This morning I listened to the archived introduction to blogging webinar hosted by Sue Waters. I’m a fan of Sue and the amazing work she’s done with educational blogging, so I knew the discussions would be worthwhile, even though I suppose I’ve been “introduced” to blogging awhile ago. See The Principal’s Posts #shamelessplug
Sue began by sharing her main reason for blogging, and the reason was simple: it gave her a way to reflect. She even referred to herself as “the reluctant blogger.” I remember my undergraduate days, hearing from my professors the importance of reflecting after every lesson. They suggested (and still do, from what I understand) using sticky notes strategically placed in teachers’ manuals to note what went well and what needed improvement in order to adjust future lessons.
I’ve used this blogging cycle graphic that Sue created in many of my presentations to teachers/administrators to help support the idea of using blogs in the classroom and school. Some consider blogging a peripheral activity, an “extra,” something unnecessary in the grand scheme of leraning, but take a look at the skills Sue highlights in this process. Don’t we want our students (and teachers) to have the skills to reflect upon and revise their thinking? To be evaluative learners?
Often bloggers get hung up on what to write, myself included. I’ve gone months at a time without posting, struggling to find a topic to write about, never able to find the words. There are times when I’ve found it very challenging to express my thoughts in writing, which is crazy, because writing has always come naturally to me. If I would just let go and write, I wouldn’t encounter these issues. It’s easy for bloggers to be more concerned about their readers than about the benefits of the process. “What if no one wants to read this? What if someone thinks what I have to say is meaningless and stupid?” Well, so be it. Blog for you. One of the webinar participants expressed these concerns in the sidebar chat. She wrote that she felt intimidated and that she felt she didn’t have anything to say. When I’ve tried to approach the idea of blogging with my staff, my teachers felt the same way.
Sue responded, “Don’t worry about it. Write what you want to write for yourself.” She reminded us not to worry about writing lengthy posts as she often does. “I write what I need to write, how I need to write. You do the same,” she encouraged.
Sue offered some great advice about the use of RSS/Google Reader to help organize the #etmooc blogs, those feeds found in the blog hub so skillfully compiled by Alan Levine. I have already subscribed to this bundle in my Reader and only wish I had the time to read every post!
If you’re ready to begin reflecting in this meaningful way, but aren’t quite sure where to start, visit Sue’s Edublogs site for the Kick Start Your Blogging challenges. Be sure to peruse the many useful blogging resources she includes here to help you along the way.
Another great resource shared in the webinar was this YouTube clip featuring thoughts from Derek Shivers about voice and how our contributions, while not always obviously meaningful to others, have great potential. He states, “We’re clearly a bad judge of our own creations. We should just put it out, and let the world decide.”
My real takeaway from this session actually has more to do with reading than writing. Sue said that while many bloggers are thoughtful, diligent posters, they do not devote enough time to reading and commenting on others’ work. She suggested that before starting a blog of your own, it is beneficial to immerse yourself in reading and commenting on others’ blogs. A recent post shared by Tony Baldasaro entitled Feedback and Relationships echoed these sentiments. Tony stresses the importance of feedback in online relationships due to the lack of personal interactions in those settings. He made a plea to ensure that we’re not just superficially “liking” or retweeting someone’s blog post, photo shared, or other work without also providing feedback to the author or sharing why we found something valuable enough to share.
It is, of course, impossible to comment on every blog post you read. But as someone who has been blessed with blog readers who write feedback on my posts, I can tell you that much deeper conversations and understandings emerge when readers take the time to comment on my posts. Their ideas are so, so welcome and their feedback is meaningful. I know I need to do a better job of commenting on others’ posts, and also ensuring that I am commenting back to the fine folks who comment on my work.
Other thoughts: As an active blogger, I’m modeling for my staff, students, and school community that I am a reflective learner. I used to be terrified that a parent would stumble upon my personal blog (not the school blog) and read through my posts. And then I thought, I should want them to do that! They would learn so much about my leadership style and my work in school with their students every day! We need to model for our children the importance of reflective practice. No matter what path they choose in life, they will be expected to be a reflective practitioner in order to improve.
So, on that note, thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a comment if you’re so inclined. Off to my Reader feeds…