Dictionary.com defines a blog as "a website containing a writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites" (2015). As an instructional leader, I define it as a place where you can share your ideas, philosophies and growth. When I was young, we got the news from newspapers, the evening news on television and radio; now you are news. When the Arab Spring happened, the world followed steams of tweets, blogs and other social media posts all in real time. News travels fast in today's supper connected world!
The reason we will be blogging this semester is to introduce you to a world of educators committed to learning together, sharing together and as of late, exposing the truth behind public educational reforms. I know that some of you will just write the required blog posts and possibly never touch a blog again, and that's okay! But some of you will find your voice in blogging and possibly use this as a tool to further public education.
I will provide topics and/or themes for your blog posts. I want you to use this started blog as a journal of what you learn in our class, for example, you may write about how I speak so quickly you have a hard time understanding me at times! I think that may be on my wife's blog. :) As you write, remember that what you write is out there for all to see, so I would recommend writing in Word and checking the grammar/spelling before you post. I know statement, "for all to see" scares some of you, but when you become a principal, everything you do is out there for all to see. As a future administrator, one of your back to school nightmares is sending out a newsletter filled with grammar faux pas and having parents email you and tell you (and others) all about how you misused they're, their and there! They won't know you were at work for 15 1/2 hours and wrote the newsletter on your iPhone while you waited for students to be picked up from an activity!
This week's blog topic is about technology in your school. What do you use? What do other teachers use? What do your administrators use? What do they wish they could use? What frustrations do you have with the technology in your school? As you could imagine, I am always looking for new technology that my teachers can use as a tool to help them be more productive in the classroom, professionally or personally. We will talk about how to stay up to date with instructional technology and how to find the resources needed to buy or borrow that new technology for your school sites.
If you are in need of more inspiration, a great blog to check out is Rob Miller's blog at www.viewfromtheedge.net his Twitter handle is @edgeblogger, a great educator to follow. Tonight we will work with Twitter. Twitter goes hand-in-hand with blogging. If you choose, you can tweet out a link to your blog under our hashtag #EPSCohort15 and others could read it and enjoy!
Cordell
@cordellehrich
