Welcome to New Bloggers

Welcome!

Welcome to the blogging world! Some of my blogging teacher friends have been creating resources for new bloggers, so I thought I would contribute my ideas. My simple advice is to get in there and start blogging, find your own way, and enjoy the journey.

Although I’ve been blogging for about 18 months, it’s just been in the last six months that my journey has become more engaging and rewarding.

First, I became involved in Edublogs teacher challenges. It started with the Kick Start Your Blogging last January. Next it was 30 Days to Get Your Students Blogging, next, with my students, the Student Blogging Challenge in late March through May. Then I even became a guest blogger in the Free Tools Challenge. Currently I am lurking about the PLN Challenge. I’m hoping to begin participating, but, yikes!! There are too many opportunities to take advantage of all of them. However, as a result of the blogging challenges I have tried, I’ve discovered a whole world of educators out there connecting and collaborating. I’ve met some incredible friends like Nancy Carroll, Sheri Edwards, Lyn Howlin, Theresa Allen, Joanne Selig, and Kathryn Trask—educators from all over the world.

The second thing that happened on my blogging journey is I realized I was unclear on the purpose of my blog. Was it for personal or professional reflection? Was it to give assignments and write model blog posts for my students? Yes, it was all of those things, and it was a little bit crazy. Along the way it became clear to me that I needed two blogs: one for professional entries and the other for classroom work. You are reading my professional blog, and you can find my student blogs at http://krebs.edublogs.org.

So, my advice is to get started and find your way. Maybe you’ll choose to join a blogging challenge and define your purpose earlier than I did. You are unique and your blogging journey will be too, so have fun with it and good luck!

Sheri Edwards recently wrote a post called “Five Tips for New Bloggers
She also started a Diigo group you can join intended for folks to share information that will help bloggers. It’s called ebchallenge

Finally, here is a Voicethread started by Nancy Carroll to gather blogging advice from others:

16 thoughts on “Welcome to New Bloggers

  1. Great words of wisdom! (:
    The blogging challenges have really helped me professionally and personally. They’ve given me confidence and I’ve found wonderful connections with talented educators like you!

    Looking forward to building our connections this fall,

    Theresa

  2. Denise
    Yes definitely for me a teacher professional blog and a separate class blog have been important. You are right there is so much out there to follow, learn about etc etc. And as we have been saying elsewhere the housework still has to be done and the meals cooked!
    Great to meet up again, keep it up, love your Toodoo, now that’s something I have been meaning to explore…We have a two week break in two weeks time, so a little time to dabble!
    I must check out the global read aloud project, sounds doable, just off to see could I fit it in!!
    Kathryn

  3. Hi Denise,
    Love, Love, Love your post! Who knew when we did the “Kick Start Your Blogging Challenge” that we would make such wonderful, lasting connections. It made me see the value in all areas of blogging, but especially leaving comments and adding to the conversation.

    We have so much to learn from each other and blogging is an easy and fun way to do it. I am thrilled that you included the voicethread. I hope others will feel free to add their comments. (I got the idea from Michael Graffin, who I connected with from the KSYB Challenge.

    Thanks for keeping the conversation for new bloggers rolling!

  4. Hi Denise,

    Fabulous post! I had no idea you were new(erish) to blogging. I thought you’ve been blogging for years!

    I agree, the Edublogs Teacher Challenge taught me so much and connected me with people I never would have known. I love having so many people learning together.

    Thanks so much for this post!

    Kind regards,
    Tracy Watanabe

  5. Denise,
    What an awesome set of resources for any blogger. You have inspired me to look into more of the blogging challenges out there!

    You are doing amazing things for the education community and your students as well!

    I’m in awe!

    Kathy

  6. Theresa, Kathryn, Nancy, Tracy, and Kathy,
    I am blessed to have you in my PLN. Thank you so much for visiting my post and leaving your sweet marks all over it. It is a joy to be in education today with people like you.

    Denise

  7. Hi Denise! Thanks put creating this reflection for new bloggers. I too had a difficult time with purpose — in fact, I put off starting to blog for quite a while until I sorted that out. Your post helps new bloggers start right away — they can create personal, professional, and class blogs. I actually went overboard at first: I created a blog for family, for my class lessons, and for just pictures from class — a visual blog– before beginning my reflective class blog. I’d like to encourage bloggers to get started; should your purposes or needs change, or you need to change platforms (we moved to Google Apps for teachers), most platforms allow you to import from other platforms. You can also leave a note on the last blog post linking to your new blog. So — whatever happens — your work follows you and your readers. Just start. 🙂 Thanks again, Denise.

    1. Good points, Sheri. I know you still have several blogs going on. I’m not sure how you do it! Good reminder about being able to leave a note on a previous blog and continuing a new one on Blogger or some other platform.

      I like that our blogs go on as a history. Last year my 8th grade students went on to high school where one of their teachers continued their blogs. It could become a portfolio of sorts for them.

  8. Hello Denise,
    I found your blog with Angela’s twitter!! I am so glad to find you. I am part of a group called Seedlings. We have a Facebook page, SEEDLINGS, a twitter SEEDLINGs PLN and our podcast at bobsprankle.com we, Alice Barr, Bob Sprankle, and me, Cheryl Oakes, love new bloggers! We would love to interview you on our podcast during the next school year and talk about how you got started, found your voice, how has your classroom changed and what is a good message to others who are beginning this journey. We are all teachers and we have this podcast/webcast for free. Hope you can join us next year. You can find us at itunes, bitbybit or seedlings and also at edtechtalk.com/seedlings

    Congratulations for your blog and for enticing others to join the journey!

    Cheryl Oakes
    Enjoy your summer

  9. Hi! It’s me again, the new blogger. Thanks for sharing these great resources, and I’m excited to spend some time reading your students posts. I think I will bookmark some in my PLN!!!

  10. Hi Denise ~ this is a great thread for myself, as I begin to introduce some of my students into the wonderful world of blogging. Looking forward to connecting and meeting new educators.

    1. Melanie, so glad you made it over to my blog. I added your class blogs to my student blog page at http://krebs.edublogs.org under “Cool Classes.” My students won’t be back in session until late in August.

      I didn’t realize the hashtag #classblogs was so active. I started following that one too. It seems like more UK classes are using that one. #comments4kids is really popular too for making connections with other classes and teachers.

      Glad you are blogging with your students!
      Denise

  11. Hi Denise,
    Happy Summer! Excellent and well-said post! Thanks for the mention in your post. I agree that participating in the Edublog Teacher Challenge is a must. I learned so much and met so many gifted educators through the Challenge. I am gearing up for the 2011-2012 school year soon to start for Virginia Beach. Let’s connect this school year.
    -Joanne

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