Blogging for Educational Leaders

I have always been one to keep a journal. The fascination with recording my own thoughts began in middle school. It was actually spurred by a beloved English teacher who I admired greatly. She required us to journal for the first ten minutes of every class period. I must have filled a dozen journals that year. Granted, these weren’t profound or intellectual and usually revolved around middle school drama such as the day a girl bought the exact same sweater that I had, they still hold a record of my life, no matter how trivial the words on the page may be. I still love to know that they are tucked away in the back of a closet with the rest of my sporadic journaling. As an adult, I appreciate that my teacher made me write and reflect on my own thoughts. I believe that journaling is a great way to understand your values, your concerns, and your goals.

The 21^st century version of journaling, or blogging, is a fantastic for educational leaders to collaborate with one another and discuss current educational issues and action research. As administrators reflect on their own professional goals and experiences, they discover ways to challenge their own thinking and develop interesting and engaging ideas that provide springboards of thought for other educators. Being able to share ideas with other administrators or teachers on a global level is incomparable. Using blogs to connect with people in a personal way can promote a valuable line of communication and interaction between the administrator, teachers, parents, students, and surrounding communities.  Blogs are a great tool to promote learning and collaboration.