Thing #3

I think the world of blogging is opening so many doors for teachers and students alike.  For teachers, it is a wonderful tool to share ideas and learn from one another.  Just from browsing the blogs nominated for the Edublogs award I learned quite a bit about how other teachers are using their blogs.  Many of these blogs were designed to help other teachers learn about technology, including new apps or websites to enhance student learning by integrating technology into lessons and projects.  One of my favorite projects I saw utilized the photography app Instagram.  An English teacher gave her students a project in which they were to use Instagram to create a pictorial essay describing the theme of the drama A Raisin in the Sun.  I thought this was a phenomenal project and so creative!  The wheels in my brain have been turning ever since I read this trying to figure out how I could do something similar in my future science classroom.  There were numerous blogs with tips on how to be a better educator or working within different educational philosophies.  They were very interesting and can be useful in helping teachers think about teaching in a different way and spark creativity. 

Thinking about blogs in regard to my future classroom, if I were to use a blog I would want it to be a resource for my students.  I would want it to be a place where students can ask questions, find homework assignments or even videos of missed lectures to prevent them from getting behind.  It would serve as a secondary resource and for my students that I could monitor and participate in, and I really like that aspect of it.  I think blogs provide a great opportunity in the classroom and I am excited to give it a try!