OK, I get it---Take me to the tools to get started or continue one step at a time...
Spell out the consequences of violating the rules
TeachersFirst offers a sample gated blogger agreement that you may edit to fit your circumstances. If you feel the penalties should be more specific, by all means add more detail. This is a Microsoft Word document. Please read the copyright notice and directions at the top carefully.
OK, I get it---Take me to the tools to get started or continue one step at a time...
Spell out the consequences of violating the rules
TeachersFirst offers a sample gated blogger agreement that you may edit to fit your circumstances. If you feel the penalties should be more specific, by all means add more detail. This is a Microsoft Word document. Please read the copyright notice and directions at the top carefully.
Communicate the rules to administration for their approval
You certainly want to run your gated blogger agreement past your administrator, if your school does not have a "standard" agreement for classroom blogs or an updated Acceptable Use Policy that addresses student use of web tools. Remember that the first time is the tough one. After the first year, this will become routine!
After you have had some success with a pilot blog and proven the power of blogs as an instructional tool, you may be able to convince your school district to consider "hosting" student blogs on school-owned servers. Some schools use Wordpress -- available for free – or Blogger as part the a Google Apps for schools program. Having a safe tool completely under school control would avoid many administrative concerns, including maintaining a complete archive of what students write. Your efforts in demonstrating the power of blogging may help convince your administration. Blogging can be a cost-free "writing program" for your school in tough economic times.
Communicate the rules to the students and parents
Use EVERY means you have to share the blogger agreement and the text of what parents and students have signed. Include it on the “about” page of every class or student blog. Encourage parents and students to comment on the agreement right on the blog. Post it in your classroom. Hand it out at back-to-school night and conferences or have a computer handy for waiting parents to browse through the blog and the agreement while they wait. Make it easy to refresh memories about the rules of the blog. You can even highlight great blog postings to promote the blog. Share links to great posts in your school’s electronic newsletter or web site. Write up a short article, being sure to include a link to the blogger agreement.
Ask all students and parents to indicate their awareness of/agreement with the rules
This is simple. They sign the agreement. You keep the copies. If you have students who could possibly have forged signatures, make a phone call to verify. If your young students need a simpler version, adapt this one or write your own.
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