1. How does a blog improve teaching and learning? I think blogging can help a teacher in several ways. I can see it being used more with the older children but think it can still be used in the lower grades.It can be used as a tool for communicating with parents. Instead of sending notes home with the students and hoping the notes make it home you can post a blog. Parents then can blog back and you know they get the info. Many times when we send home notes you never know for sure if the parents get them or not. It can be used as an interactive way of keeping parents informed about what is happening in class. As a teacher, I can use it to communicate with other teachers and to ask for feedback on situations I might have in my class. Of course, I would have to be careful I assume with mentioning names of students. I don't know if I could refer to my students in name on a blog or not. If a blog is out there for all to see is that a problem? Not sure.
2. How do I feel about blogging students and colleagues. I don't think I would have a problem with it. I do email parents often and will check my school email in the evening and on weekends. That said the problem with that is you never leave work behind. Parents email you and expect an answer back even if the school day is over. I guess if you don't mind spending the time it is a good way to have parents feel like they can be in contact with the teacher at any time. But should we have to be that accessible?
3. Concerns about blogging: I guess my biggest concern is that anyone can read what you post. At least with email you know it is only going to that one person but then I guess they too could share it with others. I think you have to use common sense and blog only general information. Any real issues still would need to be dealt with in person or with a phone call. Also, as I am sitting home today taking care of my husband who just had surgery, I am wondering who in wilton is reading this and wondering if I am doing this during school time instead of teaching? What happens if I am home sick one day with the flu and want to blog? Would the powers that be know that I am blogging and if I am well enough to blog am I well enough to teach? I don't know. Just wondering
As far as using a blog in my personal life I could have really appreciated this technology while I was teaching overseas about 20 years ago. It would have been so easy to stay in touch with family and friends. I think email, blogging and facebook are great things to have to keep people in touch who live far away. I remember waiting for mail and hoping I would get a letter from my family. Blogging would have been great because I could have set up my blog and my friends could have felt like they were right there in Japan with me. I guess that is progress.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I just want to comment about number 3. I share your concerns. When I post to a blog or wiki I am always sensitive about what I write. It can even get more dicey if you allow comments. What do you say if a parent uses the blog to say something inappropriate? You may consider not opening the blog for comments all of the time and keep it as a one-way communication, until you have a need to hear from parents.
ReplyDelete