What is a blog?
"A blog (aka weblog or web log) is a Web page that is frequently updated, usually with personal insights and Web links. Each blog entry is typically short and to the point, sometimes with a link to a longer, extended entry."
-About.com
What do people write in them?
Anything and everything. Blogs are used like online diaries that your friends and other people can read. They are also used by big companies to brainstorm ideas about a topic. Teachers can also use them to post questions and have discussions online with their students.
So, why do I have to know about blogs in the first place?
In 7th & 8th grade English, we are going to use blogs as journals. However, your classmates can read your blogs, so if you have anything really personal to write, please write it in your paper journal (located in your house box in the classroom.) The only person who reads your paper journal is Ms. Cognato, so it is O.K. to put personal information in there. IT IS NOT O.K. TO PUT PERSONAL INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET or in your blog. Any posts that have revealing personal information in them will be deleted by Dumbledore. We are going to use a school-geared blogger, called Schoolblogs. This blogger was made especially for teachers and students and unless your teacher has signed you up, you may not access any student or teacher information. It is relatively safe and will not hesitate to suspend your account if you use your blog inappropriately (ex: posting inappropriate language, links or pictures). This system is constantly monitored by filters and also by Ms. Cognato. However, it is still not a good idea to post any revealing information online. By revealing, I mean the following: name, address, age, telephone numbers, names of people you know (besides me), hair color, height, etc. There are a lot of scary people online who collect information on kids, track them down and try to kidnap them. As if that weren't horrible enough, some people gather personal information and then steal their identity! Can you imagine going to the DMV to get your driver's license 4 years from now and having the receptionist say "Sorry, but according to our records, you already have one and have moved to Arizona." Schoolblog is safe because only our class will be able to see those blogs, but I still ask that you do not reveal the above information. You can never be too careful. By not revealing that information, you are practicing good internet safety. To learn more about internet safety tips, go to the FBI's guide to Internet Safety. Remember, if you have to put those personal stories someplace: PAPER, NOT CYBERSPACE.
Why should teachers & students use Schoolblog?
"The simple intuitive nature of SchoolBlogs is precisely what is required to allow students to express themselves on their own terms. Children's involvement with web-sites has to more than a posting of a few pieces of their work on a third person's static web-site for a non-existent world to see. There is no ownership in that. SchoolBlogs can give children their own soapbox, their own voice. They become habitual writers. They are in control."
"SchoolBlogs are also a great collaborative tool. Working projects between schools across the globe can be provided with an online platform in a matter of seconds. SchoolBlogs can also produce discussion and information flows within an individual educational establishment, that are far more dynamic and effective than a traditional 'intranet'. Teachers and students are motivated to share information because they have ownership of it."
"In short, the potential of weblogs in education is almost limitless. Educators around the globe are using their imagination to produce new ways of using SchoolBlogs to enhance their own teaching and their student's learning."
-Schoolblog.com
How do I sign up for my Schoolblog account?
Go to the member sign-up area and follow the instructions.
How do I login to Schoolblog?
Go to the member login area and enter your username and password. Make sure to log out when you are done!
What should I write in my blog?
I will assign journal entries and discussion questions, but you are free to add your own entries about how you're feeling, what's going on in your life, etc. Also, sometimes if you're having a really bad day, it helps to vent those feelings (as long as you don't use personal information) in your blog. For instance, if you're mad at a short red-haired boy in your class named Bucky Frankenstein, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO WRITE
"I hate that stupid Bucky Frankenstein! He threw a pencil at me and then he tripped over it! He's the definition of a dumb redhead. He thinks his red hair is soooo cool and that all the girls like it, but he's really a short little stupid-head!"
IT IS FAR, FAR BETTER TO think like Aesop and call mean little Bucky "Roger" or some other name that no one you know has. And you don't want Bucky or any of his friends to find out that you're writing about Bucky, and you don't want to get in trouble with your teacher, so leave out the identifying details. So... instead of the quote above, you could write
"I hate that stupid Roger! He threw a pencil at me and then he tripped over it! He's the definition of a stupid-head! He thinks his hair is soooo cool and that all the girls like it. If you looked in the dictionary under 'mean' and 'stupid,' I bet you'd find a picture of Roger."
Now, while neither of the sentences above are nice, the second one doesn't have identifying information about Bucky in it, so you are less likely to get in trouble with your teacher.
How often should I write in my blog?
You should write in your blog as much as you want to at home. However, if I assign a journal entry or discussion question, it better either be in your journal or on your blog. We have 5 computers in my room. This means that only 5 people can be blogging at a time. You will not always get to use a computer, but if you pay attention to the ASAP assignment each morning and see that blogs are an option, try to snag one. If you're on your best behavior and ask nicely I also might give you a pass to the Mac Lab to blog. However, please note that I cannot send more than 4 students a period and that the Mac Lab will not always be an option. Feel free to blog after school in my room, before school in the mac lab and at home.
What do I do if Schoolblog doesn't work?
Write what you would write in your paper journal!
Where can I find more information on blogs and blog safety?
For more great information on blogs, vblogs, RSS, etc. check out Master Teacher, Dr. Sue LeBeau's Webpage: A Resource for Teachers, Students and Curious Adults.