Educational Blogging

Blog. A fairly new term for a modern-day journal. There's no key to hide in your bedroom though. This journal is open for the entire world to see, if they happen to find it.

Blogging as an administrator can be a positive experience. It's certainly not the place to share your dissatisfaction about your job, but that is true for anyone, not just administrators. It is, however, a place to express your concerns about issues facing education today: issues with your district, campus, student successes, and your own professional progress as an educational leader.

One positive aspect of sharing your "wonderings" as an administrator is that you can get feedback from a variety of sources. Sharing these same issues at a faculty meeting or with a group of your peers limits the conversation to those present at the time. Blogging provides a chance to pose your questions or comments to the public thereby expanding your audience, and in return, the amount of responses to your postings. In other words, it helps to alleviate "professional isolation."

Having an educational blog that is open to other educators will allow administrators to brainstorm ideas for common problems without the limitations of school walls or district boundaries. Responses may be immediate or delayed but all will form a dialogue that is relevant to the author's original comments as well as those participating in the "online conversation."

A blog is also a way to offer ideas and share successes. Posting a success on your campus can be positive and motivational to others who may have similar issues thus giving them possible alternatives for their own obstacles.

Adminstrators who actively participate in educational blogging will find that is can be another useful tool for reflection and their own professional growth while interacting with others from all areas of education.