How could I use blogs in the classroom?

       I rolled out of bed bright and early this morning, anxious to begin some fellow art teacher blog research.  (Wonder how different my undergrad experience, back when dinosaurs roamed the face of the earth, might have been had I been this excited about homework? )  Fueled by several cups of strong black coffee, I have spent the past couple of hours bouncing around the web, gleefully hopping from blog-to-blog.  Oh what fun!  
      I believe that I am probably just scratching the surface, but initially, here, in no particular order, are the ways I would like to use a classroom blog:

• To establish global connections. My favorite blogs follow classroom blogs from all over the world, artist's blogs, author's blogs, etc.  I especially like the widgets - Flag Counter which allows you to count visitors by the country, and Geovisitors which allows you to display in a worldwide Google Map the different visitors you may have to your blog.
• As a way to communicate with students and parents.  I could link curriculum, gle's, and standards as well as my behavior expectations, grading policies, and building policies. I could mercilessly plea for supply donations needed for upcoming projects.  It would be a great opportunity to provide suggestions for projects that students might want to tackle on their own, and / or provide extensions to activities that we have done in class. Blog visitors could get to know me and see what's going on in the art room.
• To share Student Galleries and a  Teacher Gallery  Share the work of both my students and myself. I could also link other online student exhibits such Artsonia.
• As a means of student reflection and response.  Initially this is a little scary to me, but as I become more proficient in blogging, I would like to provide the opportunity for my students to reflect and respond to their art and that of their peers.

Blogging definitely appeals to the storyteller in me, I can easily picture myself becoming somewhat addicted.