With the high pressure of state mandated standardized testing , teachers are in need of ways to have their students write more in preparation for these tests likes using student blogs. Instead of turning to the practice prompts, I allow student choice in my classroom. Every other week for the entire semester, the students create a student blog and post about a topic of their choosing.

Over the course of the semester, students will write an About Me page, eight blog posts, and sixteen comments which averages 4500 words per student. Students also learn about 21 century skills as they create blog posts that include featured images, hyperlinks, subheadings and common themes. They also learn about copyright laws and learn how to create their own digital media for their blog.

Class Blog Setup

For my student blogs, I use Edublogs.org to keep everything organized and in one place and there is no cost associated with the blogs. You first create an account as a teacher and then create a class blog. Once you have a class blog, you can add student blogs. The great part is that all of the blogs will be in the same place in the dashboard so you will not have to go visit each site.

Once the classroom blog site is created, there are some settings that you will want to consider. Below is an image of the settings on my student blogs. The goal of these settings is to allow students freedom in their blog within the parameters of an educational blog.

Individual Student Blog Setup

After introducing what a blog is, I have my students brainstorm five potential topics or areas of passion for themselves. I warn them that students will be writing about this topic for the whole semester so they should not choose things that are too specific. After brainstorming, students are to narrow it down to one topic and start thinking of  three potential names. I have them check out this site How to Choose Your Blog Name to help them find a name.

The next day, students meet with a few friends and share their blog name ideas and have their peers help them choose a name. They then write their school email, id number, and blog name on a post-it so I can set up their blogs. You will need a username, email, and password for each student blog.

About Me Page

The first content in the student’s blog is an About Me page. This page is their chance to introduce themselves, share the purpose of their blog, and why they chose their blog topic. This is their practice to their first blog post and has most of the same requirements as the blog posts. Students will also include a featured image of themselves. This page is also a great opportunity to introduce the layout of their blog.

When creating this first page, I give the students a tour of their blog by having them log into Edublogs. They will be able to customize their blog by choosing a theme that gives their blog a customized look. They will not be able to change the font or color scheme.

Blog Posts: Cyber Mondays

Every other Monday, students have a blog post due. These days are called Cyber Mondays because I give the students the first ten minutes of class to publish their blog if needed and to comment on two other blog posts.

Here are the requirements for each blog post.

• 400-600 words
• At least one subheading
• At least one hyperlink
• Featured Image
• Two paragraph minimum
• Written in own voice (not too many outside resources)
• Follows copyright laws
• Grammar and Punctuation

If students follow these simple requirements, students can earn an easy 20 points every other week. I make these requirements simple to help encourage students to write in their own voice and about subjects in which they find interest.

Comments

In order to prepare students for discussion boards, blog posts, and idea sharing that will inevitably be in their future, students must also comment on two other blogs each Cyber Monday. Edublogs allows students to see each others’ blogs in their own dashboard so it is simple for students to find their peer’s blogs for commenting.

There are only three requirements for comments:

• Comment must have content that shows the reader read the blog
• Respectfully in nature
• Grammar and Punctuation

Following these requirements will earn students ten points. By the end of Cyber Mondays, students should have earned 30 points and have written quite a lot without having to think too hard.

I love using blogs in my classroom because I learn so much about my students. Over the course of these blogs, I have learned steps to rebuild a car engine, how competitive gymnastics is scored, what new technology is coming my way, and so much more. Blogs are everywhere and student blogs deserve a place in the classroom too.