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#1
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Blogs in the classroom
This is being discussed/debated on a teaching chatboard I'm on.
How would you feel as a parent if a teacher set up blogging (to be read only by the child, teacher, and whoever the child chose to give access to) in a high school health class? Based on what I've seen, a lot of teenagers seem to open up more on a blog or online chatboard than they do in writing (some of what goes on via livejournal is scary), so it seems that this might be a good way to encourage writing and discussion, if it could be managed safely. I'm wondering how parents would react, though. |
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On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 08:50:09 -0500, "Donna Metler"
scribbled: This is being discussed/debated on a teaching chatboard I'm on. How would you feel as a parent if a teacher set up blogging (to be read only by the child, teacher, and whoever the child chose to give access to) in a high school health class? Based on what I've seen, a lot of teenagers seem to open up more on a blog or online chatboard than they do in writing (some of what goes on via livejournal is scary), so it seems that this might be a good way to encourage writing and discussion, if it could be managed safely. I'm wondering how parents would react, though. I wouldn't have an issue with it, but my question would be this: How will the teacher handle potentially harmful information that is read in a student's blog? For example, if the student reveals suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming someone else, is the teacher going to honor confidentiality, or will he/she take it upon themselves to inform the proper people? Nan |
#3
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In article ,
Nan wrote: On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 08:50:09 -0500, "Donna Metler" scribbled: This is being discussed/debated on a teaching chatboard I'm on. How would you feel as a parent if a teacher set up blogging (to be read only by the child, teacher, and whoever the child chose to give access to) in a high school health class? Based on what I've seen, a lot of teenagers seem to open up more on a blog or online chatboard than they do in writing (some of what goes on via livejournal is scary), so it seems that this might be a good way to encourage writing and discussion, if it could be managed safely. I'm wondering how parents would react, though. I wouldn't have an issue with it, but my question would be this: How will the teacher handle potentially harmful information that is read in a student's blog? For example, if the student reveals suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming someone else, is the teacher going to honor confidentiality, or will he/she take it upon themselves to inform the proper people? Nan A teacher has a legal (and moral) obligation to inform proper people (and who that is will vary) whenever they discover that a child is in danger -- that would include suicide, hurting other people, or discovering abuse of a child. In every state, teachers are mandated reporters, and have no choice about that. As far as the initial question, as long as it is clear that the teacher WILL be reading it, I don't see this as any different than the journaling many kids do to share with their teachers; it just puts it in electronic form, which, for some kids, is easier than writing long hand. -- Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care |
#4
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On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 00:29:09 GMT, dragonlady
scribbled: In article , Nan wrote: For example, if the student reveals suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming someone else, is the teacher going to honor confidentiality, or will he/she take it upon themselves to inform the proper people? Nan A teacher has a legal (and moral) obligation to inform proper people (and who that is will vary) whenever they discover that a child is in danger -- that would include suicide, hurting other people, or discovering abuse of a child. In every state, teachers are mandated reporters, and have no choice about that. Okay, then how would doing a blog encourage kids to open up, as the OP is thinking?? Nan |
#5
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In article ,
Nan wrote: On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 00:29:09 GMT, dragonlady scribbled: In article , Nan wrote: For example, if the student reveals suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming someone else, is the teacher going to honor confidentiality, or will he/she take it upon themselves to inform the proper people? Nan A teacher has a legal (and moral) obligation to inform proper people (and who that is will vary) whenever they discover that a child is in danger -- that would include suicide, hurting other people, or discovering abuse of a child. In every state, teachers are mandated reporters, and have no choice about that. Okay, then how would doing a blog encourage kids to open up, as the OP is thinking?? Nan Kids who are used to writing in blogs may well just be more comfortable in that medium; they may be more restrained in long hand, but feel comfortable communicating using the computer and on-line. I can't say for sure that would happen. However, I know with one young woman who I mentored, she had a hard time talking to me until I got an AOL instant message ID -- she and I could have some pretty good conversations late at night by instant message, and she was willing to tell me things that I know she would not have said in person, and things that she might not have put down long hand. I figure the more avenues for communication you offer, the more likely each child is to find one with which they are comfortable. -- Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care |
#6
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dragonlady wrote:
In article , Nan wrote: On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 08:50:09 -0500, "Donna Metler" scribbled: This is being discussed/debated on a teaching chatboard I'm on. How would you feel as a parent if a teacher set up blogging (to be read only by the child, teacher, and whoever the child chose to give access to) in a high school health class? Based on what I've seen, a lot of teenagers seem to open up more on a blog or online chatboard than they do in writing (some of what goes on via livejournal is scary), so it seems that this might be a good way to encourage writing and discussion, if it could be managed safely. I'm wondering how parents would react, though. Who is going to have access to these blogs? How can you keep them secure. What if the child gives access to a buddy and the buddy blabs? And what if the teen chooses NOT to give access to the parent. I wouldn't have an issue with it, but my question would be this: How will the teacher handle potentially harmful information that is read in a student's blog? snip A teacher has a legal (and moral) obligation to inform proper people (and who that is will vary) whenever they discover that a child is in danger -- that would include suicide, hurting other people, or discovering abuse of a child. In every state, teachers are mandated reporters, and have no choice about that. I think it must be made clear at the outset and repeated again and again that nothing in the blog is going to be secure if there is something that is illegal or immoral going on. My other thought is - suppose the kid lies about abuse or something like that in order to get someone else in trouble. As far as the initial question, as long as it is clear that the teacher WILL be reading it, I don't see this as any different than the journaling many kids do to share with their teachers; it just puts it in electronic form, which, for some kids, is easier than writing long hand. People seem to be freer with an electronic media because it somehow both more impersonal and yet more immediate. Writing something down on paper gives a person some little space to have better second thoughts about what they are writing. It was a lot easier to write a nasty letter and then wait until the next day to re-read it and rip it up instead of actually mailing it than it is to not send a nasty flame that you've written in the heat of anger. grandma Rosalie |
#7
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ok what in the world is a blog?
Tori "Donna Metler" wrote in message ... This is being discussed/debated on a teaching chatboard I'm on. How would you feel as a parent if a teacher set up blogging (to be read only by the child, teacher, and whoever the child chose to give access to) in a high school health class? Based on what I've seen, a lot of teenagers seem to open up more on a blog or online chatboard than they do in writing (some of what goes on via livejournal is scary), so it seems that this might be a good way to encourage writing and discussion, if it could be managed safely. I'm wondering how parents would react, though. |
#8
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In article ,
Rosalie B. wrote: dragonlady wrote: In article , Nan wrote: On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 08:50:09 -0500, "Donna Metler" scribbled: This is being discussed/debated on a teaching chatboard I'm on. How would you feel as a parent if a teacher set up blogging (to be read only by the child, teacher, and whoever the child chose to give access to) in a high school health class? Based on what I've seen, a lot of teenagers seem to open up more on a blog or online chatboard than they do in writing (some of what goes on via livejournal is scary), so it seems that this might be a good way to encourage writing and discussion, if it could be managed safely. I'm wondering how parents would react, though. Who is going to have access to these blogs? How can you keep them secure. What if the child gives access to a buddy and the buddy blabs? And what if the teen chooses NOT to give access to the parent. How is that different from a paper journal? Personally, I wouldn't expect to have access to my child's journal if it was between them and the teacher -- but I've always given my kids lots of room for privacy. I wouldn't have an issue with it, but my question would be this: How will the teacher handle potentially harmful information that is read in a student's blog? snip A teacher has a legal (and moral) obligation to inform proper people (and who that is will vary) whenever they discover that a child is in danger -- that would include suicide, hurting other people, or discovering abuse of a child. In every state, teachers are mandated reporters, and have no choice about that. I think it must be made clear at the outset and repeated again and again that nothing in the blog is going to be secure if there is something that is illegal or immoral going on. I'd stick to "dangerous". Frankly, the teacher is NOT obligated to report, for example, if a child is shop lifting, and I'm not sure I'd expect them to. My other thought is - suppose the kid lies about abuse or something like that in order to get someone else in trouble. Again, that is not different from what can happen in any other medium. Sometimes, kids lie about abuse, and sometimes innocent people get in trouble. Unfortunately, more often kids tell the truth -- and people assume they are lying and it takes a LONG time for the abuse to get stopped, if it ever does. As far as the initial question, as long as it is clear that the teacher WILL be reading it, I don't see this as any different than the journaling many kids do to share with their teachers; it just puts it in electronic form, which, for some kids, is easier than writing long hand. People seem to be freer with an electronic media because it somehow both more impersonal and yet more immediate. Writing something down on paper gives a person some little space to have better second thoughts about what they are writing. It was a lot easier to write a nasty letter and then wait until the next day to re-read it and rip it up instead of actually mailing it than it is to not send a nasty flame that you've written in the heat of anger. I think that's probably the teacher's point -- they are more likely to get kids to respond to the assignment in electronic form than in long hand. This is really no different from the on-going journals that several of my kids had to keep, with the understanding that the teacher would periodically collect and read them. It is just using a different tool. Any objections that might be raised also would need to be raised WRT the long hand version -- provided that appropriate security can be established. -- Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care |
#9
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"Donna Metler" wrote in message ... This is being discussed/debated on a teaching chatboard I'm on. How would you feel as a parent if a teacher set up blogging (to be read only by the child, teacher, and whoever the child chose to give access to) in a high school health class? Based on what I've seen, a lot of teenagers seem to open up more on a blog or online chatboard than they do in writing (some of what goes on via livejournal is scary), so it seems that this might be a good way to encourage writing and discussion, if it could be managed safely. I'm wondering how parents would react, though. As long as the blog was anonymous, what's the big deal? I wouldn't have a problem with it at all. But I would hope that the school wouldn't be named and that the bloggers would use pseuonyms. If so, than I can't see a big issue with it. |
#10
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"Tori M." wrote in
: ok what in the world is a blog? it's corrupted English for weblog. the most popular appears to be live journal... i'll be nice & not say what i think about them there are also political blogs, craft blogs, etc. which are connected in blog webrings. i do occaisionally read a few of those. as far as online blogging for kids in a health class, i see pretty much the same security issues as in paper journals. who has access? can you guarantee *only* the kid & teacher have access? what about hackers? most school computer networks are about as hack-proof as a tissue... i had 2 classes that required journals when i was in school, both English classes. the one in 7th grade collected the journals & kept them in a "locked" file cabinet. locked is in quotes there because, well, it wasn't. i found several pages of mine copied & spread all over the school. other people took my poetry from it and had it *published* as thier own. therefore, when my 12th grade English teacher asked us to journal, *everything* was written in cypher. nope, i didn't give the teacher the key. if he really wanted to read it, i figured he could damn well break it on his own (which he did, 2 years after i graduated. we still correspond 30 years later g)... so, no, *i* wouldn't write anything in a blog i didn't want the whole world to see (or steal). as a parent, i'd hope the teacher really thinks through the privacy issues before embarking on this idea. lee |
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