Blog, blog, blog.

Being relatively new to the blogosphere, my opinions are still forming on its application to our lives and the potential lives of my students. The first blogs that I read were those of acquaintances and friends from the distance running community. Mostly these were in some way related to the sport, but those that were most interesting to read had some element of creativity to them. If the writing was good, I was hooked! If it wasn't, I would move on to something else. This is the same way I approach any other media that I read.

My first role in being an actual publisher in the blogging world way when I opened a Facebook account. At first, I struggled to determine anything meaningful to say. It was hard to find communicate something about myself that my "friends" would actually care about! I still struggle with this. When this medium is used strictly for self-promotion of thought or status, it becomes very stale to me. I appreciate those of my "friends" who are using the site to open people up to new information like political ideas, news articles, websites, music, arts, and events.

Dr. William Kist references Angela Maiers, a literacy consultant, who "advocates that 70% of what one posts be sharing resources or providing links rather than lecturing or giving online speeches. "This is purposeful, mindful literacy, she says."" (W. Kist, The Socially Networked Classroom, 2010, p.62) In using blogs in the classroom with students, I see where blogs need to have a distinct purpose. There can be freedom in the way that blogs or blog responses can be developed by students, i.e with the use of other media and links to other work, but the more structured the criteria are for blog assignments the more directed the blogs will be toward specific learning goals. As a math teacher, I was glad to see Dr. Kist reference Kenneth Rochester, a math teacher at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. Kenneth is using Google Docs as a way to have learning groups post their solutions to the classwork from the day. The next class day, one of these Google Docs is selected as an answer key for the rest of the class. (W. Kist, 2010) I like this as a new way to get students to collaborate, to be accountable, as well as a way to share ideas and open up dialogue in class!

I am eager to start the school year with blogging in mind! I am excited to share this potential with the colleagues on my team, assuming we have access to an appropriate platform at our school. The possibilities of how we can use blogs with our students are many and I can't wait to hear the ideas of my fellow teachers!