Blogs & RSS Feeds in the Classroom?

Seems to me like blogs could be a really practical way to communicate what's happening in your classroom to parents and the community.  From daily assignments to upcoming units to the achievements of students, blogs would facilitate classroom communication easily and effectively.

However, I have to admit... I'm stumped when it comes to using RSS feeds in my classroom.  Anyone have practical ideas to share?  It seems like using RSS feeds would be a great way for teachers to stay up-to-date on practical & effective teaching methods.  This encourages professionalism and saves a lot of time for teachers who are looking for new ideas.  Also, not sure that I should admit this, but subscribing to the updates on websites seems like an awesome way to stay up-to-date on celebrity gossip!  (just kidding... kinda).  But I'm really stumped as to how to utilize RSS feeds in my classroom.  Can 5th graders use them?  Help me see the light! :)