Blogaholic

I must be a blogaholic. My daily blog posts are well documented in this space (I have over 9,000 page views, so SOMEBODY must be reading this drivel!). Anyway, I started a second blog today. But don't worry folks... You will not be subjected to double doses of my mindless blathering each day. I created the second blog solely for the benefit of my 6th grade students and their parents. In this age of instantaneous information on the internet, I wanted my students and their parents to have a valuable learning tool at their fingertips. This "school only" blog will have daily updates and announcements. It will also have daily postings of classroom assignments and homework. No more will students be able to lie to their parents about having no homework (when in actuality they do). No more will parents be able to claim they have no idea what is going on at school.

Picture these scenarios if you will:

Exchange between Johnny and his mom BEFORE the blog.

Mom: Johnny, do you have any homework tonight?
Johnny: No, I finished all my work at school.
Mom: Great job, Johnny! I am so proud of you!
The truth: Mr. Meyer assigned two pages of homework and Johnny lied to his mother in order to avoid his homework to play video games.

Exchange between Johnny and his mom AFTER the blog.

Mom: Johnny, do you have any homework tonight?
Johnny: No, I finished all my work at school.
Mom: Really? That's interesting. I checked Mr. Meyer's blog and it says you were assigned pages 15 and 16 for homework. Get crackin', Bud!
The truth: A few keystrokes can keep mom ahead of Johnny and gives her all the information she needs to keep him on the straight and narrow.


Exchange between a parent and teacher at a conference BEFORE the blog.

Teacher: I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, but your daughter Amy is failing Reading because she doesn't do her homework.
Mr. Jones: What? How can that be? I ask Amy daily if she has any homework and she always says no. I never know what is going on at school!
Teacher: I have left voicemails and I have sent several letters home regarding her missing assignments, but I haven't heard back from you.
Mr. Jones: I always work late. I'm too busy.

Exchange between a parent and teacher at a conference AFTER the blog.

Teacher: I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, but your daughter Amy is failing Reading because she doesn't do her homework.
Mr. Jones: What? How can that be? I ask Amy daily if she has any homework and she always no. I never know what is going on at school!
Teacher: Mr. Jones, if you check my blog each day, you will know exactly what assignments Amy has been given and you can keep up with her school work at your convenience.
Mr. Jones: That sounds great! Amy will be turning in her homework from now on!


So? What do you all think? Is this a valuable resource for parents? Is it overkill? Do I need to seek the nearest chapter of Blogaholics Anonymous? I'm willing to do whatever it takes to ensure I have a good relationship with the parents of my students and that their children have every opportunity to succeed in school.