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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

"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.

"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