In the digital era that we are living in, confidence and competence with technology seems to be assumed both by and of the world. Despite being a millenial and ostensibly growing up surrounded by technology, I have felt somewhat left behind as tech has crept into nearly every aspect of life. I have spent my life avoiding technology wherever I could, but my time being able to get away with that has come to a halt. Seeing how prolific and essential tech has become in classrooms – especially in the form of classroom blogs – has forced me become more open to embracing it.

The utility of blogging for classrooms is hard to ignore. A central webpage for a classroom is an ideal way to not only communicate with parents and students, but also to create a sense of classroom community and engagement. Through blogging, a teacher is able to share what is going on in the classroom with all families at once, which allows parents to feel included in their child’s learning. If a blog is used to showcase student work (with parent and student consent, of course), giving students a sense of pride in their learning and achievement.

If I want to be able to do this effectively as a teacher, however, blogging is a skill that I need to aquire and become proficient in. While my fear of tech prevents me from being able to say that I am looking forward to this class, I am very thankful that I am taking it – I clearly have a lot to learn. I managed to set up this blog without too much difficulty by following the instructions provided, though I must admit that I went through the motions without really understanding what I was doing. I hope that by the end of this course I will understand the platforms we use well enough to be able to use them effectively, as well become more comfortable in learning new systems that I may need to use in the future.