(Image from TweenTribune.com)
I spent some time today looking around the site TweenTribune again. I had helped a teacher get her kids logged in before break, and I saw the magic of the site.
We want our kids aware of the world. We want them to read timely, relevant information. But, honestly, on bad news days, I wouldn’t send most kids below high school to online news sources without gudiance. That’s where TweenTribune comes into the picture. The site takes news stories that would be appropriate and relevant to our younger learners. One gem of the site is that the articles are short and easily digested. TweenTribune provides readings in an organized site, which can be read chronologically or by topic. When let go, the students I watched all found interesting facts and enjoyed reading the news. (I even did a formal, anonymous poll to verify my observations.)
An additional piece of the site is the ability for students to leave comments. Sometimes, on a slow news day, I scroll down to the comments on local news websites. I am always entertained, horrified, and flabbergasted by some of the commenters. While I respect and honor differences of opinion, the manner in which people express themselves and attack their fellow posters is extreme. When do we start teaching proper manners and appropriate expression in web postings? How can we teach students the value of building a positive digital footprint? TweenTribune provides a place for these lessons.
Posts are made by the student readers. They must be approved by their teacher before going public. I feel this is a great place to begin conversations of proper writing conventions–capitalizations, punctuation, spelling– even in a digital medium. Best of all, there is an authentic audience for their writings on the site. Suddenly, they are writing for the world, rather than for the teacher or for the grade. Watch how that spurs their effort.
It is easy to get started. Normally, before I send teachers on a project, I make my own directions. But, TweenTribune did a great job. Here are the directions for getting started.
I also learned today that the teacher can also print out the student reports that include their comments and space for teacher feedback. What a great way to build their writing skills in a writer’s workshop format! Personalized writing responses. If you spread them out over a month, each child could get strong, quality feedback.
Additionally, parents can be given an URL to view their child’s contributions.
Still not sure how to use TweenTribune in your classroom? Check out these lesson ideas.