The 5-6-5 of Teacher Blogs5 Reasons Blogs are Important6 Blogs You Should be Reading5 Steps to Start Your Own Blog By Alex KajitaniRecently, a colleague asked me what I thought about the Obama Administration’s new plan to reauthorize ESEA, better known as No Child Left Behind. “Uh…” I stumbled, as I had not yet read up on the details. “Well, uh, gonna be interesting to see what happens…” I eeked out, then immediately ran to my laptop for consultation. A quick check of the Department of Education’s website gave me all the facts, but what I really needed were the thoughts, opinions and dwellings of my fellow teachers. I turned immediately to some “blogs” written by teachers I highly respect. Within a few clicks, I found myself well-informed, highly opinionated, and ready to speak on the issue.
Blogs, short for “weblogs,” have quickly become a popular way to share information, advertise businesses and analyze topics that are important to us as teachers of at-promise students. No, they’re not the balanced and well-researched news that is (supposedly) found in newspapers; however, they are an excellent way to obtain information and opinions, often written in an uncensored, raw and real fashion.
This month, I turn to the work of six of our country’s finest educational bloggers. It should be noted that all but one of these blogs are written by classroom teachers. With so many decisions being made at the legislative level these days, now more than ever it is important for teachers’ voices to be both heard and shared.
5 Reasons Blogs are Important
1. Inspiration. As teachers of at-promise students, our job can, at times, be difficult and depressing. Reading the real experiences of others helps us to stay motivated, compare experiences, and put into perspective the daily challenges we all face.
2. Insight. Sometimes there are issues, such as the ESEA Reauthorization I mentioned earlier, that I just don’t know too much about. Reading blogs not only helps me wade through an abundance of information, it often helps me form my own opinions, which in turn helps me articulate those thoughts to others. I often find myself saying, “Oh, that makes sense,” or “I totally agree (or disagree) with that person” after reading some of the blogs I mention below.
3. Dialogue. Most blogs are equipped with a feature that allows you to respond to an author’s post. Often, the author will respond back, as well other readers. Geographical distance, which once prevented us from interacting with those outside of our school districts, has become a thing of the past, and blogs open up dialogue among teachers everywhere, shattering former barriers. If you especially like a blogger, you can often subscribe to their blog, so each time something new is posted, you’ll be immediately notified by email.
4. Community. Having a hard time connecting with other science teachers at your school site? Blogs allow you to connect with like-minded teachers from all over the country. Not sure what to do about that student who is chronically tardy? Chances are, someone’s blogged about it. Blogs allow you access to an instant community, regardless of how that community is defined.
5. Professional Development. Not sure how to use your interactive whiteboard? Need help teaching your students to add fractions with unlike denominators? Reading blogs is free and easy, and you can often find the information you need, without having to drive to, sit through, and then not use the information from that professional development seminar at the district office that your principal just sent you to (you know it’s true!).
6 Blogs You Should Be Reading
Ready to start reading? Here are six blogs (in no particular order) that offer fantastic, deep and real insight into the world of teaching. I know that there are thousands upon thousands of blog entries being written each day, so if you know of a not-to-be-missed teacher blog, be sure to email me so I can update my list!
1. Nancy Flanagan: Stranger in a Strange Land http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teacher_in_a_strange_land/
Written by the 1993 Michigan Teacher of the Year and a 30-year veteran K-12 music teacher, Nancy Flanagan offers her sharp-eyed perspectives on the inconsistencies and inspirations, the incomprehensible, immoral and imaginative, in American education. While reading, I often find myself laughing out loud, clenching my jaw, or thinking, “Jeez, she says it so much better than I ever could.” Often, I find myself back at work the next day, seeing firsthand exactly what she was talking about.
2. Bill Ferriter: The Tempered Radical http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/
Written by Bill Ferriter, a full-time sixth grade teacher and Solution Tree author, The Tempered Radical has earned broad recognition for its irreverent takes on topics ranging from the role of media specialists in the public schoolhouse to the damage done to today's students by standardized testing programs. With a commitment to sharing what he knows about 21st Century Learning and a determination to bridge the gap between policymakers and classroom teachers, Ferriter's work is at once practical and entertaining.
3. Heather Wolpert-Gawron: Tween Teacher http://tweenteacher.com/
By day, she’s a 7th & 8th grade language arts/speech and debate teacher, but at night, Heather Wolpert-Gawron becomes “Tweenteacher,” blogging the latest news in educational policy, curriculum design, and more importantly, how to more deeply enjoy this crazy and difficult calling of ours. She is always pushing us to continue to develop, or reignite, our love for teaching, with all of its obstacles and insults, and ultimately focus on developing our students’ love of learning. Tweenteacher is meant to help new educators, veterans, and second-career teachers navigate through this difficult yet rewarding career. It is also meant to challenge the past practices in our schools that do not work, while highlighting those that do.
4. Tony Mullen: Road Diaries: 2009 Teacher of the Year http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teacher_of_the_year/
Beautifully written, Tony Mullen, the 2009 National Teacher of the Year (and a former New York City police officer-turned alternative high school teacher in Connecticut) blogs about his journeys as the country’s 59th National Teacher of the Year. His blog, like his travels, is a collection of esoteric thoughts and observations written for and about teachers. Tony calls it like he sees it, often expressing frustration with a system that does little to support teachers in reality. In his blog entries, he often puts into words the universal feelings of all teachers. According to Tony, teachers are the fulcrum that supports this whole enterprise we call education, and people should be aware that any movement in that fulcrum affects us all.
5. Claus VonZastrow: Public School Insights http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/
On point and cutting-edge, Executive Director of the Learning First Alliance Claus VonZastrow’s blog gives a platform to people in the public education community who are doing innovative and inspiring things to improve student learning. He often interviews thoughtful leaders outside of the education world who can offer fresh insights on school reform. Attempting to break through some of the either/or thinking that plagues the national debate on school reform, VonZastrow tries to unsettle the common notion that the world is divided between the “establishment,” which is happy with the status quo, and a set of “reformers” who have a monopoly on change. His daily commentary on major school reform issues is not-to-be-missed!
6. David Cohen, Kelly Kovacic and Martha Infante: InterACT http://accomplishedcaliforniateachers.wordpress.com/about/
Just started a few months ago and a great new up-and-comer, InterACT is a group blog from a teacher leadership network called Accomplished California Teachers (ACT). They currently feature three regular authors: David Cohen, a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT), and English teacher in Palo Alto; Kelly Kovacic, the 2010 California Teacher of the Year and a social science teacher at the Preuss School in San Diego, and Martha Infante, an NBCT social studies teacher who works in South Central Los Angeles. With posts ranging from the satirical to the gritty, their goal is to provide classroom expertise that leads to better education policy. All three authors offer raw and real classroom and school-based insights that are essential to hear in the current environment of state and national educational reform efforts and debates.
5 Steps To Start Your Own Blog
Got something to say to the world about teaching? Interested in starting your own blog? Here are five ways to begin establishing your own platform for dialogue and change!
1. Pick a Name: The more intriguing the better, but pick something that can act as a unifying theme for your blog entries.
2. Pick a Portal: Blog portals such as www.wordpress.com and www.blogspot.com are leaders, and make it very easy to get started. There are others good options as well – just ask (or Google) around!
3. Build your readership base. Usually, telling your friends, family and colleagues is enough to get started. Share your blog with your Facebook contacts. Be sure to tell them to recommend your blog to others!
4. Find other bloggers, and link up! Most blogs allow you to feature other peoples’ blogs on your site. In return, other bloggers will link your site to theirs.
5. Go beyond words. The written word is great, but consider including pictures, music, videos, coupons, and other items of interest on your blog. In this age of multimedia, going beyond just writing will help keep your blog fresh, entertaining, and give your readers a reason to come back for more!
There are a lot of people who have something to say about teachers and the state of education these days. But are they teachers? Not enough of them. Whether you’re using blogs to gather information, speak your mind, or champion a cause, this new form of communication offers a chance to let your teacher voice be heard. Happy blogging!
Alex Kajitani, known around the country as “The Rappin’ Mathematician,” is the 2009 California Teacher of the Year (and a Top 4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year). He has won numerous other teaching awards and speaks to groups nationwide. His company, Math Raps, has also won the RAPSA “Making a Difference” Award. Visit www.MathRaps.com to check out some of his rap songs! |
