First TIme Blogger

This is my first time to blog.  I have seen blogs before, but never contributed to one until this semester, nor had my own that I set up and am in charge of contributing to on a regular basis.  I don't really have a lot of time to figure new things out and I am also intimidated by new "techy" things.  In the other summer class that I am taking we are required to blog about the books that we are reading.  It is a blog that is supported by the University of Arizona, WOW Lit. 

I created this blog because it is required for one of the classes that I am taking this summer in order to finish my masters program.  It is tough to go to school and work full time, plus be a mom and a wife.  I think that summer school is even harder, especially for teachers, this is our time to read books that we want to read and recharge so that we can be ready for the upcoming school year.  I was able to squeeze in Water for Elephants, before my summer school classes started.  It was nice to read a book written for grown-ups that didn't have words in it that I had to look up.

I did have problems with adding to my blog's page design and I am still working on how to add a gadget.  I really wanted to add a picture of the beach that I am staying on at the moment.  I will have to work on that at a later time, because right now I am completely exhausted and "techish" things take a lot of brain power.  Overall it was a pretty easy process, but I have not set up many links yet.  In my search to find other blogs about books I found Maw Book Blog.  I liked the format and it immediately drew me in with the old fashioned pictures and diversity in the types of books that are included on the blog.  Recipes can be found on this blog as well!

In my search of other blogs I found one on the National Geographic Kids website, Dog Eared. Here kids can create blogs or make comments about books that kids write about.  As a teacher I think this is a fun opportunity for kids to be able to write about books in a new hip way.  Usually we comment in our Reader's Journal, but I think that my 3rd graders would get a big kick out of this assignment.  It will take a great deal of guidance to get them to understand blogging, especially since I am new to it as well!

I think the tone that I saw on most blogs was is a laid back tone.  It seems to be a place where you can be honest and make suggestions and/or critiques.  I am excited about the possibilities that blogging will bring to not only let me do a little more writing about the reading I am doing but to also hear what others have to say about good beach books and/or books that will help me to become a better teacher.