Start

I have been hesitant in writing a blog. I don’t really enjoy the process of writing (just look at how long it takes me to write my student reports each semester). I already do enough writing at work that the thought of writing a blog seemed like “doing something extra” on the already never ending pile of work teachers seem to have. Add to this the fear of putting my opinions out there in the public domain to be viewed and commented on. Just who exactly would be interested in what I have to say ? And if anyone did actually read what I had to say, would they like it ?

The issue of confidentiality and privacy also concerned me; just how much can you say about your school, your class, your students or your colleagues without it becoming personal? It all seemed too hard.

So what changed?

As an educator, I continue to ask questions to improve my professional practice. I continue to seek out new and innovative ways to engage my students and to explore concepts in different ways. Thanks to Web 2.0 technologies, I am no longer confined to the professional knowledge that lies within the walls of the staffroom at my school or the professional learning opportunities I am able to access.

I subscribe to many blogs and follow other educators on Twitter. I have joined Nings and Wikis and participate in online virtual conferences. I have created online networks for my students to access learning resources and to communicate with me that isn’t always possible in the classroom environment.

I am connected to a wider audience of professionals who share their knowledge and their experiences and for that, I am a richer person.

As I continue to become involved with more exciting projects and initiatives in education, I wanted a space to record my thoughts, my actions and the lessons I had learned along the way. I wanted to ask questions and seek answers and opinions from a global audience. I wanted to take that next step from being a passive recipient of learning to someone who was an active participant.

With this in mind, I bring you my first blog post. My story starts here.