A Fresh Start

Well, we haven't really gotten going with this blog yet, but when the time is right, a teacher just has to be ready to go. So here is an introduction to this feature: Blog Etiquette!

Blog Etiquette is a tool. If we can learn to use it, it will allow us to communcate in this really cool blog medium. Without it, the blog simply can't and won't work. Most of you are familiar with instant messaging or text messaging. Blogging is different from instant messaging, for several reasons. First, this blog is a public, not private, form of communication. Anyone can and will read (or try to read) your posts. You are writing for the public eye! Second, the blog has a purpose (dialog around concepts being explored by a group) that goes beyond informal communication between friends.

Reluctantly -- because I hate to discourage dialog -- we have removed some posted messages that did not belong on the blog.  Please use the blog, but in doing so, I also ask that you to follow these five basic conventions. (Consider this a starting set; we may want to add more as our dialog continues. Do you want to suggest others?)

• Relevance. Post ideas, observations, thoughts and experiences that relate to our school, curriculum, and classes -- not about your favorite foods or ski resorts. Make comments that express something to further the group dialog and give others something to think about.

• Language and Punctuation. Write so that anyone can make sense of your posts. Capitalize names and the first word in your sentence, for example, and avoid such things as jargon, acronyms, text shortcuts (like "u" instead of "you") vulgarity, and profanity.

• Social Norms. Be polite and respectful of your fellow bloggers. This is not the place to call names, insult someone's professionalism, or air grievances. Disagreements about the topic being discussed are fine, just express them as such and not as personal attacks.

• Accountability. Take responsibility for your own statements. Don't try to impersonate others or post anonymously. We know each other and the blog represents (hopefully) a positive extension of our relationships, not a way to undermine others or take swipes at people who aren't in the room.

• Flow. Post your message in response to the most recently published blog entry. We will lose our conversational thread if you are posting responses to last month's messages. (I eliminated the pop-up windows to make it easier to follow the thread.) And when you respond to another post, make it completely clear which one you are replying to.

Thanks, all.  Again, it remains to be seen how this blog will play itself out.  We will accommodate comments as best we can.   More content-related entries will come shortly -- we have a lot going on in our preparations for this exciting term!