My Reply to the Parent and A Question I Wonder About

Here is my response to the parent who questioned why use blogging in my classroom and why teach them something they will learn on their own eventually.

I completely understand your concerns and your questions are quite valid. When I first heard about blogging in the classroom, I had the same thoughts. But after researching the topic, I have found some reasons why I feel this is appropriate to do in my classes.

One of the main reasons that I wanted to do this is to present technology and all the things that go with it is as valid educational tools. So many times we see the computer for playing purposes (like most of us thought blogging was). Even though blogging can be used as a social network, I want my students to know and understand how they can use it for educational purposes rather than just the “social” aspect that they will learn about in the future. As a teacher, I would rather them learn how to use it from me for that purposes, rather than a friend in the future just for “social” purposes.

Blogging has also reached some of my students who didn’t have much motivation or who are shy. Some of the questions that are asked on the blog are the same questions that I would give in whole group discussion. When we talk in whole group discussion, not everyone wants to speak up in class. With blogging, they feel comfortable in expressing their answers, thoughts, and sometimes their feelings by “blogging“ the answer.

In the future, we will be working on editing our pieces (right now I just wanted to get them used to the process). Blogging will help them with their editing skills, because they will know that what they write their classmates will see.

Another thing that I like about blogs is that it expands the walls of the classroom. I have some projects on there that students may work on outside of class-some have taken me up on it. Students are able to discuss the book and work on an assignment from home. That gives them ownership of their work and helps me feel connected to them and I hope in turn me to them.

One feature that I have added is that I have to prove every comment before it is published. I do try and skim through the blog each day, but this way I can keep any unwanted comments off. Please let me know if you have any more questions or comments, I hope I was able to answer your questions. I can send you some links to some websites that discuss using blogging in the classroom as well as a few pages from a text that I have read.

So that leaves me with this question: Will the students be okay with not seeing their comments on the blog right away? I think they might, but I do worry that it might discourage some. We shall see.