Freshmen Blogging?

Alright, I am going to do it. My freshman class is taking the plunge and we are going to begin blogging on a regular basis for the rest of the year. I figure I may as well, since I only have 74 more days to use the excuse, "Oh, I didn't know. It's my first year teaching. Sorry!" Also, I would like to work out the kinks now. My 7th period class is the first class that will blog, and they are actually the focus of my ARP for TIPS. I am hoping that while improving the blogging experience I can inspire these low achieving students to work a little bit harder (basically, this may kill two birds with one stone) while learning about the internet.

Recently we filled out ESLRs school wide, and the request was that we do this electronically if possible rather than in blue or black ink. It was during this activity that I realized my classes had been faking their technological savvy. The whole process gave me (and probably the students too) a headache--very few students were able to visit Communicado, log in, and download the necessary document on their own. I feel that basic internet/computer/typing skills should be taught to all freshmen, and I am hoping that next fall I can integrate computer usage alongside language/reading/writing skills.