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Aaryn Faust's Blog

**Why Use a Blog?**

Blogs Give Students an Audience Blogs have been shown to create excitement in students, especially if the teacher can involve different types of people including parents and community members. Imagine a business class that had a banker or financial officer respond to their classroom blog and offer real world problems for the students to tackle, or an Environmental Science class communicating with National Geographic field editors. The learning that takes place because of the authentic assignment is exactly what our students today are looking for; the answer to the age old question "why do I have to learn this, why is it important?" Proper blogging etiquette must be taught however, as we have a responsibility to our student to teach them how to use technology appropriately.

Blogging is History: Taking Classroom Discussions Online This article focused on the fact that blogs allow students to express their understanding through images, and sound, as well as text. The educational possibilities are truly limitless. Activities that center around blogging allow students to analyze, extend and synthesize information which are the abilities necessary for students to "understand" information not just "know" it. This is what Understanding by Design is all about.

From Curriculum to Communication, a School Immerses Itself in Technology Blogs would be a great way to communicate with past and present students about what is new in the technology world and how they would like to use it in the classroom. Blogs are also a great way to communicate with parents. If students post work throughout the day, parents don't have the guessing game of what went on at school that day, or what needs to be completed at home that night. The blog provides them insight into the day's activities. It's also a great way for students to answer each other's questions about homework or upcoming activities.

Why Should Middle School Students Blog? This article talks about the potential that blogs have for students to practice their writing skills. Blogs may help some students to find their voice, one of the hardest 6 Traits to teach. We only get better at things we practice and blogging gets kids motivated to write, thus practicing the skill. Our job as educators is to teach them how to properly cite information and how to use the internet appropriately.

Science Blogs in Middle and High School I found this article interesting because it compared blogs and class websites. Blogs are not static, students and parents can comment at any time and comments can either be allowed or blocked. Many blogs are free and are much more user friendly than some school websites. They are also a great resource for staying in touch with homeboud students. These students could potentially keep up to date with lessons if classmates had the ability to update blogs with the days information.

6th Grade Collaborative Reading Blog This is a blog that my current 6th grade GATE students are participating in. They are able to discuss the books they are reading with students from two other schools in Wisconsin. They are also responsible for answer the questions posted by the teachers that are participating.