Definitive Guide for getting a classroom blog started

My thoughts are this. Two things prevent wide spread buy-in to web 2.0 technologies. Apathy and Fear. Not much can be done with apathy. Much can be done with fear. I am currently on the search for a definitive guide to starting and maintaining a classroom blog. Something that will walk a scared, non-believer through the first steps of working with the AUP and working with the class on web safety, to their first sign up with a web service, configuring the site, and then maintaining it. I wouldn't so much care about which service the guide used so much as it's free. Something that could be wide-spread distributed. Maybe one does not exist. Maybe it's a job for the wiki. Let me know if someone has something that is close.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on October 15, 2007 at 5:44pm

I have not written a guide but I have written about my intro into blogging with elementary kids. I'm sure others have too. Read Blogs for Elementary Kids and RSS Feed for Elementary Schools and Really, What are Blogs Used for in the Classroom?.

Reading about the step by step process might help. N

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Permalink Reply by Sue R. on October 15, 2007 at 6:29pm

Oh, Scott, I really agree that we need this kind of guide. I was just about to do a blanket email question about how people work with students wanting to post articles to the school website.

I have been challenged left and right this year with "why have any restrictions" vs. "why should our students be put at that risk"! Using your fear vs. apathy analogy, we are all about fear (total lack of vs. total supply of fear). No apathy here, about this issue, that is!

We still suffer from the "moving target" phenomenon--in two years we may well all be at a different place. Should be, actually. So, I suggest that the guide, instead, talk about what we have put in place ___so far__ and right now, and the steps to getting there which others might follow. Then, we can talk about the next steps...

Knowing our student blog success stories, and sharing them with students and families, seems like a good inroad into this fear area.

I hope others here have more good ideas. I'd like to use them!

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on October 15, 2007 at 6:38pm

I hate to sound like so many of the teachers in my building but lack of time has got to be right up there with fear and apathy. As a school that didn't make AYP, classroom teachers have been told what to teach and how to do it, much of it prescribed. Whatever choice and creativity that was in the classroom has been snuffed out, at least temporarily. I do not teach in a regular education classroom.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Walker on October 15, 2007 at 6:43pm

Sue,

I figured there were more like me desiring something like this. What if a guide section was added to the classroom 2.0 wiki where we could all work on it?