Saturday, August 18, 2007

Why Blog

Chris Betcher is celebrating his 1 year anniversary of blogging and he pondered about why he blogs and why it is important to him. I actually started my blog on October 12 2005 although it took a while to get into a regular routine. I'm not as prolific as Chris (he has written an average of three posts a week) but I have written 84 posts most of which have been written in the last half of 2006 and 2007. I remember writing a few posts about the topic of blogging last year. And I guess I haven't really changed my mind over that time. I still write to keep a record of what I have been thinking and doing mostly at school. I like the fact that it's there for me to go back to. Not that I do very often though.
I do like to think that it keeps me in track professionally though. I have even used my blog as a record of my personal professional development and have presented it as evidence of progress in our Performance and Development process at school.
Like Chris I'm not sure that there are many people who read it and unlike Chris's, I don't think mine is terribly insightful or clever. But for whatever reason I still do like to see my words in print even if I am the only one who reads it. Even so I do like reading other blogs and it's often where I get ideas to think about. It's all very social and friendly and a wonderful way to keep in touch with some pretty amazing educators.

2 comments:

Chris Betcher said...

Ah Anne, don't underestimate the impact or reach that your li'l ol' blog has! Take a look at your Clustr map some time! :-)
I enkoy reading yours. It's all a part of this new community of edubloggers that has emerged and it's nice to be a part of it.
I read a blog the other day (might have been from Wil Richardson?) about the questions we ask when we employ a new teacher, or better yet, a new school leader... he suggested that one of those questions ought to be, "So, what blogs do you regularly read?"
This community is a fabulous form of professional development and I cannot understand those who don't engage with it in some form...

Anne said...

Hmm. That would be a very interesting requirement wouldn't it. I do wonder though about the validity and the quality of the information and ideas that are posted. (Hence my own comments about my little blog) but I suppose we will only continue to read the educational blogs that are going to provoke interest and challenge. That's what it's all about I guess.