Blog Post 1- What I know about blogging
Granted, there is still much I need to learn about blogging, since I don't regularly read blogs. However, I view blogs as a virtual reflection space, since people use them to reflect on their thoughts and to comment on people/events that matter to them.
Blogging topics are endless, and people seem to enjoy commenting on blogs. In fact, I am almost certain that I have observed "blog arguments" (if you will), on controversial topics ranging from politics to fashion, which leads me to believe that blogging satisfies an appetite that most people have to air their opinions and to counter those of others. Undoubtedly, I can hardly wait to start an educational blog on a topic that is important to me: "How to educate students of color." I realize that someone may render a response with which I don't agree; hence, it will be interesting to monitor the direction and tone of the discourse, since I harbor a love/hate relationship with "drama". I look forward to the challenge. Setting up the blog is probably the most difficult aspect of managing a blogging site, but once this step is completed, managing a blog appears to be fairly simple.
How might blogging enhance my leadership position? I am ambivalent about the benefits of blogging as it relates to my leadership position, because I believe that I should blog about matters that are close to my heart. At the same time, I recognize that, whenever I am passionate about a topic, the line between professional discourse and mean-spiritedness becomes thin and blurred. So, I must remember to exercise caution so that I remain "professional" whenever I am in this arena.
Two educational leader bloggers that are prominent are as follows:
Cathy Nelson (also known as Cathy Jo Nelson) and Cool Cat Teacher. Cathy Nelson blogs about ways to integrate technology into education. Cool Cat Teacher also shows teacher how to integrate technology into education. However, Cool Cat Teacher has recently advised that he is moving from Blogging to Wordpress for the following reasons, which I am sure will be part of our discussion at some point in Ed Tech 580:
1. Wordpress has more add ins and flexibility
2. Google's new terms of service
3. Free can cost you everything: pay for valuable services
4. CoolCatTeacher.com won't be blocked in schools like most blogs are.
Thanks for reading.
-C.Marcellus Griffin
