Using Blogs in the classroom

I was reading Will Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, the required text for an online course I am taking at the University at Buffalo. I have to say, that I never thought of using blogs as a supplement for the classroom. I think that it could be a double-edged sword.

For one, in theory, having online documents for students to access would be great. However, I think it might be disturbing for students to concentrate on school work when they have e-mail, Myspace, and AIM all on the same screen. They might mean well by logging on to the blog, but I think in the long run, students may be tempted to stray away from the assignment or procrastinate.

Honestly, if I were to use blogs as supplement to my teaching, I would only use it as a way of backing up my documents and as a way for students to access their assignment in case they were absent. I would make it a point to let parents know that it is definitely not a requirement for students to have access to the blog on a daily basis. I think also, it could be a good way for parents to keep tabs on their child's homework assigments. How many times have you heard this scenario:

Child says: "Mom, can I go outside to play?" Mom says: "Have you finished your homework?" Child says: "I didn't have any today"

It would not be my intention to damage a child's relationship with their parent, but I think it would prove to be mutually beneficial for them.

How do you feel about this topic? Would you as a parent want to "spy" on your child's HW assignments? Or Would you trust that your child will log on everyday for the sole purpose of reading assignments?