Blogs+and+Bloggers

Blogs are important Web 2.0 applications in which a person or an organization "hosts" a blog on the site and then provides a running commentary about topics of interest to those who subscribe to the site. Most blog sites allow members to post their comments as well.

Note: Not all blog sites here can be accessed through the filter! Use your filter override password if the site is blocked.

Looking for ideas? Check out this article, **//Blogging Resources for Classroom Teachers//**

Class Chatter ClassChatter offers free blogging and web tools for teachers at all levels of education. Their first goal is to provide a safe haven for teachers and students on the web. You will find a secure and private environment, free of any advertising directed at your students. It is their hope that you will discover useful tools that will help move your students more into 21st century communications and collaboration!

[|21 Classes] // Sign up for this free Internet tool that allows you and your students to blog on topics of your choosing. Sites can be set to private, which means only you and your students can view comments. In addition, the teacher can request to view postings for appropriate content before they appear on the blog. The best part? No student e-mail addresses are required in order participate. //

Kidblog Kidblog.org is designed for elementary and middle school teachers who want to provide each student with their own, unique blog. Setting up student accounts is fast and free, and no e-mail addresses are required.

Class Blogmeister [] This blog site was created specifically for use in the classroom, much like 21 Classes (above).

Blogger []

Vox []

Wordpress [] Contact Matt Daubenspeck if you want a blog set up in WordPress for your class.

Edmodo A private social platform for teachers and students to share ideas, files, events and assignments. This tool updates instantly, so it can function as a classroom backchannel.

[|Be a Better Blogger] Steve Dembo, on Discovery Education, did a 30 day blog challenge a couple of years ago -"30 Days to Being a Better Blogger". This is a valid activity for HS or MS students to explore blogging. While each entry is a solid read, there's a lot to get through here, so it might be best to jigsaw the days and create a "quick and dirty" list with your classes.


 * These EduBlogs are online journals, written by teachers. They are created out of a desire to share the best in educational practice with other educators.**

Share classroom tips Read about topics of current interest to educators Review educational research Get advice on using instructional technology Collaborate with other teachers Find out about professional development opportunities Listen to podcasts on educational topics View technology tutorials Contact experts Express opinions
 * Use an edublog to:**

Edutopia This site is dedicated to transforming the learning process by helping educators mplement the core strategies: Integrated Studies, Project Learning, Technology Integration, Teacher Development, Social and Emotional Learning, and Comprehensive Assessment. These strategies -- and the educators who implement them -- are empowering students to think critically, access and analyze information, creatively problem solve, work collaboratively, and communicate with clarity and impact. Discover the resources, research, experts, and fellow Edutopia members who are changing our schools. Join us in reinventing the learning process!
 * Some EduBlogs of interest:**


 * [|Assorted Stuff]** by Tim Stahmer from Fairfax County Schools. This site provides a collection of training materials for teachers "who want to publish on the Web, work with digital images, and generally use technology to improve their professional practice."

[|****Partnership for 21st Century Skills: Route 21****] Library Media Specialist Joyce Valenza from the Springfield Township School District, located just outside of Philadephia, has created this EduBlog as a resource for teachers interested in promoting true literacy. She calls it a "major sandbox for discovery" and here you'll find a framework for literacy skills, assessment tools, and ways to construct rich learning environments.

[|Alan November Webblog] Alan, renowned consultant and author, invites you to listen to exemplary keynote speeches via podcasts. What do you know about online community building? Take the quiz and find out. Alan asks his readers for their best hopes about the impact of technology and the Internet on learning. Refer to this edublog's philosophy on technology and encourage your administrators to expand district programs.

[|Computer Science Teacher Alfred Thompson] taught for eight years and is now the K-12 Computer Science Academic Relations Manager for Microsoft. His edublog focuses on successful technology techniques to boost students' skills.

[|Alexander Russo: This Week in Education] Hosted by Scholastic, this site is a virtual goldmine of major education news stories that involve national politics. Alex also reads other educators' edublogs and shares bits of the most interesting ones.

Below you will find some great teacher blogs recommended by Scholastic:
**Mrs. Cassidy’s Classroom Blog** The lowdown: Canadian first-grade teacher Kathy Cassidy invites readers into the classroom to interact with students and her dynamic lessons. Why We Love It: Besides sharing fun ideas like making fairy-tale characters out of clay, Cassidy lets us witness her students’ learning firsthand by posting lots of videos and photographs. And another bonus: We get to learn from Cassidy’s many guest speakers, too! Why She Loves Blogging: “My favorite thing about blogging,” says Cassidy, “is that the students literally have a worldwide audience. They see themselves as writers because people can and do read and comment on their work.”
 * 1. Best for Hands-on Activities**

TEACHFOR.US The lowdown: Teach for America teachers share the ins and outs of the sometimes controversial program. Why We Love It: Whether you want TFA dirt (like how tough the boot-camp training really is) or warm fuzzies (like one blogger’s quest to get her student to love books by reading with her nightly over the phone), you’ll find the goods in this collection of blogs from TFA corps members working all over the country.
 * 2. Best News From the Trenches**

Docere Est Discere The lowdown: Galen “Mr. B.” Broaddus discusses his journey toward becoming a teacher. Why We Love It: From tips for up-and-coming student teachers to his own reflections on his process, Mr. B. reminds us how far we have come. Perfect for those days when we’re feeling just a bit jaded. Why He Loves Blogging: Broaddus enjoys the feedback. “Knowing that there are other teachers (or teacher candidates) out there who are working the front lines and having the same concerns that I have had is comforting, and we work through them together,” he says.
 * 3. Best Student Teacher Blog**

The Teaching Palette The lowdown: Teachers Hillary Andrlik and Theresa McGee cover useful resources (like the best iPhone apps for art teachers), classroom-management techniques, and art-worthy news. Why We Love It: With arts programs always under threat, it’s nice to feel like there’s an online home for people who value the importance of watercolor and oil paints. Why They Love Blogging: Both McGee and Andrlik enjoy the opportunity to connect with teachers nationally and internationally. Says McGee, “Art education has a unique set of challenges, and blogging has created an online forum to share ideas.” Adds Andrlik, “Our readers often give us new insight on a topic or provide a fresh perspective based on their unique experience.”
 * 4. Best for Art Teachers (or Other Happy Finger-Painters!)**

needleworkspictures.com The lowdown: Tech wiz Mathew Needleman provides quick tips on integrating tech into the classroom. Why We Love It:: Needleman skips the jargon and explains how to incorporate iPhones in the classroom, clarifies podcast copyright laws, and discusses making digital movies, putting even the technologically challenged at ease.
 * 5. Best for Tech Wannabes Creating Lifelong Learners**

Integrating Tech The lowdown: Pennsylvania teacher Scott Snyder is always ahead of the technological curve. Why We Love It: Who would have thought texting, Tweeting, and chat rooms made for good lessons? Snyder uses all of these, plus Skype and Chatzy, to conduct discussions in the classroom.
 * 6. Best Forward-Thinking Tech Blog**

Digital Anthology The lowdown: Award-winning special-education teacher Maria Angala posts daily lessons and classroom videos. Why We Love It:: There’s no hard-core pedagogy here—other than that determination can make all successful—but we get to see the kids’ creativity at work. And if you want something more theory-based, Angala keeps another blog at teachersol.blogspot.com. Why She Loves Blogging: Says Angala, “Our social workers read the blog to understand my students’ inner feelings.”
 * 7. Best Special-Ed Blog**

science fix The lowdown: Middle school science teacher Darren Fix entertains with science lessons and experiments. Why We Love It:: Watch his Mr. Wizard––style experiments—like using a jellyfish to learn genetic engineering. Why He Loves Blogging: Says Fix, “Posting stimulates my creativity and leads to new ideas. It’s a positive experience in a profession that unfortunately dwells on the negative too much.”
 * 8. Best for Super Science Ideas**

Principals Page The lowdown: Illinois superintendent Michael Smith chronicles his days. Why We Love It: Smith’s blog discusses everything from Ferris Bueller to teaching conferences to a surefire way for President Obama to fix education. Why He Loves Blogging: Says Smith, “It allows a small-town superintendent to be involved in national or worldwide discussions on education issues.”
 * 9. Best Superintendent Straight Talk**

A Year of Reading The lowdown: Teachers Franki Sibberson and Mary Lee Hahn review new children’s books. Why We Love It:: The reviews are always teacher-focused, pinpointing possible readers as well as how a book might be used in the classroom. Why They Love Blogging: Says Sibberson, “The writing helps us stay current on books and with teaching.”
 * 10. Best for Kid Book Reviews**

Youth Voices The lowdown: Students and their teachers participate in a “colossal ongoing discussion about everything” via podcasts, videos, and blogs. Why We Love It: This blog turns the typical student-teacher relationship on its head with both parties acting as equals and learning from each other.
 * 11. Best Student-Written Blog**

It’s not all flowers and sausages The lowdown: A second-grade teacher with the pseudonym Mrs. Mimi dishes about the crazy side of teaching. Why We Love It: Fantasies of throwing down with that colleague who –rummages through your desk? Horror field-trip moments that have carved a permanent groove in your mind? Faculty-room shenanigans that rule your day? Thanks to Mrs. Mimi, we never have to feel alone. Why She Loves Blogging: Says Mrs. Mimi, “It’s comforting to know that I am not alone in my frustrations.”
 * 12. Best Tell-It-Like-It-Is Blog**

regurgitated alpha bits The lowdown: Anonymous elementary school teacher blogs about the students she loves and the job she hates. Why We Love It: This blog gives you totally true antics of the elementary school kind and tips you can really use: Preview “educational” videos before showing and be alert for fourth-grade make-out sessions! Perfect with a good cup of coffee, when you need to block out irritating colleagues, and when you could use a good laugh to start your day.
 * 13. Best Laugh-Out-Loud Blog**

Techno Tuesday The lowdown: Media specialist Cathy Nelson provides tips on incorporating library technology into lessons. Why We Love It:: Nelson shares creative research ideas as well as humorous daily tidbits. Why She Loves Blogging: Says Nelson, “It enhances my ability to be reflective, to see how I have learned from others.”
 * 14. Best for Media Specialists**

classroom solutions The lowdown: Hear straight from Scholastic’s team of teacher advisors on topics ranging from reader’s workshop to discipline and organization. Why We Love It: All of the photos and videos! Almost every post features a photo showing exactly how the teacher advisor implemented an idea in his or her classroom. You can also subscribe to the posts for just your grade level.
 * 15. Best for Problem Solving**

Just a Substitute Teacher The lowdown: “Mr. Homework” tells harrowing tales of the substitute kind. Why We Love It: Let’s be honest. Sometimes we’d rather come in sick than call in a sub. Mr. Homework, however, is one of the good guys. His outlook on the sub life (e.g., “Sometimes it’s not about actually teaching anything”) makes us wish he was in our district.
 * 16. Best Substitute Secrets**

Hooda Math Blog The lowdown: Math teacher Michael Edlavitch uses games to teach math. Why We Love It: The word games may conjure images of worksheets with cutesy pics and fill-ins, but Edlavitch goes way beyond that. His arcade games with Flash—complete with worksheets teachers can print out—are reminiscent of old favorites like Pac-Man. Kids will play video games anyway, why not sneak in some learning potential?
 * 17. Most Entertaining Math Blog**

Learning Is Messy The lowdown: Brian Crosby discusses how he uses blogging and other technology in the classroom. Why We Love It: Crosby’s creativity can’t help but draw us in. He has used Skype to broadcast a class visit from Christa McAuliffe’s mother and to communicate with a student who is on home instruction due to leukemia. Why He Loves Blogging: Says Crosby, “It is the strongest resource I have experienced in 28 years of teaching.”
 * 18. Best Classroom Use of Blogs**

The Jose Vilson The lowdown: Artist, poet, and math educator Jose Vilson gives the inner city a human face by blogging about sometimes touchy topics. Why We Love It: Vilson does not shy away from tackling the controversial, such as his entry about the shortage of black Latino male teachers like himself. He’s passionate about changing education and exposing inner-city reality, and his passion is contagious.
 * 19. Best View of the Inner City**

Tales From the School Bus The lowdown: A school bus driver fills us in on the insanity that goes on before students enter the classroom every morning and after they leave. Why We Love It: We all have to multi-task, but try keeping order and driving at the same time! This blog gives us the dirt—from failing brakes to bus “heathens” like WhinyGirl. This is a side of school we often overlook!
 * 20. Best Blog From Outside the Classroom**