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Empower your students to collaborate, lead, and succeed!



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Invite parents into your classroom, even if it's only virtually!

2/16/2015

5 Comments

 
PictureMadi uploading photos to the Daily Photo Journal.
    What parent wouldn't want to know what their child did in school each and every day when their child comes home from school excited and motivated to learn?  When your students are Learning Like PIRATE's, they're bound to be excited about something happening in school!
    Even when children are passionate and enthusiastic about what they're learning in class, they're still bound to suffer from "After-School Amnesia."  They never seem to remember what they did in school, because they're hungry, tired, and needing some time to unwind.  That's where our Daily Photo Journal comes into play.
    Throughout each school day, my students and I grab the classroom camera and take pictures of all of our learning experiences.  At the end of the day, one student is in charge of uploading the photos to our classroom website and giving each slideshow a title.  Now, even when a child "forgets" what (s)he did in school that day, parents can check the website and ask specific questions about what they see!
    Throughout the school year, students often use our Daily Photo Journal to grab photos to put into their blog entries or print out for projects.  This saves us some time because it means that students don't always have to individually take photos during activities and upload them in class.  Instead, we can all use the same photos in our blog entries, with just one student taking the time to upload and post the photos online. 
    As an added bonus, these photos are a valuable resource that we can use at the end of the year. 
I've used the Daily Photo Journal as a reflection tool for students to use to think about what they learned over the school year and to create blog entries about our experiences.  Parents and students have both commented that the Daily Photo Journal is a lot like a yearbook just for our class!  I've had parents grab the photos of their child from the whole school year and print them off or put them into electronic photo albums!
    I have chosen to use Weebly to host my photo slideshows, but there are dozens of ways that you can do this differently!  I can imagine that some teachers may prefer to post their photos on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, while some may prefer to post photos on a site like Snapfish or Shutterfly.  Whatever you choose, parents and students alike are sure to appreciate the year-long cache of photos showing all of the exciting activities that you completed throughout the year.

LearnLAP Note: Empower your students to take pictures during each and every lesson!  You will often forget, but they will generally remember!  My students love to take pictures when I'm lecturing or demonstrating something, because they think of taking pictures when they're passively sitting and listening.  But when students participate in an activity that is more active and collaborative, they often forget to take pictures!  They're so engaged in their learning that they forget to handle the minutia of taking pictures.  Fortunately, that's when I generally remember!  I hope you'll try doing this in your classroom - Good luck!  :)

Links to our Daily Photo Journals over the years:
2014-2015:
http://paulsolarz.weebly.com/daily-photo-journal
2013-2014:
http://psolarz.weebly.com/2013-2014-daily-photo-journal
2012-2013:
http://psolarz.weebly.com/so-what-did-you-do-in-school-today

Sample Daily Photo Journal Post: "Using Hands-On Equations to Learn Algebra"

5 Comments
Tricia Whenham link
4/9/2015 02:49:46 am

Keeping parents informed is so important - something I don't think I fully understood until having my own kid. Even at 4, when I ask what he did in preschool he almost always responds "nothing" or "I can't remember." I'd love to be able to see blog posts, photos and videos that could better spark our conversations. Great post!

Reply
Paul Solarz
5/19/2015 04:57:26 am

Thanks Tricia! Many parents find tremendous value with our Daily Photo Journal, but the students even enjoy it more!

Reply
Ashlee Moody link
12/15/2020 01:32:19 am

Goood reading this post

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Lakewood BBQ Repair link
5/12/2024 01:43:01 pm

This was lovely thanks for writing this

Reply
Catherine link
2/20/2025 11:07:04 pm

Your innovative approach to fostering parent engagement through the Daily Photo Journal is both commendable and inspiring. By capturing daily classroom activities and sharing them online, you bridge the communication gap often caused by "After-School Amnesia," enabling parents to engage in meaningful conversations with their children about their learning experiences. Empowering students to take ownership of documenting and uploading these moments not only enhances their technological skills but also fosters a sense of responsibility and pride in their work. This practice not only keeps parents informed but also creates a dynamic archive of the year's journey, serving as a digital yearbook that families can cherish. Your dedication to transparency and collaboration sets a remarkable standard for educators aiming to build strong home-school connections.

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