I have struggled with a long time about the idea of having a blog. I worry that it smacks of vanity, like I am blowing my own trumpet, when in actuality there is a whole wide world full of extremely professional and talented teachers out there. I know - as I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by such teachers in my current faculty. Then I consider how much I have been a lurker in educational blogs. For years now I have read, explored, gathered, and adapted ideas from fellow teachers around the world. Is it fair to always be a taker and never a giver? I have long admired teachers with the guts to post their lessons and ideas online while secretly shying away from joining them. It isn't that I think my lessons or ideas are too precious to share, but rather the feeling that they wouldn't really be worthy of sharing - surely.
But I am taking the plunge. There are teachers out there in all stages of their careers. Some of whom I am sure (I encourage myself) will find value in my musings, the pondering that come out of my daily life in the classroom. Somewhere there will be teachers that find ideas from my pages to use or adapt. Writing a blog may feel like blowing my own trumpet, but what is wrong with that anyway. Daily, I am inspired by the evolving stories being lived out in my classroom, so why should I keep those to myself when they may encourage another. Sharing best practice is not about sharing absolutes, as if teaching could ever be perfected and distilled into a perfect best practice. No, it is about sharing what is working in my classroom today. This will constantly evolve and change in response to my experiences, my student group and current research.
So no more lurking. From now on I will not only read the blogs of other teachers, I will respond to them. I will be brave to share my favorite lessons and resources from across my years of experience, and I will blog about my own journey of learning through teaching. I will proudly blow the trumpet. There are good things going on here and they are worth sharing.
But I am taking the plunge. There are teachers out there in all stages of their careers. Some of whom I am sure (I encourage myself) will find value in my musings, the pondering that come out of my daily life in the classroom. Somewhere there will be teachers that find ideas from my pages to use or adapt. Writing a blog may feel like blowing my own trumpet, but what is wrong with that anyway. Daily, I am inspired by the evolving stories being lived out in my classroom, so why should I keep those to myself when they may encourage another. Sharing best practice is not about sharing absolutes, as if teaching could ever be perfected and distilled into a perfect best practice. No, it is about sharing what is working in my classroom today. This will constantly evolve and change in response to my experiences, my student group and current research.
So no more lurking. From now on I will not only read the blogs of other teachers, I will respond to them. I will be brave to share my favorite lessons and resources from across my years of experience, and I will blog about my own journey of learning through teaching. I will proudly blow the trumpet. There are good things going on here and they are worth sharing.
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