#1–Will buys Manila! (Where do I get my membership card?)
#2–School Gets Will’s Pitch; Pilot Weblog Program in the Offing! Here’s the plan: This fall, I’m going to “recruit” 10 freshmen to take part in a Weblog Portfolio independent study which with any luck will start them on the road to a four-year exit portfolio of their best work and a companion reflective learning journal all in the form of a personal weblog. Included in the process will be two student mentors, a teacher mentor, a parent, a community member, and an outside “professional” relevant to the student’s main interests. Tentatively, students will receive two credits per year (and next year, if all goes well, the independent study will turn into an actual course), and will recieve two additional credits when they present their portfolios to a yet to be determine panel at the end of their senior years. (Joe, do you think a phone call is imminent???) I AM VERY PSYCHED! But there are many questions and logistical issues to sort out, which I need to do in the next few weeks. Help! Much, much more on this later…
#3–Will Gets Readers! Now look, I’m not one to put a lot of stock in log numbers, but supposedly this site got 84 looks yesterday from unique visitors (not earth shattering, I know, but still makes me think even harder about what I write…a good thing.) Now I only know of about 10-15 other teachers who are doing this stuff, so if you’re reading this and you’re thinking about using weblogs in your classroom, for godness sakes, speak up! Make yourself known! Join the community. These people are pretty cool and smart and energetic and some pretty exciting stuff is afoot. The more people we have in the conversation, the better!