Answer to Question 1
ANSWER:
Do know your schools and districts Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) and convey them to your students.
Do get parental permission before allowing students to blog if blogging is not part of your schools Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
Do avoid blogging sites that require students to include their full names or e-mail addresses.
Do avoid sites that request personal information from students.
Do review what is permissible and appropriate with your students.
Do remind students of the importance of netiquette and being respectful.
Do have rules of appropriate behavior and consequences of misbehavior.
Do provide examples of model blogs for students to review.
Do remind your students that blogging is a privilege and appropriate behavior will ensure continued use.
Do find out if your school district allows teachers to create classroom blogs that reside on the school or district server, which, in turn can be evaluated in a safe environment using peer evaluation.
Answer to Question 2
ANSWER:
If you have limited space, set up your home office in part of your bedroom or living room. If you have an extra bedroom or basement, choose that space. The important thing is to have a place away from household noises and a door for privacy.
Minimally, you need a desk, a chair, a computer with always-on Internet access, a printer, and a phone line with voicemail or an answering machine.
If possible, have two computers, one primary and one that you can use as a backup in case the primary computer fails. For example, you could use a desktop computer as your primary computer and a portable computer, like a notebook, netbook, or tablet computer, as your backup.
If you are using a desktop computer, consider investing in a high-quality monitor, preferably 22 inches or larger. A large monitor with more viewing area is well worth the added expense.
If your school does not provide you with a tablet computer similar to the ones your students are using, buy one.
Install virus and spyware protection on all your computers. Always update your software and run virus scans weekly.
Consider an ergonomic keyboard to save your hands and tendons from carpal tunnel syndrome, a headset to keep your hands free while you are on the telephone, and an office chair of sufficient comfort and quality for more than casual use.
Be prepared for Murphys Law, which states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
Have a backup computer
Backup your files weekly on a flash drive, portable hard drive, or use Cloud storage
Have a backup phone service; consider having a traditional wired home phone along with your smartphone cellular service
Have a backup plan in case your Internet connection quits working, such as a personal mobile hotspot