“Who the hell is going to want to read what I have to say?”
This was the question I asked myself when I started this blog. It is something I consider each time I write.
There are a million blogs out there and I am sure there are more than a few written by Tech Directors in schools, so why should people read this one?
I’ve said I am not an expert and never want to put myself forth as one — I think that the idea of being an expert implies that you can stop learning or taking in new information — so what’s the draw? If you’re not going to get “expert” advice, why would you want to read my blog?
First and foremost, I’m open . . .
I am willing to ask questions. I speak honestly and openly about what it is that I am doing and trying to do. I think that the meta-cognitive nature of blogging is amazing and have found the process of blogging, of being able to dump everything out of my head and into this blog, amazing. I find it fulfilling to know that someone, even one person, has read what I’ve written, and if they’ve let me a comment or tweeted about it I am truly rewarded.
Second, I share…
I think that people learn best from those around them and that the only way you can learn from someone is by listening and sharing your thoughts, beliefs and ideas. By blogging and tweeting I am trying to promote all the things in which I find value and spread them virally through social media.
When a piece spreads virally, it helps the people who read it, but it also often contributes to my own learning. For example, when I walked into work the day after posting “Untag me“, a colleague who had read the post mentioned a connection to another article (“Risk Reduction Strategies on Facebook” – by Danah Boyd @zephoria) which outlined strategies that some students use to manage their online identities. We would never have talked about this issue had I not blogged about it. I like to think that this act of sharing made my school a better place.
Third, I connect…
I try to stay connected with other like-minded people and even some who aren’t. Whether through twitter, listservs, forums or blogs, I try to stay engaged. For me, social media is all about building your global community and building the base from which you can grow.
In the end… you should read my blog because I ask myself why you should read it every time I write. That’s my guarantee.
Awesome post Bill! I couldn’t have said it better myself and you and I are a case in point – if it wasn’t for blogging we would have never connected.
Keep up the great work!
It’s all about building community, connections and sharing ideas. Glad you’re part of it!
Spot on, Bill. The connections you make through blogging, both personal & professional, lead to some amazing learning opportunities. That & I find it somewhat cathartic to put my ideas & thoughts online (even if they’re not fully formed). It’s a release.
Keep it up! I’m loving your posts.
Great post Bill! Don’t forget that you blog because you like it and it’s fun! Writing, sharing, and connecting are all fun.
Very true… and it is also about modeling too. I mean if I am going to talk to teacher, administrators and students about the benefits of all of this I had damn well better be involved with it as well.
I would never ask someone to do something that I wouldn’t be willing to do on my own.
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I’m new to blogging and your point about the handy meta-cognitive nature of blogging resonates with me. Oh, I see you wrote this a year ago! Not sure how I stumbled upon it…ah well, now we’re kinda connected temporally as well as topically.