Critically Blogging

To continue my thoughts of the previous blog, our we cluttering up the cyber waves with unnecessary thoughts and opinions I bring up the practice of explicit teaching. We as teachers know that good practice includes teaching students the structure, forms and features of texts we think they will be viewing or creating as they interact with the world but what are the explicit teachings of blogs that we should heeding?

While our travel leaders are doing an excellent job is getting us involved in the blogging world and all the technical tricks of the trade what other aspects of blogging to we need to be aware of;

what to bog, when to blog, are our facts correct, what lies behind our opinions, who are blogging for, who is our audience?

We are mandated to teach our students to be critical thinkers, to engage in critical literacy practices. We also need to keep these critical literacy concepts in mind as we create our blogs and put forth our opinions for all to see.

Is My Hair on Fire?

Last week I attended the Reading for the Love of It conference. Saw Rafe Esquith speak, he has to be the most dedicated teacher on the face, not just the U.S.A, where he has won the teacher of the year award among others. but the whole world. It got me thinking. Am I still teaching like my hair is on fire, am I ignoring the crap and getting down to the business of making sure kids get the teaching they need, when they need it? I hope so. I think we all need to take some time to reflect on how we are doing.
I was heard the definition of a competent person is one who worries if they are competent or not, an incompetent person doesn't worry about whether or not they are doing a good job, no self reflection and your picture in right there under the definition of incompetency.

Information Plucking

Another guiding question. Let's think about backward design. Where do I want to end up and work backward from there. I want to end up with a solid knowledge of elearning, the confidence and enthusiasm that draws others into the elearning community as well, and of course end up with the new notepad.
Which brings me to the dilemna I am in "write" now. How much is too much. While I want to learn the technical side of this new system of communication it does involve the writing of a blog. While I am one who does enjoy the sound of my own voice and thinks that my opinion is just as or more important than the next persons, I am torn.
An important part of this proces is deciding how much of yourself you want to put out in "cyberspace". There are so many words, pictures, thoughts floating around to be plucked out of the air by people much more talented than I in information plucking. How much is too much?
Is there a need for our opinions to be filling the cyberwaves? Are we running the risk of running out of cyber waste areas as we are with our land waste areas? Years from now will blogs be considered the disposable diapers of the cyber world? How much does an Intel offset cost anyway?

Well here goes,
What's driving your instruction?
Since this is my blog I get to answer first.
What's driving my instruction?
I could say it was to increase my knowledge base so I can make a bigger difference in the world but I'd rather be honest. What's really driving my instruction is first and foremost the intense need to validate my existence through my job, which includes knowing about all new iniatives, programs and fun things coming down the pike. I also like to be on the cutting edge of new technology but don't know how to go about learning it, using it (I still can't program the DVD player in my living room, and bought an uncompatible Guitar Hero game for my computer) Hopefully this excursion will give me more confidence and knowledge. Maybe along the way I will also make a bigger differnce in the world
Now, your turn. What's driving your instruction?