Thing #3

I've never really thought about all the ways blogging could be useful in a classroom until now. Keeping a blog can keep my students informed as well as their parents. I can post a calendar of events, classroom expectations, assignments, examples of assignments, and more. It can always be a source for students to refer to if there are any questions. It can also be used as a place for students to post questions, concerns, and comments especially if it is something the students think of while we are not in class. It can keep parents, students, and teachers connected at all times. It would also be great to post photos and small write-ups from class events such as field trips, class projects, and more. I could also provide links for my students to other sites so that they can refer to those sites for an assignment or for their own education advancement. It could also be a way for me to post ways to earn extra credit.

I would encourage my students to set up their own blogs if the students were old enough to do so. That way, they could post their own ideas, writings, and photos. Keeping kids involved is one of the major steps to keeping them in school. Having a blog and keeping everyone excited will give each kid ownership in their class and a way to feel like they are a part of something great. Each student having their own blog will also allow them to communicate with other students in their class so that they may do group work. It's also a way for students to communicate with other students around the world.

Keeping a blog would be beneficial to me not only to keep my students and their parents involved but also to help me interact with other educators. It will allow me to share ideas and communicate with other teachers.