Blogging has become an important part of my teaching practice. Prior to blogging, I frequently neglected the reflection phase of learning. Now, blogging creates a space for me to reflect on what I am doing, what is working, and how I can continue to improve. Writing my blog has also become a vehicle to share my work with other educators and build an invaluable personal learning network.

I know many teachers are curious about blogging. Some teachers are interested in blogging for themselves while others may want to get their students blogging and writing for an authentic audience.

I’ve spoken with many teachers who are intimidated by the process and are not sure where to begin. The First Site Guide website has a resource titled “How to Start a Blog” that is a fantastic guide for teachers who aren’t sure where to start when it comes to blogging.

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firstsiteguide.com/start-blog

If you scroll to the bottom of the site, there are a list of chapters. The first three chapters are particularly helpful for teachers working with students who are beginning their own blogs. For example, Chapter 1 covers topics ranging from the benefits of blogging to choosing a perfect niche to what readers want from a blog.

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Two years ago, my students began writing their own passion blogs. At the start of the school year, they select topics they are passionate about and begin writing. I’ve done my best to guide them using what I’ve learned as a blogger from years of trial and error. I wish I had this guide to reference when my own students were starting their first blogs! I hope it will help guide teachers looking to begin their own blogs or support their students in the practice of blogging.

If you are blogging and/or working with students who are blogging, please post a comment and share any resources you’ve found valuable!

14 Responses

  1. I get very busy with all the things I do, but I did start a blog this year with wordpress.ORG I used to have a wordpress.COM blog, which is much easier to setup, but wordpress.ORG is much more powerful and not-too-difficult to customize. I hope to build more content in the coming months.

  2. Catlin, this is a great resource! The illustrations are cute, too.

    I think blogging might be helpful to all of us; sometimes it’s also like keeping a personal journal where one can share the thoughts s/he finds important and worth spreading.

    I loved your idea of students keeping their passionate blogs! What are the resources your students use for creating visuals for their blogs, if any?

  3. Thank you for posting this! I have been wanting to blog for some time and finally took the leap. It’s fun and intimidating all at the same time. Thank you for the tips…)

  4. Hello!
    This is great! Thank you. 🙂 I use blogger.com for my students and myself but I’m curious what you recommend for a teacher wanting to start their own blog. There’s so many! Blogger, Wix, etc. What is does this blog use?
    Thanks,

    • Hi Ann,

      I use WordPress, but there’s a bit of a learning curve. WIX creates really professional looking sites, so that could be a good option. Weebly is super simple to use as well.

      Catlin

  5. […] Take it to the next level with some add-ons created just for teachers and students. The basic functions of Google Drive and Google Classroom are only the starting point for the innovative and creative uses one can use in the classroom. Alice Keeler, my co-author in our upcoming book Ditch That Homework, proves that again and again. Alice is one of the only people I know personally who codes for fun. (OK, she’s probably the only one I know like that!) Need Help Beginning a Blog? […]

  6. I started a Blog when I was teaching PreK-5th Grade STEM. I wasn’t very good at it and started a Podcast instead (Which is awesome and fun!)
    Now that I’m teaching 8th-grade history, I’m back on the Blog bus while my Podcast sits on the curb, although I kick it down the road about once a month.
    I’m using Blogger and started doing a series on the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution will be next, followed by the Bill of Rights.
    During our school shut-down, I am having my students read my posts and comment back to me on Google Classroom.

    Thanks for the great post!

  7. Dear Catlin,
    As a teacher leader, I am looking to incorporate blogging into my teaching practice. “The Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Successful Blog in 2021” offers a useful step-by-step approach. As outlined, blogging can be a great way to create an education network for both teachers and students. I noticed that you focused on passion blogs. Your goals included generating a readership (Tucker, 2021). Bringing the blogging experience to the students will help bring the classroom into their lives and therefore create relevance. I’m currently working on collaborating with healthcare industry leaders in my community in order to decipher the healthcare needs of the community. Blogging may be a tool that my students could use to gauge the health education needs in the area. I am hopeful that through the positive connections that the students make, that they can capture audience interest and connect with the community.
    Thank you for your tips,
    Katie

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