Advantages of Blogging

Advantages of Blogging

There are quite a few advantages of using blogging with educators. Traditionally, we set up teachers as “islands”. They are given their textbook and curriculum and then told to go teach. In best case scenarios, these teachers are given a mentor and may have weekly department meetings. Teachers’ day to day interactions are with their students, not with their peers. Good leaders are always trying to find more time for planning and training with teachers. Blogging allows teachers to share and learn from each other without having to be in the same room at the same time.  They do not have to have the same conference time or all stay after school. Blogging also allows for everyone to give examples or state their opinion. There is no way a principal could get everyone to share in a faculty meeting. Teachers would get off task and the meeting would go too long. With blogging, everyone can participate without taking the time from the others. Sometimes in department or team meetings, one to two educators monopolize the conversation. Sometimes we miss learning from our quiet peers. Blogging allows everyone to participate equally. Another advantage to blogging is that everything is written. Very few people are auditory learners. Because people read blogs, they can take the time to digest what is written and re-read as often as necessary. We do not have to be worried about someone not being focused during the discussion. Blogging also allows us to reinforce learning from staff developments. Too often, we do not follow up after a staff development to make sure teachers understand and are using what was taught. Blogging will not take the place of meetings, but it can maximize the time, allow all to participate and help us reinforce important and new information.