When I first entered the teaching program students were told make their Facebook accounts private. Do not accept invitations from students. They say this because the first things students will do when they learn your name is get on Google and find out all about you. Imagine if a blog like any of the 50 Must-See teacher blogs popped up when they searched you. Now that is a good first impression.
As a teacher it has many uses. The internet is what children and adults alike flock to now. It is where they talk, do their research, and learn about the world around them and what is happening in the world. Blogs can end up being a useful tool in a teacher's arsenal. A teacher can connect their students with useful research materials, and point them toward a love of reading or science even after the school day ends. The parents may also benefit from these. By reading your thoughts and articles on teaching, a parent can know were you stand on issues, and begin to view you as a dedicated professional. If you post articles meant for the children you teach, for instance the best books for an elementary school class, then it can allow parents to become more involved with their child's education. And we all know that this is a vital component for an effective educational atmosphere.
Above and beyond these, adding articles about different things happening around the world in a subject area or in education can help children in creating a more diverse worldview. Creating a diverse understanding of a subject dramatically increases a student's comprehension of that subject area. The idea that it could make a student a more well rounded and worldly individual is an obvious bonus as well.
After writing this I feel it is only fair to mention I have never given the slightest thought to adding a blog into my classroom setting. But now that I have written it, I think I have just talked myself into it. I can not even talk myself out of it. I just tried to talk myself out of it in fact. It did not work. Yes. I must have one of these for my future classes.
I had absolutely no intentions of implementing a blog space within my teaching program either; however, after reading your blog, I can imagine more uses of blogs for my students. I imagine I will continue blogging, even after I am done with this class (Education 3040).
ReplyDeleteYou are not only good talking yourself into a blog but you also have convinced me! Amber, your points of how the blog would be a great tool for a teacher are right on. I believe it is important as a teacher to have a connections with your students and parents. A blog is a great way to connect and allow your parents an insight on your philosophy of teaching.
ReplyDeleteAmber, thank you for the comment. With this post, you caught my attention with the first sentences. I knew the purpose of the blog but I thought, just by reading the first few sentences, that you were going to go somewhere else, but surprisingly you made a good point. Instead of only trying to hide who we are, while we are in training/university more teachers should take classes that allow them to start blogs so when they do go to the classroom, that is the first thing the parents and students see.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I do love the feel and layout of your blog. Very cool!
I feel the same way about blogging as a teacher to benefit parents. If we allow parents to see our blogs and include them I feel they will be more appreciative about us as a teacher, that we are opening up to them and they should open up to us and include themselves in their children's education. It shows parents that teachers, like us want to include the parents and not keep them out.
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