ClassroomBlog

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Living in the 21st century requires upcoming generations to be knowledgeable and skilled in the advancements and necessities of the century. Advancements in technology, and certainly its necessity, are an example of an important aspect of this century. In order to keep up with such progressions, we are eager to introduce blogging into our school and classrooms. We would like for each student to create his/her own blog on a topic of his/her choice. The blog will be maintained and monitored throughout the year as part of graded assignments; however we highly encourage students to continue blogging beyond the end of the school year. We feel that blogs will be a great way to prepare our students not only for high school, but also for the fast-paced world around us.

Blogging is the concept of being able to publish one’s own ideas and work, while making connections to other sites and greater knowledge. In addition to allowing students to express themselves and their creativity, blogging has many other benefits. Firstly, blogging is an excellent tool for learning. Posting to the Internet allows students to contribute to, and gain from, a vast learning medium. Learning will no longer be confined to the walls of a classroom; rather, it will expand to a medium that may otherwise be far out of reach. Moreover, blogging allows for posts to be archived. This is beneficial because all of the content is always available in one specified location so students will be able to continuously expand, and reflect on different content areas. Furthermore, blogs accommodate different learning styles. They allow students to express themselves in whichever way they please. A visual learner can incorporate more pictures, whereas, and auditory learner can use more audio clips. These are only a few examples of benefits of blogging. Ultimately, blogs are highly beneficial tools that can greatly enhance student learning, so we hope to use them throughout our school.

As parents/guardians, we understand that it is your right to be able to have access to the site and be able to check your child's searches and work. We will try various ways to inform and educate the students about the risks of the Web. Risks are inevitable, but we can greatly reduce the possibilities by informing the students what encompasses as safe or unsafe. Because of the overwhelming amount of inappropriate content on the internet, schools and libraries are required to follow the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) to filter such contents from children. Along with the filters, we will teach students the skills they need to avoid such risks and be able to use the internet safely. The privacy of each student will be respected and will be protected under all circumstances to avoid personal information to be exploited. Only first names will appear to distinguish the students work. Safety is our first priority therefore all circumstances related to safety will be taken very seriously.

One major issue concerning the usage of the internet is cyber bullying. Cyber Bullying is a very serious and unfortunate form of technological abuse in which bullying occurs through emails, web posts, or digital messages/photos. Harassment, online fighting, pranks, and cyber stalking are all forms of cyber bullying and they lead to very serious consequences. We are aware about the dangers of cyber bullying and there will be absolutely no tolerance for such behavior. We will educate these students of the danger it poses among peers and how to prevent or seek help if faced with the situation. We will take immediate actions if this situation occurs. For more information on Cyber Bullying, you can visit [].

Along with ensuring the safety and privacy of our students, we have decided to install a password and login system in order to blog or edit the site. This will allow only students, teachers, and parents that know the login information to make any necessary changes. The blog will be visible to the public so students have the opportunity to communicate with family and friends. However, we are stressing to students the importance of keeping any personal information private. Addresses, phone numbers, and any other personal information should never be shared on the sites. Any personal information a student shares will be removed immediately. We want this blog to be a collaborative form of interaction for students, but it is our duty to keep the students safe. We ask that you as parents to also stress the importance of the site's privacy to the students.

Students are expected to treat this blog as if they were in a classroom setting. Any information that is inappropriate or that may be hurtful to others will be removed immediately. Students that violate their posting privileges may lose their opportunity to use the blog. We are treating this blog like any other classroom assignment, and we expect our students to do the same. Failure to comply with these rules will affect the students' grades.

On a final note, we want this to be a fun and creative opportunity for students to express themselves. The tool we will be using for the blogs is Wikispaces. We would like the parents/guardians to also log in and search around. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask. We are more than happy to answer any of the questions that may arise over the year. Before allowing the student to log in and start using the blog, we ask that you sign and return this form by September 10, 2011.

Sincerely, The Middle School Faculty

I have read and understood the terms and conditions. I agree to uphold these terms and conditions for the 2011-2012 school year.

Student's Signature: Date:

Parent's Signature: Date: