Connected Educator - In Appreciation

I embarked on this journey
Early January of 2010
And I can't tell you what
A life changer it's been!

Educators were challenged
To start a blogging task
Was I ready for this? Could I commit?
Are some of the questions I asked.

Then I sent out a note
"What if I fail?" I really said it aloud
Then right away came a response
From a most amazing crowd!

"Try it for now...
There's no pressure you'll see"
That's how the Edubloggers
Thoroughly encouraged me!

I took their advice, their tips and suggestions
Then started to plan and started to write
Lo and behold Teaching is Elementary
Was born late that same night!

My very own blog
I was pleased and so thrilled.
Yet the thoughts remained
Did I have enough skill?

But as I continued
There was a new challenge to connect
With our novice fellow bloggers
Which left me feeling not sure what to expect.

But this is what happened
I tell you, it's true
My online friends and colleagues
Went to many from few!

Comments were left on his blog and hers
Good 'netiquette' had us respond
Conversations were started
In the process, a bond!

With many of those folks
I remain friendly to this day
We joined educators on Twitter
And we're here to stay!

We share our craft and our ideas
To make learning the best
Our students are the recipients
Of their teachers' quest

Being connected to one another
Means the world to us all
For expanding our knowledge
Surely flattens the classroom walls.

So if you think you might try it
Don't be afraid, just do
As you'll be surprised by the benefits
To your students and you!

A special thank you to:

• Karen Janowski for putting the idea of blogging in my brain during a course at Simmons College
  
• Cheryl Farley for inviting me to be a part of the Kick Start Your Blog Teacher Challenge
  
• Sue Waters, Edublogger, and her partners who created the challenge. They created more than a challenge - it has become a wonderful family of people sharing and continuing conversations!
• My #4thchat, #elemsci and Twitter PLN - so many wonderful people. I appreciate all your knowledge, kindness, openness and wisdom! You're the best!
  

My post: Bloggin' Kickin' Dreamin' explains further why I decided to try!

Hope you will too! Here is some advice to new bloggers from my PLN!



top photo credit: Jerrycharlotte via photo pin cc

#Rockstar Meme Blog Award

Wow!  Can you believe it?  Me? A #Rockstar? Well, at least my friends, Denise Krebs, blog author of Dare to Care and Sheri Edwards, blog author of What Else? - 1DR think so, as they have both awarded me with this #Rockstar Meme started by Miguel Guhlin.

When one is awarded the meme, according to the originator Guhlin, they are supposed to Write a Post about how Blogging has Rocked your World then:

1. respond to the meme and link back to this blog entry
2. leave a comment on this blog entry and then ask 5 more people to participate
3. Notify those 5 people by sending them a quick note (a tweet prob would work).

So here goes....

WITHOUT BLOGGING:

• I wouldn't have met so many wonderful individuals from around the globe.  I have met (virtually, through their blogs of course) people from all across the United States, Norway, Sweden, Argentina, Australia and more! They have opened my eyes to worlds, cultures and ideas that I may never have had the chance to experience.

WITHOUT BLOGGING:  

•  I wouldn't have been as reflective in my teaching practice.  As a teacher we are always reflecting. But writing it down makes one even more accountable for their actions. I'll often reflect upon a lesson that was taught in class and write a blog discussing ways I could add/change resources or techniques that will make me a more effective teacher. 

WITHOUT BLOGGING: 

•  I wouldn't have explored resources and researched content with such ferocity.  Writing posts sends me on quests to find information, sift through what is helpful and fresh, and keeps me current with my teaching practices.  Always looking for new tools to share with my students and colleagues. Always looking to learn something new!

WITHOUT BLOGGING: 

Presenting Global Learners Blog @ MassCUE11

• I wouldn't have dared to present at a conference or workshop out of my district! Just recently I created a presentation that will hopefully get people interested in Blogging and was allowed to present at the Massachusetts Computer Using Educator's Conference 2011! I feel so strongly that everyone has something to share & wanted people to realize that everyone can BLOG! 

BLOGGING ALLOWS ME TO BE CREATIVE AND HAVE A VOICE! I love adding my photographs and touching them up with different programs.  I love trying to make my writing interesting to engage my readers.  I love thinking up ways to arrange my posts in ways to add to the content.  I love being able to share and hopefully make a difference!

Blogging Has ROCKED my World!   Thank you Denise & Sheri for awarding me this Meme to once again take the time to reflect! (I should be adding you too, but then the meme would be a cirlce, right! You both have given me so much!)

I am passing this #Rockstar Meme onto the following people:

• Carol Ann Palmieri - My sister who has inspired me in so many ways with her wonderful talents - blogging among them: MA Homes Real Talk!
• Laura Komos - A teacher who uses and shares ideas about the Daily5 & CAFE (which is a way to structure & teach reading) - Delightful Daily 5 Cafe
• Laura Devlin - a fourth grade teacher who I met through Twitter & whose blog is just full of thought-provoking ideas and a passion for teaching: Teach Children Well 
• Erica Shepherd - A fourth grade teacher with fabulous ideas and resources: Shepherd's Shining Stars
• Heather Mathews - a teacher fairly new to blogging who reflects upon her teaching and is not afraid of change: Hot Pants Education

 Thanks to all those bloggers I follow in my Google Reader!  You have opened up a whole new world to me! BLOG ON!