a place for ideas, thoughts, complaints, concerns, questions, observations, compliments
What if we recorded all of our ideas here? What if this became the place to make a note about what went well today and what went poorly? What if all of our complaints about the year were recorded here? What if this became a place to have long, after-hours pedagogical and personal conversations about our classrooms, campus, district, and state in the comfort of our homes whenever time presented itself?
Throughout the year, we all have lots of ideas flitting in and out of our heads. Some ideas come to fruition in our classrooms and we're either relieved or upset at the results. Other ideas just simmer in the back of our mind, stagnant or on the verge of being forgotten. Between us all, we have an incredible wealth of resources and would make one hell of a teacher with our combined expertise.
Now can be the time to get serious about thinking about your teaching. Here is a platform where you can be obliged to your colleagues to put forth an idea or two for consideration. While presenting very little stress, having an audience to write to could put you into a better position to reflect on improving your teaching.
If you care to join this experiment in group teacher blogging, email me and I'll add you to the list of contributors. Even if you are afraid of that committment (what's wrong with you?), check in from time to time and leave comments for the rest of us to ponder.
What if we had time to look back on a year's worth of reflections? How much better would our teaching be the year after?
We all have friends across campus that inspire us, motivate us to do better, and help us transform emerging ideas into fully-developed lesson plans. I had an idea about another way to collaberate with other teachers, rather than just taking the across campus stroll after hours. Oddly enough, this idea occured to me while watching Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a mildly entertaining movie that should move no one to intellectual pursuits. I'm actually a bit worried about myself.
While reading other education blogs out there on the internet, I've "met" some interesting people, some educators that I'd like to philosophize with, some educators that I'd like to share ideas with. These tech-savvy educators remind me of colleagues with whom I share lots of time and energy discussing teaching approaches, frustrations, and general pedagogy. These blogging teachers remind me of friends I have down the hall, around the corner, or just across campus from my classroom. I'd like to talk with them but cannot afford the telephone bill, so I suggest this electronic alternative.
Why not just use email, you ask? Because blogs are so much more fun! And, quite frankly, I would like the dialogue I keep with these educators to be public. Anything that mirrors a struggling teacher's experience is reassuring since they know their experience is not in isolation. We all struggle; let's keep that struggling out in the open where it can breathe.
More immediate friends of mine may find this interesting and may even find their way onto this site as contributors. Virtual friends may do the same. Either way, this will be a spot to bang educational heads together and see what happens.
Did something happen to you today that you want to share? A funny story, a stressful encounter, or maybe a touching anecdote? Is there a succesful lesson plan you want to share? Do you have an idea for something that you want to develop a bit more? Battling with an issue that you just can't seem to resolve? Dealing with bureaucracy and you need some advice? Just come out of a trying situation and you have words of wisdom to share with the rest of us in case we are in a similar circumstance? These are all terrific topics for a post here.
Consider this blog an extention of your friends across campus. Visit as often as you like; the door is always open and you don't have to be home for another hour.
