Use of blogs in classes

I have never before used a blog with my students. I have been held back by fear regarding students making inappropriate posts (which I have learned I can prevent by requiring my approval for posts to appear), safety from internet predatory nonstudents (Am I being paranoid?), and negative experiences overtaking the discussion. I see the potential for classroom dialogue on assigned topics such as the Spanish customs of Semana Santa processions or on open topics such as examples of cognates and language connections between English and Spanish. I think I will alleviate many of my fears by explaining explicitly my expectations and enacting necessary security pieces such as a private blog. I think the last hurdle will be the hardest for me and that is access. Our school has COWS but they are fenced in by the core teachers who don't support free-range COWS available to Related Arts teachers so it is very hard to get computers for a class to use much less to have this access on a regular basis even if I actually had my own classroom to bring them to. Add in my dilemma of "borrowing" core teacher classrooms when they are prepping and I fear my access is cut to nil. I know the current Spanish a la cart situation is temporary and the administration is working to get freer access for RA staff so I will hone my technology integration skills to the point that I am ready for the day when I can intriduce a safe and appropriate educational blog in my classroom which will engage and enlighten my students in their learning of Spanish as a key 21st Century skill/theme/content area. The classroom blog could be a powerful collaborative and critical thinking tool if properly set up and managed - and that is my job, a job I feel better prepared to do having experienced blogs in this classroom.

Teacher & teacher/student blogs

I think a blog could be a great discussion tool for a mature learner. I am concerned for safety reasons with students using blogs in a public mode so I would restrict access to only the students if I used a blog as a teacher and with my students. I can see a blog helpful for communication with colleagues and parents based on the parameters of the discussion topics. I do worry about things being misunderstood when they can be communicated face to face better but that is where I need to adapt to the technology of the 21st Century, I guess.