She reflects the simplicity with which kids deal with technology…just like that.
Let me tell you about Maria, my new cyber-buddy.
Maria is 9, goes to St. Dominic’s, an international school on the outskirts of Lisbon, where she is expected to receive a “top education”. Here all classes are in English and based on a student-centred, inquiry based learning approach. Therefore, there are no books. There is a set of constructivist strategies developed by the teachers instead. However, computers haven’t been in their roll of activities until someone special came along.
Her name is Ramona and she lives along the coast, just outside the city.
Let me tell you about Ramona, my long time cyber-friend.
Ramona is more than 9, goes to St Dominic’s, where she engages students in ICT activities with an amazing success. During the last term while replacing a teacher on sick leave, she and her students worked on 2 class blogs ( 1 & 2 ) as part of the classes’ activities. It was her strategy to get the students’ attention. She introduced them to the educational side of cyberspace. It was amazing to see how the kids took part in the activities and how they even worked extra just to let their teacher know that they were appreciative and approving of her plan. I had 6 kids who did ppt without me asking – she once told me. How amazing is that?
Meanwhile their regular classroom teacher returned and a CyberKids group was formed. Ramona is the leader of the project; Maria one of the participants. They are about to start a new blog.
Maria already started hers. On her own! She is a typical girl. She is into fashion. She is also a reflection of her generation. She blogs about her interests. And although her blog is not perfect, and although there are spelling mistakes there, three things are to be recognised: (1) she is using technology, (2) she is exercising her English language skills and (3) above all she is connected to the (cyber)world, and (4) having a lot of FUN. Actually there were 4 things to point out after all. 
These are the future university students. Can we ignore their background?
Keywords: Blogs, Constructivism, EFL, The Cyber generation
Comments
No, we can't ignore that. Thank God there are some teachers who has the vision to use it!
Great story! thnaks for sharing!
Hi Cristina,
Thanks for including Maria and I in your blog. As you know I introduced blogging into my Year 4 classroom while I was susbstitute teaching (January-April, 2007). I was a little reluctant because the children were 8 and 9 years old. I decided to start a blog and to see where it took us. To my surprise the students were extremely receptive to all of the technological components introduced and responded well to them. We visited online interactive math sites, I made interactive exercises for students to practice grammar, one of our final projects (we had 2) was explained via a powerpoint presentation, one of our units was introduced using a PhotoStory, and our 2 blogs hosted oral introductions and photos of the children working and charted much of our work during the term. While the students enjoyed the computer component, I must add that it allowed their parents to become participants in their children's learning. The students took things one step further and began to experiment with powerpoint presentations on their own. Amazing - they are only 9 years old! Thanks for highlighting this experience and exhibiting it to a larger audience.