Are You (or Your Students) Ready to Use Blogs?

Are you considering using a blog (or blogs) with the students in your classroom this year, but you aren’t quite sure how to start? Or do you just want to read what other educators are saying in their blogs about teaching and learning today? (Reading--and responding to--blogs written by other educators is much like chatting in a "teachers' lounge.") I think you’ll find many useful ideas in today’s blog entry. Enjoy!


Blogging Is History: Taking Classroom Discussions Online
http://www.edutopia.org/blogging-history
by Helena Echlin

A blog is a tool for getting kids to think -- and type -- about what they're learning

Echlin describes a successful classroom project in which a teacher included a book and its author, a blog, and participation by students, parents, and a class in another district. You can pick up many ideas for starting your own blog project.


Digital Discussion: Take Your Class to the Internet
http://www.edutopia.org/whats-next-2007-classroom-blog-setup
by Helena Echlin

How to set up a blog in your classroom

Read Echlin’s article for all the details, but here’s a summary… First, decide what the purpose of the blog(s) is: management, journal, notebook, discussion, or expression. Second, determine how to grade the students’ efforts. Then, go to one of several suggested sites to set up the blog(s). Make preferences choices that provide the protection you want for the students. Finally, there are suggestions for discussing the blog(s) in the classroom and even a sample lesson plan for teaching the students about blogging.


Classy Blogging
http://www.edutopia.org/classy
by Mimi Gilman

Gilman lists some education blogs that you’ll want to check. There are blogs about blogging… blogs about education… guidelines for student bloggers… examples of blogs created by students… so much to learn about educational blogging!


Best Blog for Educators (2007)
http://www.edutopia.org/best-blog-educators-2007
by Edutopia Staff

Read about Edutopia’s choice for the best blog in 2007 for educators. Also, learn about Google Alerts, a useful tool. [An alternative to Google Alerts is Swamii which I described previously in this blog.]


Edublogs We Love: Ten Top Stops for Internet Interaction
http://www.edutopia.org/whats-next-2007-best-blogs
by Edutopia Staff

These web sites are the cornerstones of a vast online educational community

If one “best” blog for 2007 isn’t enough, go to this site to find the Edutopia staff’s top ten edublogs for 2007.