Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! Over the next week, I encourage all of you to try to post a message so that you may receive practice in using a blog. Perhaps you can share your thoughts and feelings about using blogs in the classroom. Personally, I feel conflicted about using blogs. For a third grade class, I believe it could be useful for the parents of my students to go and chat with each other about assignments I have given. In addition, the blog could go beyond academics. It could be a place for students and parents to connect with each other on a personal level. Carpools and playdates could be set up, and the students in my class could have an opportunity to socialize with each other outside of school. Conversely, blogs make me slightly nervous that parents would view it as a tool to reach me 24 hours a day/7 days a week. I think it is important to make clear to your parents and students when they blog is to be used, and how. What do you all think?

As a side note, because this site is intended to share professional ideas, I wanted to share an article I heard on NPR. It is about a teacher who uses innovative styles to reach his lower-income students. I found his ideas intriguing, and at the very least, it gives you something to think about. Here is the link to the article if you are interested: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6939776