Thing #4

I love reading blogs because they are so personal. Since anyone can be an author on a blog, we get to hear some opinions that we might not otherwise hear.
Blog reading and writing is much different from other types of reading and writing because it is uncensored and unedited. The raw material you are reading on a blog is straight from the mind of some passionate person. When you are writing a blog you know there are no restraints on you. No one will be grading, editing, or making suggestions to change it...It is all yours!
Commenting on blogs brings so much meaning to the content. Some comments make you see another side of what you wrote about and often broadens your horizons. Other comments are reassuring and make you feel good, and still others may spark anger and create a debate.
Is there a blogging literacy? I'm not sure. Often times I see blogs written like you might write a text message... I luv u...what r u doing? etc. I think this is okay. We are living in a world of texting and technology in short hand. The teacher in me would prefer for everyone to use correct spelling and grammar, but we all know that will never happen. If you can't beat them, join them!
Blogging can facilitate learning by keeping the line of communication open between teachers, students, and parents. A teacher could create a classroom blog and update it daily with all kinds of information from homework to spelling word lists, to field trip information. Students and parents could use this as a resource other than email or phone calls. They could ask questions or comment and get feedback from the teacher on the blog. Students could create blogs about what they are studying or a book they are reading in a book club...the possibilities are endless!