#ETCoaches Blog Challenge #4 – Blogging – Why and Who?


Blogging is something that I have aimed to do more of since I was in college. My roommates and I tried to start a sports-themed blog run solely out of our apartment (I like to think we were too ahead of the times for getting that site off the ground). Blogging has been around and a part of my life for many years, but it was more in the last few years that I started to see the value in seeking out blogs that helped me grow as an educator.

While I can read about best practices, researched-based articles, and the newest trends in everything education in scholarly journals, the teachers sharing their experiences from the classroom serve as a valuable point of reference as well. I recently wrote about the scholarly v. anecdotal writings on my blog, as it is something that I have put much thought into. Blogging, while not the most scholarly, provides real-world examples, failures, and tips for making sure that I can grow as a teacher. I do not suggest that we throw out teacher preparation programs and have the students read blogs, but I do think that it should be a part of the educational experience to create blogs and websites to gain that experience. Using others’ blogs help me to think of attempting things in a new way or seeking alternatives on how to do something. This is crucial to my growth as an educator, especially as funds for additional off-site professional development are drying up.

Blogs help me identify and think of creative ways to solve problems. They also give me an insight into the classes and subjects that I have never taught. Knowing that a science teacher shares their experience and that I can learn from them at my own leisure helps me be more responsive as a coach. Instead of taking the time to try and learn the nuances of physics in order to offer suggestions on how to assist in leveling up, I can look for ideas of how others have done it and adapt it for my grade level and student abilities. It is fascinating to examine and see how others are attempting problems and how to overcome.

As a coach, blogging helps me in two ways. I want to write more this year, and in doing so, I am more reflective in my practice. This helps me figure out some of the most efficient ways to accomplishing the task at hand. This means that I am better serving those that need my assistance. I also know that examining others writings help me identify ways that I can improve and help my staff improve. It also provides me with ideas and discussion points and points of view to bring back to my conversations.

Blogs will assist in creating a more global, well-connected group of educators. Blogging helps craft the new ideas, discover alternate ways of doing things, and can change perspectives. Blogging is essential to my growth as an educator. Blogging has the power to change me and my practice for the better.
I love reading blogs but have been terrible about using an RSS feeder to stay on top some of my ones that I follow on a regular basis. George Couros blog always is a frequent, as well as the county educational technology consultants blog. I also have enjoyed reading some of the back articles in the #ETCoaches Blog Challenge. I use Twitter to find new blogs and usually read them once and then move on. I need to be better about utilizing Feedly to gather and frequent many of these great blogs. I hope to get better about reading my PLNs blogs and growing.


2 responses to “#ETCoaches Blog Challenge #4 – Blogging – Why and Who?”

  1. Great suggestion of reading the blogs of educators in less familiar content areas to gain insight into their successes and struggles. I have suggested content-specific blogs to teachers in the past, but never taken much time to read them myself.

    • As a social studies teacher, I could use other blogs to give me insight into how to effectively teach math, language arts, or science. I can grab ideas and expand upon them. It really helps me to stay current on helping students and teachers.

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