. I can only wonder how great it would have been to have someone else besides the teacher helping me and teaching me new things. When I was in school, we had an activity that served the same purpose as the blogging buddies; the only difference is that we mailed our letters to our mentors! Not exactly quick!

As I have mentioned before in my blogs, scaffolding is used greatly in this video. I cannot stress enough how scaffolding is great for learning. Learning through apprenticeships and mentors is the way to go. Children learn best through learning from others and personal experiences. These blogging buddies relationships also give the younger students motivation to succeed in their writing; for the mentor will read it and the younger students want to do good for the mentor to praise them. Reading is also improved in that the younger students are eager to read comments from their mentor and see what they had to say about their work!