Lame Excuses

I've been thinking about how to get my blogging going again. It's really something that should take little thinking.  Blogging should be an easy and natural reflection that takes place frequently.  Reflection is important, it helps you grow and examine your practices, it helps you become a sharer of knowledge, an active piece of your #PLN. 

I have discovered and learned a great deal from all of the wonderful educators I follow and the blog posts they share.  Their experiences have inspired me, taught me new things and given me insights that have made me a better leader.  It is my duty to share what I know, what I experience and help others avoid the pitfalls I have stepped into.  

So where have I been in the blogosphere recently?  Just being a reader I am afraid.  I haven't even been keeping up with that as well as I should.  I have been learning the ropes of my new district, and I am trying to keep up with the pace of leading 3 different elementary buildings, but really......those are just lame excuses.  We are all busy, but I still find a way to watch the Olympics, a way to watch Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones, I find time to listen to my audiobooks and chat with friends on Twitter or on my new favorite app Voxer (you all really need to check that out!).

So why not blogging?  There could be a number of reasons. Maybe I am nervous about how my new staff will respond to my posts? Often, staff members will see themselves in every post a leader writes.  They see every post as a possible criticism of them, not realizing (or just forgetting) that you, as a leader, most likely have had experiences from other districts or even positions in your career.  Maybe I am nervous about how my supervisor will react to my posts?  Not everyone agrees with my ideas or beliefs.  I know my beliefs and ideas have changed in just the past 3-4 years.....heck, even the past 3-4 months.  Much of that is due to the learning I have gleaned from the experiences of my #PLN. What if she thinks differently?  Will he be mad or embarrassed by my post?

But if I get honest with myself, that isn't really the case.  I know my beliefs, and I have faith in my skills as a leader and what I know about teaching and learning.  I have an incredibly supportive district leader and an amazing and positive staff to work with here.  So what is holding me back from blogging? Myself. Confidence and commitment to myself.  I know that reflection is important, but that it can open myself to critique.  I know that it can help me grow and connect with other educators, but I also know it can mean sharing a weakness with the world.

But I also know that I have never felt more supported than I have when I connect and share with the members of my #PLN. Sure there are trolls out there and there are people that just have very little tact in their approach to criticism, but overall the feedback has been positive and loaded with good ideas that will work with my thoughts or provide a twist to my approach that is easily adapted and improves what I do.  So I will conquer my fears, and put the sweat back into my reflection and start sharing what I learn again.

No More Lame Excuses.