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How do you get students and Valley Performing Arts (VPA) artists together to discuss John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men?  With a blog .

A blog, or Weblog, manages discussions, discussion archives and links in a simple Web format.  Blogs are easy to use and provide constant access from any Internet connection making it a perfect tool for conversations. Librarian Robin Turk initiated the concept of Alaskablog after she discovered the benefits of educational blogs through her master’s coursework with Dr. Stuart Glogoff at the University of Arizona.

A class of eighth graders at Colony Middle School (CMS), under the leadership of Turk and instruction of Language Arts teacher Emily Forstner, blogged with the cast, peers and parents at http://alaskablog.org as the students read the book and the cast rehearsed for the spring production of Of Mice and Men.

Blog technology presented a unique opportunity for the collaborative CMS/VPA project to create a new type of learning community. Research has shown that when parents, businesses, artists, scientists and other community members join the learning community students are more motivated and see value in what they are learning.  Exactly how to accomplish bringing these diverse groups together becomes more and more difficult as education funding decreases and demands increase. The blog removes the stress of transportation and busy schedules.

With Alaskablog in place students published their thoughts in real-life conversations twice a week from school. Other participants and students can participate from home anytime.  This interaction on Alaskablog went well beyond the limitations of the typical classroom experience.

The Alaskablog conversation began April 1 following a brief exploration of the Great Depression era.   Forstner observed that it was clear that the efforts and insights of these students far exceeded normal class literature lessons.  The students worked in pairs as they focused each week on an essential question. For instance, the first posting reflected on the literary elements the Great Depression offered Steinbeck’s story or any story.  This set the stage for a lively discussion.

"People have a desire when situations are difficult, to cling to hope and to know that things will somehow work out.  This is human nature; we want to know that despite the hard times during the Depression, that deep down, our grandparents and great-grandparents were okay, they were survivors.  We want to know their stories…."  Students wrote on the blog along with several comments from teachers; VPA cast members and parents who shared their own stories about bread buttered with Crisco and sugar, inherited idiosyncrasies of saving glass jars, and grandparents who learned to pay for everything with cash never trusting a bank again.

The students continued reading Of Mice and Men and blog discussions were held between the students and VPA cast members. Larry Burton, as George Milton, deftly responded to students in character and impeccable dialect. During the discussion concerning Steinbeck’s view of disposable characters he responded, " Ya all showed some smart thinking’ but, are ya missin’ the point?  It’s my belief thet nobdy ken be disposable unless they see em self as lost or with no hope…".

The five students who responded to this particular comment serve as an example to the on going dialogue that existed between the students and cast.

"What’s most impressive is how well the students continued to respond with their own opinions and thoughts.  The technology and the real world audience really made the class think about what they were reading," Turk said.

The class came to the May 13 evening performance of Of Mice and Men. There they had the opportunity to finally meet George in person.  One student mentioned she had not noticed George being the main character while reading the book, but on stage George was the most important to her.  Undoubtedly the interaction with George on Alaskablog heightened her awareness to every word George spoke. Since when do eighth graders enjoy and understand Steinbeck?  Part of it is the interest and dedication of the VPA cast and director Larry Bottjen who by their participation stimulated thought, conversation and offer authenticity to the student writing. Another essential ingredient is the technology of the blog that allows spontaneous communication with the real world.

Educational research shows that students, or anyone for that matter, learn best when they can make connections to real life. "I am afraid that the community might not see how valuable the blog was, not just for the students, but for us as well," stated Forstner. "I have tried to link community and school countless times and always felt like I had failed somehow.  But with this blog, in thanks in large part to Bottjen and Burton, it worked great and the kids were thinking and reading well beyond what they were doing for me on paper.  The kids say I am over excited about it, but who wouldn’t be."

The blog helped to make a tremendous learning/community connection as evidenced by "Michelle’s" comment, "I agree that we can see ourselves in the characters in the story.  Sometimes we may feel we’re just there without any reason like Candy’s dog, or yearning for something that seems impossible. The book gives us a setting and then we write a new story with our lives."

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