Recently, I have been having conversations with friends regarding my blog. I really enjoy this little space as a creative outlet and have made some really great blogging buddies over the past year. It has also opened up opportunities for me to explore new ideas and concepts in my house, cooking, and classroom. During an e-mail conversation with a blogger buddy, who also happens to teach high school social studies, we were talking about our blogs and the fact that we were teachers with blogs (in case you're wondering... that's where this is heading).
My students know I have a blog. I don't announce it in class or talk about it casually or openly with them or anyone really, but it's also not a secret. It's on a public platform that is not password protected. In the age of technology, they are insanely good with Google and even better with social media (
Meg posted a pretty similar post about her students knowing as well and I totally agree with her thoughts).
It's all surface level stuff on here, y'all; where I had dinner with friends, what nail polish I'm currently wearing, the clothes I'd buy if I had unlimited resources, the places I'd like to go, projects I've/we've done around the house. I encourage my students to be creative, and I'd like to think that I'm living up to that myself.
However, it seems a little taboo. Some people seem shocked that I have a blog as a teacher. I don't use this platform to talk negatively about my students or my job. I love what I do. I received a scholarship to attend a university to become a teacher because this has always been my passion. But I also love writing, fashion, home design, and making friends. And let's be real, I love posting about new places I've tried to eat because I look to blogs for similar things.
A comment was made once about how I would be able to maintain my classroom and my responsibilities to my students if I run a blog. I mainly blog on weekends and schedule my posts well in advance. I do not blog while I'm at work, and really, it's not any different than having a part time job in the afternoons. Or how I was able to maintain my responsibilities when I coached soccer in addition to teaching. It's a hobby I enjoy, but do not allow to interfere with my obligations to my full-time job.
I guess I never thought of it as a bad idea. Ashley's blog is called the
Teacher Diva. She maintains both her passion for education AND her passion for writing and fashion.
Meg does the same thing over on her space. Both are open about their jobs in the classroom and are always positive and I really admire that about both of their blogs.
So here's my question to you. What do you think? Teachers blogging? Bad idea? Good idea? Indifferent?
xoxo,
Labels: my life
