With all new things, we did have a few blips though and I would like to share those with you today so that you can learn from our mistakes! So here are 3 Things to Consider Before Blogging with your Class:
1. Model how to write a good blog entry first! I know that this sounds obvious...but in all my excitement starting this new 2.0 tool, I did not take the time to show my students how to write a thoughtful and meaningful post. Next time, I would take the time to draft one with the whole class, using the projector.
2. Model how to write a thoughtful comment! Sounds like number 1, but I am talking about the comments they make on the blog entries. When we first started blogging, my students wrote things like, "that's nice" or "me too". It drove me crazy...why weren't they writing thoughtful comments? Well, once again, I had never modeled how to write a good comment. My bad. I would really recommend practising this with your students first. In fact, I recently read an article in which the teachers gave the students thoughtful prompts before they started writing, such as: "I wonder..., Have you considered..." (Davis, A. and E. McGrail, 2009). What a great idea!
3. And finally, have every student change their passwords after you hand out their log-ins/passwords! It will save you a lot of grief!
Any other advice you would give?
Happy Blogging :)