From e-mail to blogging

Before class blogs gave us a voice to communicate with our classes, e-mail class lists (enabled in 1999 at Middlebury College) gave us easy, instant communication with our classes. My first class e-mails were perfunctory and business like–full of housekeeping details. Soon, my e-mails to my class became more playful as I used humor and exaggeration to hold my students’ attention.


When tragedy struck Middlebury College, I used the ability to e-mail
my class to offer consolation and advice. Finally, a week later, as we began to pick up our lives, my e-mail to the class combined business understanding. I’ve followed the same pattern on my class blogs combining, business, humor, and inspiration.