The Begin

Today is my first day of graduate school. And I am doing what is perhaps the coolest thing I've ever done as a student-- I'm creating a blog for class in class.

I feel a bit like a kid with a new toy... or better, a new idea. I had honestly never considered that something so informal, so public and so common (at least, to this generation) as blogs could be used as a means and even an end for literacy education. I feel a little embarrassed that I hadn't thought of it before -- but, I suppose every good idea leaves people thinking "of course! I shoulda thought of that...."

Shelby Witte's "That's online writing, not boring school writing": Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project" describes some of the enthusiam I feel for this idea, though I admit I relate more with her students than with her. At least I did as an initial reaction. One of the big appeals of blogging is that it allows an avenue for writing what is really on one's heart and mind -- whether it's a political dogfight or emotional vomit-- which is partly why I'm so excited about all this. One of the student's Witte cites said that writing one a blog was not just writing, it was their "voice." I have a voice and I, as many others, wish to be heard.

The brilliance of blogging -- especially as a tool -- is that it is such an intimate experience. Writers, students, and student writers (such as myself) can write what weighs heavy with us with the buffer of anonymity, if we so choose, and distance from our readers. But, I have to admit that for me, the intimacy has been exactly why I dislike it. In my whimsical moments, I often catch myself disclosing more in the first publishing than that with which I am later comfortable (as is true with this post). I would be curious to see if that is simply a peculiarity of mine or if writing in the informal blogosphere is conducive to that kind of literary approach.