I’ve been tagged by Mike over at EdLeaderWeb who started his own “to blog or not to blog” meme as part of a presentation he’s doing on blogging for some folks in his district. Mike and I used to work in the same district back in South Florida and, like me, he left the Sunshine State in search of affordable housing…

Mike’s a good guy, a great administrator, and his blog is off to a great start!

Anyway – Mike asks some good questions about blogging so I thought I’d join the fray.

1. Explain the benefits you receive from blogging. For me, blogging has been a great way to get ideas out of my head and bounce them back and forth with colleagues I otherwise never would have met. I’ve struck up some great friendships with teachers, administrators, and non-educators as well. I would venture to say that my views on many issues have changed drastically from when I started my blog back in January.
2. Name two or three of your favorite education blogs. This is hard because there are so many great ones. Honestly, it’s tough to keep up with them in my reader. But if I had time for only a few, I’d have to say:
   • dy/dan – Dan Meyer is a math teacher in California. We’ve actually exchanged email on quite a few occasions. I’ve said this before, but he’s the math teacher I wish I’d been.
   • LeaderTalk – Naturally. I’m a contributer over there, but I feel very humble to be in the company of such great educators.
   • Dangerously Irrelevent – For me, this is the first blog on education, technology, and leadership that I really read regularly. Scott McLeod was also good enough to spend about an hour on the phone with me in January as I was in the process of deciding on a path for my doctorate.
3. What tip or tips would you give someone new to blogging? Honestly? Don’t take yourself too seriously. You’re putting yourself out there so don’t be too upset if someone disagrees with you. It’s also important to keep in mind that you’re a professional and you should avoid putting something in your blog that you wouldn’t feel comfortable saying to the superintendent. That’s not to say you can’t ever disagree, but keep it professional. I’ll also add that for a long time I felt the only “worthy” blog posts were lengthy theses. But keeping it short can sometimes be a good thing, too. And don’t be afraid to blog about whatever floats your boat. It’s your

Good luck, Mike! And to anyone reading at Mike’s training session, I hope you’ll consider starting a blog even if you keep it private. It’s a great way to keep a journal of your professional growth and development.