Commenting

[I submitted this comment to a post at David Warlick's 2¢ Worth blog: http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2007/08/25/in-defense-of-education-blogs/. Mr. Warlick suggested that his daughter might ask her new professors if they read any blogs and which ones. Some readers took offense at placing any importance on whether teachers and/or professors read blogs.] Here's my response:

I am a high school English teacher, and when I was a teacher of content (literature and compositions about literature), it didn't matter to my students whether or not I was technologically savvy. I was teaching them the past, so they expected me to use my own college texts and notes. Those printed texts were vessels of Truth about my subject area, and I shared that Truth with my students.

But now, I am a teacher of skills (literacy, research, communication), and my students need me to help prepare them for the future. Do I have any credibility with my students if I am not part of the great (internet-based) public discourse? My students and I know that the act of publishing does not guarantee Truth, and we must critically read any text. Our school library provides so much more texts electronically than physically. When my students publish their own papers, they can publish to an audience of one (me) or they can share their work with many. I am learning with my students, and they know that I am highly motivated to move forward into the 21st century with them.

I began my Web 2.0 journey just this summer, and my school, SILSA, the School of Inquiry & Life Sciences at Asheville, just began its first year of IMPACT model implementation. I look forward to the support that this model will afford me as an educator.

Everything I know about any of this I have learned from reading a blog. My mentors are classroom teachers who blog, and, even though I have never met them, they have taught me much. From the big dogs like David Warlick, I get inspiration and encouragement. From all of them, I get a sense of belonging.

I'm just waiting to be able to add an RSS feed from a blog written by a teacher at my school. That will be cool!