I started Forest 14 five years ago as a class project. I thought it would allow students another opportunity to state their opinions and have a voice on a variety of topics. Also, it has been neat to see Forest 14's pageviews grow even greater each year. We are now at almost 45 000 pageviews which includes views from such faraway countries as the Ukraine, Spain and the Philippines.
Some of my students dread blog day because they know they have to write at least three paragraphs in response to the post. Because I expect that grammar and spelling be correct, some students try to write as little as possible with the hopes that they can "get away" with it.
As students move forward into the world of technology, social media as such Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat are going to be tools that they use, whether parents like it or not. My goal is to teach students how to use these tools properly and respectfully so that they can be responsible citizens on the Internet. That includes using a screen name to block their identity.
What do you think about having to write and respond on a blog? Do you think it is important to learn how to respond correctly on social media sites? If you were Blogger of the Week, what topic would you write about?
~The BIG HAM
