The Greatest Blog Ever Written

There is no great secret to blogging.

You simply do. Either you blog, or you do not blog. There is no try (I feel a little like Mr. Miyagi saying that). Each blogger has his or her own unique style to blogging. It's as varied as writing styles. Some people who blog do nothing more than capture an online journal.

"Dear Blog (which is nothing more than a mash-up of Web Log --> weBlog --> Blog). Today I met this totally cute guy. He makes my heart dance like leaves on a windy day. I know he's the one (unlike Tommy, who totally turned out not to be the one)."

Or something clever like:

"Dear Blog - Today was a crappy day. My EDU 205 professors assigned me the task of blogging once or twice a week. How lame is that? Who blogs anyways?"

There is another group that looks at blogging as a way to report current events in a way that is faster and more personal than traditional news media. Sites like "The Smoking Gun.com" and others turn the art of journaling into journalism.

"You'll never guess what I saw today. While hanging out in a coffee shop Hillary Clinton came. She sat next to me and ordered a decaf half-caf Grande Mocha Latte. This completely contradicts her public stance on caffeinated coffee beverages."

Lastly there is a group of people who want to use blogging as a way to change the world for good or for ill.

"My friends and fellow readers, it is time that we rise up and take a stand against standing. Far too many people in the world today are on their feet for hours on end. We have a God given mandate to be able to sit as we are so moved. Let us mobilize our voices and let the world know that we will not sit any longer on the issue of standing."

Of course you have people like who me who enjoy doing a little of both (not just sitting and standing, but combining all the styles above) as the mood strikes me. The internet provides a powerful platform to communicate your thoughts, ideas and observations to an audience that you might not traditionally have access to.

Now some of you might be thinking, "That's nice Bob, but what does all of this honestly have to do with education?" In all honesty, the possibilities for using blogging in education are only limited by your imagination. For example, let's say you're taking your students on a field trip. Why not use blogging as a way for your students to reflect on the things that they saw, experienced, and what they felt while on their field trip. In addition it allows them an opportunity to share in the reflections of their fellow classmates.

In your English or writing classes, it gives students an opportunity to journal, write short stories, and poems. It gives them a vehicle where they can write every day and more importantly revisit their writing to see their own progression. Practice, practice, practice.

While you made be hard pressed to find effective uses for blogging in a subject area such as Math, but hey, if you think of one, I say go for it!

"Now what about educators of students who can't yet write, or it simply isn't feasible for them to do so? How can blogging be useful for them," you might wonder. Well blogging is a great tool to keep parents up to date. By sharing what happened in the classroom as well as what's going to happen in the classroom, educators can make sure that active parents feel like they can share in the experiences of their children vicariously. It's also a great way to stay in contact with other colleagues and share what's working and not working in your own classroom.

No matter how you approach it, blogging is a great tool to add to your online arsenal.

So what are you waiting for? Grab that keyboard and start blogging!