to blog or not to blog...

Our class has really been struggling with the whole idea of blogging as teachers. I've been trying to look through some other professional blogs in order to get a better grasp on the possibilities. In the meantime, here's my list of the benefits and detractions that go along with keeping a professional blog (as a teacher).

Overall I feel the benefits and possibilities for professional growth, communication with parents and interaction with colleagues far outweigh the detractions...

Benefits of keeping a teacher's or classroom blog:

*The #1 most valuable aspect is increased possibility of communication with parents and students. This applies no matter what grade level you teach. Any way you can reach more parents and involve them with what you're doing is valuable. I looked over my neighborhood school's website and saw how an interactive blog could provide all the same information plus so much more. We struggle every year to involve more parents because it benefits the kids' learning to have parents and teachers on the same page.

*Along the same thread, making what we're doing in the classroom more transparent to parents and the community is a benefit to keeping a blog. We as teachers want to diffuse the myth of the "black box" and keeping a blog is a great way to let everyone know just what the class is doing, your philosophy of teaching, etc. Along the same lines are the benefits of showing a little of yourself: by adding a personal touch you can create a more comfortable relationship with parents.

* A huge benefit of blogging, and of reading blogs, is increased professional growth and development. Personal and professionl reflection leads to growth. Blogging is a great way to reflect and think about what is working in your classroom and what needs improvement. Reading other professional blogs keeps you updated on new ideas and can refresh a tired mind.
The possibilities for peer learning and teaching are endless in this medium.

* The ability to tap into other online resources through your blog is invaluable. This applies to you as the teacher, your colleagues, parents and students. Your blog could be the place they go to get links to parents resources, learning studies, online libraries, and more.

Some detractions and roadblocks on which I've been reflecting:

*The broadband gap: the lack of a functional internet connection to all parents is a problem if you are trying to reach them through your blog. I personally really struggle with blog reading and frustration because I have a very slow internet connection. I end up spending WAY to much time trying to load pages and then just give up because I'm running late, etc. In my neighborhood school (many low SES families here) a teacher's blog may not reach everyone for whom it's intended.

*The fine line between teacher/friend can be blurred through the blog process.

* Some districts or administrators may impose certain restrictions on teachers' blogs. See this great essay about this topic for more.

* Time spent maintaining your blog could detract from time developing face-to-face relationships with peers and parents or could detract from peer/professional development. I think as a teacher I would set a specific block of time each week for blogging so I could manage this issue and keep a balance between online and face-to-face interaction.

Once again, the benefits of starting and updating your classroom blog FAR outweigh any detractions of doing so. I feel many of the negative issues about which our class has been worried are manageable and that as teachers, we have control over what we are doing. That means if we really believe in keeping a blog, we can make it happen and make it very successful.
The more we examine and model other successful blogs or websites the better prepared we will be to host our own. I personally will be going for it!