How to Leave a Comment

There is nothing a writer loves more than readers!

In the world of blogging, that means one thing: COMMENTS!  Leaving a comment on a blog is like smiling and sighing to yourself when you finish a really great book, or breaking the silence with an out loud chuckle, just loudly enough so the others around you crane their necks to see the cover of your book, as you read.

But comments do more than just let us know you're reading.  Comments are a direct line to the authors, who, in this case, are your teachers!  If you have questions or noticings that you couldn't address in class, this is a great place to mention them.  Often times, you are not the only one with those thoughts buzzing around in your head.  We can then answer your question or address your concerns by leaving a reply comment here, writing a new post, or contacting your directly (email or conversation in class).

Now you might be wondering why you shouldn't just send us a note or call us directly instead of leaving a comment.  The great thing about commenting here is that EVERYONE can see your comment.  Many times, friends and classmates are able to answer questions quickly and clearly, and often, your thoughts and noticings can spark new ideas in their minds.  In this way, this blog helps us to extend our classroom conversations beyond the four walls of our actual classroom.  It allows us to continue the conversations we started in school.

Knowing why we love comments might not be enough to get readers commenting, though.  You also need to know HOW to leave a comment.  Follow this easy tutorial to get started!

1.  After reading a post, look for the footer in the gray box.  Click on the reddish words that tell how many comments are on the post.

2.  Once you've clicked on those words, this box will appear.  Type your comment in the white box.  Include your FIRST NAME in the body of your comment.  Be sure to read it over before you choose "Anonymous" from the drop down menu below the box.  After you're sure the comment is ready, click the "Submit" button. 

3.  This preview box will then appear.  You will need to read the blurry words and type what you see in the box, to prove you're not a virus programmed to leave spam comments on thousands of blogs.  In this comment box, the commenter would need to type "areenext 11" in the box.  Finally, click the "Publish" again.

4.  Ta-daaaa!!! If you see this highlighted message, "Your comment will be visible after approval," then you've done it all correctly!  Your comment is now in our inbox, waiting for us to give it the green light.  After we make read the comment, we'll post it for everyone to see.  

Now that we've got all that cleared up, what are you waiting for?  Try it out!  Leave us a comment right away!