How blogging has seriously changed my life (my teaching life, anyways!)

1. It is a great reflective tool to think through what I actually did that week, how it worked, and to think through what could be done better in the future.  I feel like reflecting is essential to succeeding as a teacher - you have to be able to recognize what is working, what isn't, and take steps to make whatever you are doing better and more effective for your students' success.  You can say that you reflect, but I think I've always said that I was "reflective".  Until I started actually blogging about it and putting it on paper, I feel like my reflections weren't super beneficial because I wouldn't take the time to really think through things.  Now that I blog several times a week, it forces me to be reflective and actually make meaning of it.

2. It is an effective place to keep a record of what has happened so I can look back and actually remember how my teaching progressed throughout the semester and how my students came along (with all the ups and downs!)  This helps me to remember that I can't start a brand new year expecting my students to be like my classes were in June - they need to start from the beginning!  Oftentimes I struggle in the beginning of the year thinking that students should be "further along" than they are, but by blogging and being able to look back at exactly how my students were doing at a certain point in the year, it reminds me that my "new" students are on that same journey and it will take time.

3. It is an amazing way to share ideas with other educators all over the world that you wouldn't otherwise be able to share with.  I have made so many connections, it is amazing.  I almost feel like I know some of my "online teacher friends" better than some of the teachers at my school, because online we are all willing to share ideas, strategies, & ups and downs.  It is an amazing, encouraging support community as well and is a constant reminder that we are all in this together!  Also, sometimes teachers at your own school are "turned off" by all your new ideas because (for some reason) they see you as a competition.  In the online world, we are all here to support and help each other reach our ultimate goal of student success.

4. It keeps me sane. And it keeps my husband sane.  I have to get my thoughts out somewhere - I used to either let it fester inside or just talk forever about teaching stuff with my non-teaching husband.  He enjoyed it to an extent, but after a while (like when he talks about marketing and real estate for a long time), he just can't handle it anymore.  Now I have a place to talk as much as I want about my teaching and education, and people can choose to read or not.  It's almost therapeutic to just type and think and make meaning out of what I spend at least 50 hours a week doing.  Already I have gotten a ton of people asking me how I write so much and if I ever sleep.  I kind of smile and laugh because honestly, blogging HELPS me to sleep at night.  Otherwise everything is just running through my brain and I won't be able to fall asleep.  Once I have it on paper, I feel like I can rest :)

There are probably more, but I think 4 is enough for tonight.  And, now that I have them on paper, I feel like I can rest :)

Questions for you:

1. How has blogging changed YOUR life?

2. If you haven't started blogging, WHY NOT? :)