Step 6: Help parents and students (lll)

 10. Hold parent information nights
  Many classes hold these events at the beginning of a school year. Why not put blogging on the agenda?
 When Kathleen Morris’s old blogging buddy in California, Linda Yollis, held a back to school information night, she Skyped in to discuss the benefits of blogging with her families.
 Maybe you could get a former student, parent, or colleague to help you with your presentation?
11. Parent Email Newsletter 
  Sending a regular e-newsletter to parents can be a great way to offer blogging news or tips (along with other classroom news and reminders).
 A newsletter can also be a platform to thank the parents who have been commenting, and invite parents to comment on particular posts. Being specific on what you want parents to comment on can increase participation.The Anatomy of an E-mail Newsletter
12. Post for parents
 This idea was originally inspired by Henrietta Miller. You can achieve a big increase in parent participation when publishing a post specifically based around a question for parents.
 Miss Jordan’ s Class have an example post on their blog where parents were asked about old technologies.
13. Host a family blogging afternoon
 This is a concept Kathleen Morris created where family members were personally invited into the classroom by the students. Students would teach their special guest about blogging through a scavenger hunt type activity.
You can find a post about this event on her class blog.
14. Host a family blogging month
  Encouraging parents and families to comment makes it more meaningful for students. It also helps familiarize family and students with how to interact with your class blog.
 One way to do this is to have a Family Blogging Month. This is a concept Linda Yollis came up with.  During Family Blogging Month, students try to get as many family members as possible to comment on their class blog. Students record the number of comments by each different type of family member on a class blog chart and the student with the most comments at the end of the month wins a prize (e.g. a donated voucher and/or a guest post on the class blog).
 Visit Mrs. Yollis’ Class blog and her teacher resource wiki to find out more about Family Blogging Month. The wiki( collaborative website) also includes a sample note to send home to parents.
15. Students letters to parents
 Organize for your students to write a letter to their parents to introduce the class blog and explain how the class will use the blog.Students letter to your parents