Blogging in my Classroom (629)

Once I started using Twitter professionally I noticed that many of the links lead to blogs versus actual websites.  Understanding that these links were meant for professional learning I could understand the setup and content.  However, as I explored more and more the content on these blogs it became more apparent that blogs, in many cases, are serving as both a professional resource and student resource. 

In teaching, I was, and am, terrible at doing newsletters.  I could never do it each week so I offered up a bi-weekly newsletter, which often failed too.  So, I began looking to social media to update my families, thinking that if I give smaller updates each day then that could also be a newsletter replacement.  In terms of me using this setup, using Twitter and Facebook, I couldn't be happier.  However, I have yet to know how well it works for all families.  I know it works for some because they will comment on our class Facebook page.  I know email works for some because they will reply to my messages.  Those that indicated no access to internet, which was 7 out of 25 students, are sent paper copies. 

The website I use for my class website does have a blogging component which I used at the very beginning of the school year to state some class guidelines.  Haven't touched it since.  I do believe blogging, to communicate with parents, has a place in my classroom but I need to make time for it.  One of my colleagues does this each Sunday morning to preview the week and again, I just need to commit to doing so.  The blog updates can be posted to Facebook so parents can read the updates.

Blogging isn't something I'm very familiar with so I cannot speak to all the features they may offer.  From blogs I've viewed and my little experience of curating a blog I seem to like most the widgets that can be added.  While not on my blog, I use the Shelfari widget to share the books we read in class.  The search feature of blogs are also nice so that anyone can find the information they have been looking for by searching through tags.  I haven't gotten into "professional blogging," like the science teacher's blog, and I don't expect to in the near future.

As for my 2nd graders, we have been blogging all year using KidBlog. This year has been an experiment to see how it worked and what I realized quickly is they love it and I should have been more prepared for that.  After just 3 classroom trainings the vast majority were already proficient in the steps to post an entry (thanks to KidBlog for making it simple).  Essentially, the kids respond to a prompt each day and their writing is out there for all to see.  Anyone can comment but those do not post until I approve.  Blogging is a classroom job so certain students will blog for two-straight weeks until they move to a new job.  When we do class blogging, meaning all students do an individual blog at the same time in computer lab, I'll email the parents so they know and will hopefully comment.  If I don't notify parents then there usually are not many, if any, comments.  I believe I have "step one" down meaning the students know how to blog.  Next year's additional focus will be on leaving good comments.

Personally, I could see having a couple different blogs.  One being a newsletter-type blog and the other being a "homework hotline."  While emails are useful for this too, blogging would put the questions and answers to homework wonderment's in the public therefore lessening questions.  Blogging could also incorporate mini-lessons using video so parents can see the lessons on the blog as well.  I essentially already do some of this on my web page but a blog would make it more interactive.