Thinking about student bloggers

In case there is anyone out there who doesn't read Barbara Ganley's blog (I can't imagine that anyone reading my blog wouldn't already be reading hers!), she has a great post this morning about student bloggers and how she deals with the fact that some students really get into it and others don't.

Barbara makes an interesting point:

And something I see, too, in both my spring classes--the students who blog confidently and read the blogs get more out of the course than the students who don't. But I'm okay with that and see it as a decision the students have to make for themselves, and I shape the class discussion around what is discussed on the blog. I teach to the highest possible level.

I think that is a great way to do it. If the non-bloggers or reluctant bloggers don't want to feel left out, they will begin to at least read their classmates' blogs as preparation for class. Eventually some of them may be sucked into blogging themselves.

One of the problems that I anticipate as I think about blogging with my students in the fall is that I have very small classes -- sometimes only 2 students. (I know it sounds idyllic, but it has its own problems!)There won't be much activity. I will have to work doubly hard, I think, to get my students involved. Especially at lower levels of language proficiency.

I think that's why I didn't start blogging with my students this semester. I needed time to plan it well. I have learned so much from Barbara and from Anne Davis and from their students. I think I will be able to do a halfway decent job next fall. I am really excited about it.