EduBlog Insights

Nancy Peralta on blahblahblog has this to say about our community of edubloggers…..

I can’t believe I’ve only been blogging 7 weeks and I’ve come this far. I have to say that the community of edubloggers is wonderful. I’ve learned so much reading edublogs and I’ve made contacts with other educators who have encouraged and advised me. Honestly, I’ve never had the access to information and support that I’ve had during these last 7 weeks. And, I’m able to make connections with educators from elementary school through college! This is invaluable because K-College is part of the same trajectory so we really should expand our dialogue about this. To say that I’m inspired by Anne’s work with elementary students and Mike Arnzen’s work with college students is one thing, but to realize that one builds upon the other and that both face the similar issues about planning and student needs, is a revelation!

I was talking to a colleague yesterday who is quite interested in weblogs but is having difficulty reconciling the fact that he would have a site showing only his postings. This is the way weblogs come across to many, at first. I do think this is something that lots of educators experience when first introduced to weblogs. I can remember having some of the same feelings myself when I first started. I had a bunch of thoughts and ideas but felt that I wasn’t really a good enough writer to express myself in the way I wanted. You know that old feeling of wanting it to be just right, especially if you’re putting it out there for anybody to read.  Also, the thought ran through my mind that who was I to think that anything I had to say would be interesting enough for others to read.  I felt a little presumptious.  It was a little scary and not a forum that was comfortable feeling. Yet, I knew I had things to share, just as ALL of us educators do.  Once I took the leap and just started writing what I was experiencing and sharing and what I was learning, I discovered others who were doing the same. This weblog community of educators is what it is all about.  We have a place to share, collaborate, stretch our minds, and create dynamic learning adventures for students. 

I can remember talking to Pam for over an hour one evening.  This was shortly after I was up and going with the NewsQuest site.  It was exhilirating to find an elementary teacher who shared so many common interests with me.  We bounced ideas back and forth like mad, and have kept the conversation going every since on our weblogs. We talked about all sorts of possibilities for using weblogs in education. Then the collaboration with Will with our students.  Gosh, we learned so much about “how kids learn” and how to raise the bar and really get kids exciting about the process.  Will and I shared what was going on with others.  Look at my list to the right and you will see a whole bunch of other educators who are doing exactly the same thing.  And now Nancy is one of many who are giving much to the edublog community. We welcome her and all the others! And yes, Nancy, I still address the same issues of planning and student needs, especially where my Wrinkles group is concerned.

Blogging has helped me grow as a writer.  I have met a fantastic group of educators who continue to help and teach me.  I’ve said before … it’s the best inservice going.  It is the linking back and forth and the discussions that develop that get you inspired and keep you thinking. It really comes down to the power of the written word.  We have a chance to take our students right up to that power.  Wow, now that’s exhilarating!

Now, back to my good friend who is apprehensive about starting a weblog.  How do I help him see that it’s the start of a learning community like none other we’ve experienced before?  Maybe I can get him to think of all the exciting conversations we have had about learning and get him to visualize that ten-fold (or more)!  This is what it’s all about!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 29th, 2003 at 9:31 am and is filed under Imported, Learning. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.