What is a Blog?
Blog is short for web log. It’s a bit like an online diary
or journal, except blogs aren’t necessarily private, instead they’re created
for an audience. And just like a diary or journal, a blog is relaxed, making it
an easy and comfortable way for students to get writing.
Blogs are written on all kinds of topics from A to Z.
Readers can usually leave comments, which lead to discussions about the blog’s
content. For example, a blog about flipping your classroom can lead to a
discussion between novice and experienced teachers about common questions,
advice, tips, and clarifications.
How
can Teachers and Students use Blogs?
·
Teachers can use blogs to publish
assignments, resources, and keep students and even parents up to date on class
events, due dates, and content being covered.
·
Teachers can also use blogs to help
students’ master content and improve their writing skills.
·
Students can use blogs to publish
their writing and educate others on a particular topic.
·
Students can also create blogs for
the chess club or the yearbook club, the football team or the upcoming prom.
The
Top 3 Blogging Platforms For Teachers
Your
first step in blog creation is choosing a platform. A platform is where
you build and publish your blog. There are many secure sites where you can do
this for free. Here are the top three.
1.
Edublog.com is the number
one site for education blogs. It lets you create and manage teacher and student
websites. You can customize your design and even add photos, #videos, and
podcasts. Learn more about this free, private, and secure website platform in
their engaging edublogging
video.
2.
Kidblog.com is a safe,
secure publishing platform designed for grades k-12. It’s free for up to
50 students per class. Some of the features include no advertising, privacy,
password-protected, no personal information needed from students, and simple to
use so students spend more time publishing.
3.
WordPress.org
is a free blogging site and a good choice if your blogs go public. There is no
need to purchase a domain name (every blog has “wordpress” in its title; for
example myblog.wordpress.org. Although not as simple to use as platforms
designed specifically for educators, it has some good features, such as
numerous plug-ins that allow you to do almost anything you want with your blog.
11 Top Tips To Use Blogs in the Classroom
Once
you’ve chosen your platform and the web builder’s tutorials and training
material, it’s time to start blogging. But first, here are some 11 tips
for blogging in today’s classroom.
1.
Guidelines and Expectations
Before starting an outline of your blogging guidelines and expectations check with your school for a written guideline. From here you can develop clear goals, guidelines, and expectations for you and your students. For example, your school may or may not allow photos of students on blog pages or they may require written permission from a parent to participate in a blog. You and your students need to know the rules before blogging begins. Guidelines can be published and updated right on your class blog for easy access by students and parents.
Before starting an outline of your blogging guidelines and expectations check with your school for a written guideline. From here you can develop clear goals, guidelines, and expectations for you and your students. For example, your school may or may not allow photos of students on blog pages or they may require written permission from a parent to participate in a blog. You and your students need to know the rules before blogging begins. Guidelines can be published and updated right on your class blog for easy access by students and parents.
2.
Integrate Classroom Curriculum
Blogging can be used across the curriculum. From math and science to history and health, blogging is great way to take literacy across the curriculum.
Blogging can be used across the curriculum. From math and science to history and health, blogging is great way to take literacy across the curriculum.
3.
English is for Everyone
Blogging not only requires subject knowledge, it also takes good writing skills. Even if you’re using blogging in a math or science class, you should set some time aside to teach a bit of writing and grammar. Just 5 or 10 minutes a class to go over one or two key points will make you and your students better writers.
Blogging not only requires subject knowledge, it also takes good writing skills. Even if you’re using blogging in a math or science class, you should set some time aside to teach a bit of writing and grammar. Just 5 or 10 minutes a class to go over one or two key points will make you and your students better writers.
4.
The How To of Commenting
The comment section of a blog post is where students can share thoughts and opinions and have a discussion about the published content. Initially, it is a good idea to teach students the dos and don’ts of commenting. Start off by writing the first two or three blog posts and have students comment according to your set of criteria. For example, encourage students to contribute quality comments while discouraging put downs and inappropriate language. Monitor comments and provide feedback.
The comment section of a blog post is where students can share thoughts and opinions and have a discussion about the published content. Initially, it is a good idea to teach students the dos and don’ts of commenting. Start off by writing the first two or three blog posts and have students comment according to your set of criteria. For example, encourage students to contribute quality comments while discouraging put downs and inappropriate language. Monitor comments and provide feedback.
5.
Be Realistic
Building a blog takes time so set your sights small. For example, start off with a class blog focusing on one topic where students can contribute posts under your supervision. Choose something the kids are passionate about or want to raise awareness about. For example, a classroom blog could be about an endangered species such as the orangutan or about the importance of eating healthy. Once a topic is exhausted, create a new classroom blog on another topic. The old blogs remain static but available for readers. By starting with a classroom blog, students build the skills they need to create their own blogs effortlessly.
Building a blog takes time so set your sights small. For example, start off with a class blog focusing on one topic where students can contribute posts under your supervision. Choose something the kids are passionate about or want to raise awareness about. For example, a classroom blog could be about an endangered species such as the orangutan or about the importance of eating healthy. Once a topic is exhausted, create a new classroom blog on another topic. The old blogs remain static but available for readers. By starting with a classroom blog, students build the skills they need to create their own blogs effortlessly.
6.
Read other Blogs
Take the time to read other classroom and student blogs. This will give you and your students concrete examples of the finished product and give you ideas when creating your own blog.
Take the time to read other classroom and student blogs. This will give you and your students concrete examples of the finished product and give you ideas when creating your own blog.
7.
Be Consistent
Blogging takes commitment. If posts are haphazardly published, reader base and student interest will most likely decline. The idea is to keep building and expanding. In the beginning, set a goal of a post every two weeks per student and gradually increase submissions, as the students get more comfortable with blogging.
Blogging takes commitment. If posts are haphazardly published, reader base and student interest will most likely decline. The idea is to keep building and expanding. In the beginning, set a goal of a post every two weeks per student and gradually increase submissions, as the students get more comfortable with blogging.
8.
Plagiarism
Explain to students that plagiarism will not be tolerated. Student contributions must be their own work. Don’t post copyrighted images. Do post copyright free images. Include a site here.
Explain to students that plagiarism will not be tolerated. Student contributions must be their own work. Don’t post copyrighted images. Do post copyright free images. Include a site here.
9.
Network with other Bloggers
Encourage local and global collaboration by having students network with bloggers and follow other student blogs. Although it is important to give students a choice when selecting a blog they want to follow, it is best to provide them with a set of criteria to help with their selection.
Encourage local and global collaboration by having students network with bloggers and follow other student blogs. Although it is important to give students a choice when selecting a blog they want to follow, it is best to provide them with a set of criteria to help with their selection.
10. Dive into Social
Media
If any of the blogs related to your classroom are made public, then you’ll want to get more readership by connecting your blog with social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Word of mouth is always the best advertising.
Hang in thereIf any of the blogs related to your classroom are made public, then you’ll want to get more readership by connecting your blog with social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Word of mouth is always the best advertising.
As with most new ventures, there is also a learning curve with blogging. Maneuvering platforms to create one or more blogs while also monitoring student and class blogs can be time-consuming. But there’s a good chance most of your students will be excited about blogging and will want to take on more responsibility, perhaps for some extra credit. For older students (grades
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