Use of Blogs in the classroom

One of the major issues that seems to occur at our school is the lack of communication. Communication between teachers, administration, parents and even students. I actually started a blog for each of my classes so my students could always have access to me and I could in turn comment on their progress. It has just now occurred to me to use this same resource to communicate with parents and the new teacher I'm supposed to be mentoring. Actually the blog idea could work within the building so teachers could have another means of communication when our schedules don't match up.

Beyond that personal epiphany I have been researching why we, as teachers, should use this web resource in our classroom. First I found out that 51.5% of all blogs are developed and maintained by 13-19 year olds. One article I read referred to the whole idea as the blogosphere. Hum...I teach Earth Science and I have been remiss in including this sphere when teaching the other ones such as the biosphere, hydrosphere, etc. I believe this sphere to be a reality of the 21st century. Rational for the use of blogs in education include increasing literacy. But not just verbal literacy but digital fluency as well. In the global economy of today our students must not only be able to read but they must be digitally fluent as well.

Then let's consider the idea that unless something is relevant to us, or our students, it's not going to be remembered. Using me as an example, my geography skills were pretty awful until I began teaching Earth Science. When you start looking at global events like earthquakes, volcanos, where tornado alley is and why, suddenly geography becomes important. I avoided math classes in college until my inability to manipulate and solve equations got in the way of population genetics which I dearly loved. I got myself in the math classes I needed and became mathematically literate. I have to teach math if I teach physics, they go together. If our students don't find the relevance they aren't motivated to learn whatever it is we trying to teach and blogging allows teachers to teach across the curriculum to be multi-disciplinary. The math they had to do to solve the experiment we just did in science class has more relevance, it gives them a connection and they have something to write about in language arts as well.

Blogs also encourage creativity and self-expression with an avenue to get feedback on your views, your thoughts, your poetry, the idea is wide open for exploration. Back again to the idea of ways to solve communication gaps, many people, students and parents alike, do not always feel comfortable speaking in front of others and blogging allows equal access without the fear of drawing attention to themself. Welcome to the blogosphere folks.