Chapter 3: Weblogs Get Started!

If we want our students to learn from blogs, we have to experience that learning firsthand or, as Ganley says, "get into their shoes."

*The first step is to take some time to just read some good Weblogs.
*In fact, posting on other people's blogs before you start
your own is a great way to get the feel of publishing your thoughts. Just wait
until that first person responds to something you've written; that's when
you'll truly start to understand the power of the ReadlWrite Web.
*Be a public blogger.
*Put your name on your work.

These types of posts should form the foundation
of your blog work. That's not to say keeping a blog is all work and no
play.
BLOGGING WITH STUDENTS
First, get students reading blogs. Prepare a list of Web logs with appropriate
content and look at some of those sites with your students.

Next, you may want to try letting students respond to the posts on your
class blog. The first time I used Web logs with one of my classes.
Having small groups of students actually start creating posts to the same
Weblog is a great way to introduce them to blogging (in the "connective writing"
sense) and to help them understand the process.
Finally, you may want to consider giving each student his or her own
blog.
BLOG SAFETY
To make publishing to the Web a part of our Acceptable Use Policy that parents had to sign
To communicate to parents what safety precautions you have in place to protect student privacy.
safety also means having in place a way to consistently monitor the activity on
whatever blogs your students are using.
As you read what students write, try to respond by commenting back when appropriate.

BLOG SOFTWARE
You will want to make sure you have adequate tech support on hand to
address any problems that may arise. Depending on what you choose, you or
your support people may need to learn how to maintain the installation, back
up the files on the server, and stay current on the latest updates.

BLOGGING STEP BY STEP

1.Use this link (www.Blogger.com). which is owned by Google to make your blog.
2.You can create as many blogs at Blogger as you want from your one account.
3.The address of your site will be "whatevernameyouchoose.blogspot.com,"
4.you can always create another site by using the"Create a Blog" button on the dashboard that comes up after you login.
5.Just hit the "New Post" button to, well, create a new post to the home·page.
6.to give your post a title, enter in your content.
7.and then choose to either"Save Now" as a draft for editing later or publish it directly to your blog.

Did you know...?
Blogger also makes it easy to add pictures to your post.