However, because I also want my students to have ownership of their own blogs, I encourage them to write on topics that resonate with them personally. They are allowed to write about any topic as long as the content is appropriate for the educational space. It is through these self-directed writings that I learn wonderful details about my students. I discover that some have a passion for dancing or golfing. Others grapple with what it means to be a teenager or how to live up to their parents’ expectations. Some are quite opinionated and aren’t shy to tell you exactly what they think of the world. Others use their blogs to publish short stories that they have written. I love that some have found their own niches and that they find blogging to be a powerful form of self-expression.
There’s no lack of pressure on kids to read more in schools and at home but writing is not encouraged outside of assigned work. Being given a blank space to express yourself is something I personally have loved over the years. It’s my outlet and a place to have an unrestricted and uncensored voice that some people choose to read every day.
When most young people express themselves by liking a page on facebook or retweeting a celebrity’s thoughts on war, the written word is seriously lacking for our youth. I would love to see more schools encouraging this.