Why blog? A personal reflection

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My blogging journey began about a year ago. I made a long list of web 2.0 skills that I thought would be necessary in order for me to progress as an educational leader. With the help of a mentor I began to prioritize that list. It ended up that for an entire year I only managed to set up my Google reader and Flipboard account and kept up with lots of interesting blogs. (OK, I did manage to complete and defend my dissertation; so there was a little progress professionally). What led me to begin blogging, one year later, was an intense sense of curiosity, as well as isolation. From my blog reading it became clear that there was so much more out there, and so much to take advantage of, so I began to dabble in twitter as well as to think about and plan for a blog.  I have been in the same position at my school for over a decade. I love my job and love my community, but having been in the same environment for such a long time, made me feel a bit isolated. Interacting with, learning from and sharing with the whole world has certainly been a way to escape that sense of isolation. More importantly, it has triggered a vast amount of ideas and reflections that motivate me to do a better job each day.  I now feel I have more to contribute. I encounter more opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and to engage with students. I am also able to extend that spark of creativity that ignites within me after a day, weekend, or moment immersed in the blogosphere.

It is also a learning journey. I am a life long learner, thirsty for continuous learning. I did not initially enroll in a doctoral program in order to become a scholar, but to quench my thirst for knowledge. I am so grateful that over the years the Internet has advanced in a way that has enabled me to continue this ongoing learning journey in such a collaborative and global manner. Moreover, reading and writing blogs meets my personal learning style. I am reflective, pensive, and prefer writing my thoughts to verbalizing them. What a great match for me! By sharing my learning journey, I hope that I am modeling for my colleagues and community, and ultimately encouraging them to jump on board!