Blogging for Beginners

Ever since I first heard about blogging, the idea intrigued me. As someone who had always enjoyed writing, why wouldn’t I blog? Well, there were a few reasons:
1. I was afraid no one would want to read what I wrote.
2. I thought it would be too hard to set up/manage. I didn’t know what to do.
3. I was scared.

OK, so #1 and 3 are pretty much the same thing, but really, putting yourself out there on the internet where anyone could read it – that’s pretty scary! I knew I wanted to write about parenting/teaching topics. I wanted to share the funny things kids say and do. I also wanted to share things with other teachers or parents about things that have and have not worked with the kids I have worked with. Beyond that, I didn’t know what to expect.

I am lucky, in that my fiancée (Jason Strate) is an avid blogger. He forwarded a link to Brent Ozar’s blog. The post is pretty much Blogging 101. I found it VERY helpful! I also searched the internet for other information for beginner bloggers. Brent’s blog (and all its links) was the most comprehensive that I found.

Where to start
I originally wrote my blog on blogger.com. I was told by several people that WordPress is easier to use, and offers more themes. I switched over to WordPress, and have been very happy with it. Both sites are free, which is a plus. Using WordPress, I can check the stats, add or subtract widgets (the links and other fun stuff along the sidebar). I can put in pictures, change themes without having to re-do my entire blog, and more. It’s very user-friendly!

When setting up your blog, I’d strongly recommend allowing it to publish your blog to your facebook page, LinkedIn account, and Twitter. If you don’t, it is completely up to you to let people know you have a blog, when you post to it, etc. Using the social media you already use to advertise your blog is kind of a no-brainer. If you’re going to write it, you might as well let people know, right?

Writing Posts
Here’s where some people struggle. Decide what the purpose of your blog is going to be. Are you going to write solely in one “niche”, or are you going to have posts on random topics? Do you want to share information, are you writing it for professional reasons, or is it just for fun? Is your blog going to be humorous, or serious? Think about your “tone of voice”. Would YOU want to read what you wrote? Is it something you’d forward to other people?

After you’ve set up the blog, decided on your style, and actually written your post, edit it. I heard you just say, “Duh!” Truthfully though, save your draft, then preview it. Read through it slowly and carefully. If you read it too fast, you will read it as you meant to write it, not as you actually did. If it helps, read it out loud. It will make missing commas, periods, and grammar mistakes, obvious. If you want readers to keep coming back, the extra time it will take you will be worth it!

Publishing it
This is the easiest part of the process!! After your post is written, and edited, hit the Publish button. Check back occasionally, watch your stats, respond to comments… have fun with it!

One of the fun things about blogging, is that over time, it will naturally mature. Your topics may stray some from your original intent. That’s ok! Mine has strayed quite a bit, but every post is just as enjoyable to write! What matters is that you do it because you like it. Have fun!

Spreading the Word
As you are ready to increase your readership, search for sites that feature blogs on topics similar to yours. Many will accept submissions. You may even become a featured blog! Some sites, such as E-zine will publish articles on all sorts of topics. Companies can use those articles on their sites. The more places you can get your posts published, the more readers you will get. Just make sure that where ever your posts are published, they link to your site! Look for opportunities to Guest Blog. If you comment on other people’s posts, make sure it links to your blog. Get your name out there as much as you can. And please, sign your name to your site. Take credit for your work (and on that note, don’t forget to credit other people for their influences)!

Comparing Different Types of Continuing Education for Teachers

A while back, I posted about Continuing Education requirements and opportunities. Now, I’m going to talk about what I feel are the pros and cons of different types of Continuing Ed. What’s best for you really comes down to your learning style. Most people are auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners (or a combination of the above). Your personal learning style will weigh heavily on what form of continuing education is best for you.

Self-Study

Pros: Self study is a broad area. Most of what I have come across, is in the form of a book. You read the book, take a quiz, send in your answers, they send you a certificate. If you want to be able to go at your own pace, and have the book available to go back through when you are working on the quiz, this is a good choice. Books are also the way to go if you like to keep the books on your shelf for future reference.

There are a few books that I have read that are fabulous, such as Raising Your Spirited Child, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. This book is not one that has a quiz that can be sent in for a certificate. It is, however, worth reading! You will learn a lot about yourself, as well as the children in your care (or your own kids if you are a parent). I read it every couple years. Being able to keep a copy on your bookshelf of high quality books is a good thing!

If you are working in a child care setting, and are only looking for hours to meet state requirements, reading a book and writing a report on it may be an option. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, book reports are not accepted towards Clock Hour requirements for relicensing.

Another form of self-study is in the form of on-line courses. Online courses are available through some colleges or through companies such as the Professional Learning Board. Most of the courses have some interaction, drag and drop “Check Your Understanding” activities, quizzes, videos to watch, etc. Some courses have audio available. These fit with my learning style better than strictly text.

Cons: I am not a fast reader, and I often fall asleep reading. Self-study books are a good choice when I want to take my time, but not when I’m trying to keep trekking though information. For me, the content of the book also plays a role in how effective this type of study is. If I am reading new information that is well written, I am more engaged. If what I am reading re-hashes information I’ve already read about, I may struggle to get through it.

Workshops/Staff In-service Meetings

Pros: Workshops (at least the ones I have been to through the Appelbaum Training Institute)are fun, interactive, and definitely engaging! There’s something to be said for sitting with a group of other professionals who deal with the same day-to-day issues. Some of the people in the room have amazing ideas you can learn from, while others may learn something from you! Many of the speakers I have seen, mix personal experiences with humor. The personal/emotional connections are what make workshops among my favorite means of acquiring continuing education hours.

Most workshops I have been to, give out packets to take notes. PowerPoint slides, fill in the blanks, etc. may be included in those packets. This allows for several learning styles at once to be tapped into. Your brain is engaged through taking notes, you are listening, you are reading, your emotions are being tapped into…

Some staff in-service meetings may include training that will earn you continuing education hours. The advantage is that you are there with your peers. You are all learning the same thing, and can discuss how it directly applies to the children in your care or your classrooms.

Cons: Most workshops take up the better part of a day (or in some cases, multiple days), often on weekends. This can take up time that you would normally spend with your family. If you are a single parent, that is a pretty significant burden. There is also the unwritten cost of traveling to the workshop you are attending.

Mentoring

Mentoring student teachers is probably my favorite way of earning continuing education hours! It is not necessarily something you can ask for. Your supervisor must feel you are ready to take on the responsibility. Being asked to mentor a student is, in itself a huge honor! It is also a huge challenge. You must be on your top game at all times. There are small intricacies in what we do every day that we may not even realize. Student teachers are watching and pick up on those. I personally think I am my best when I know someone is watching me (besides, of course, the children in my care who are ALWAYS watching).

I’m sure there are means of acquiring hours that I don’t know about (or forgot to mention). Feel free to post a comment to enlighten me and other readers!

The Joys of “Gifted Children”

Recently, I was reading a blog post on Gifted Children. This Mom had a unique perspective on just what it takes to raise a gifted child (being that all 3 of hers were). To her, having a gifted child, was not much different than having a special needs child. In a way, I can see her point. There are definitely challenges in motivating the exceptionally smart children. That said, I disagree a bit with her explanation of what defines a “gifted child”.

Jennifer, the author of the blog I was reading says, “In my observation, there are Really Smart Kids, and there are Gifted Kids – and the parents of the Really Smart Kids have the better end of the deal. True giftedness not only involves intelligence, but thinking so outside the box that the box is not even recognizable. Gifted kids think differently, learn differently, relate to people differently. They are often misunderstood by teachers and peers, and they often struggle with fitting in and feeling accepted. There is a lovely little term called “asynchronous development” that makes life oh-so-interesting: the gifted child may have the intelligence of one many years older, but his body, his maturity and his emotions are still at his biological age – or younger.”

So, if my kids is one of the really smart kids, she’s not as special??

Grace
Grace was a child with a huge vocabulary before most of the children her age were even talking in sentences. People commented all the time on how grown up she sounded because of this fact. When she was 3, she started reading. I didn’t feel like I had done anything special to get her to that point. She just came to me one day and said, “Mommy, I want to read this book to you.” I was blown away that she was able to read me the entire book, only needing help with one or two words!

I also knew at a very early age that she had a real talent for music. As an infant, I worked at a child care center almost an hour away. She came with me every day. On our commutes, she would sit in her car seat, trying to match pitches that I would sing to her. In her toddler years, she could hear a song one or two times, and know every word to the song. Before she was even walking, she’d be standing at the coffee table, tapping her feet to the rhythm of music. I knew I was going to have a very smart little girl with some huge talents!

We had always joked that we were NOT going to teach her to tie her shoes. After all, she needed to be able to learn SOMETHING in Kindergarten! Surprisingly, tying ended up being something she struggled with. In Kindergarten, she was already reading at about a 2nd grade reading level. She was identified as “Gifted”, and put into a special program with other advanced readers. I was so glad she was put into that program. Up until that point, I wondered why I even bothered to send her to Kindergarten. Sure, she benefited socially, but academically, she was bored. The gifted teacher she worked with did a great job in challenging her to read more carefully, and gave her tips to push learning to the next level. She has continued to work with this teacher several times a year for the past several years. Now that she is a 4th grader, she is preparing for the statewide Battle of the Books. She is having a hard time getting motivated to read the books because, as she says, the books on the list are too easy.

While she is a very smart girl, she lacks some (OK, a lot) in the area of self-motivation. Things come so easy to her, that she doesn’t want to take the time to work at them. The idea of doing extra, just ’cause? Not in her line of thinking! Here’s an example: Grace has been in dance since she was 3. This year, she was invited to join the competition dance group. I’m so proud of her! At the same time, I get so frustrated watching her. I know she can do the moves, and I know she has room for improvement. She just doesn’t push herself!

Sadly, I can’t get too upset with her, because I was the same way! When I was in 5th or 6th grade, I was identified as gifted. I was in a program called “High Potential.” I was pulled out with some other children. I may have been a bit advanced in some areas, but I never quite felt like I belonged in that group. I was terrible at math, and because I struggled in that one area, I didn’t think I was as smart as the other kids in the group. Like my daughter, I didn’t push myself. I didn’t try at anything quite as hard as I could have. I went through school in advanced classes, and most of it was easy (though, history had a lot of numbers, so it wasn’t my strongest area). I couldn’t understand kids who struggled to read. Also, I played the flute. It came fairly easy to me (granted, if I had practiced, I probably would have been much better). I got by on my ability alone. I was in dance classes from 2nd grade through 10th grade. I danced at the competitive level for a couple of years, until I hurt my knee in 9th or 10th grade. Looking back, I wish I would have pushed myself harder. Instead of just getting by all those years, I wish I would have taken everything to the next level and just TRIED. I can only imagine where my music, dance, and even academics might have gone!

Michael
Michael is a Kindergartner. He began reading last spring. I was so excited, I tried to push him. He shut down and decided to quit reading altogether. His interest is back in reading these days. His teacher informed me just today that he is among the Top 10 Readers in all the kindergarten classes at his school. Problem is, he won’t read for anyone else except me. He refused to read for the teacher who wanted to “test” his ability in order to pull him out for a special guided reading group. His teacher opted not to force him, for fear he would shut down. I think that was a good choice – for now. My challenge now is to figure out how to build his confidence so that he can realize his true ability.

Going back to the blog that got me on this topic for a second. Jennifer says that it is important for parents to advocate for their children. We need to work with teachers to help our children, and to ensure they are continually challenged. On this point, I agree 100%. It was a struggle for me and it is a struggle for both of my kids who seem to be on the advanced end of the spectrum. Not only is it important to make sure our kids are challenged, it is also important to help them stay motivated (as they may struggle with motivating themselves). Our children who are either truly gifted, or just really smart, may have a hard time fitting in with their “average” peers. We need to not only advocate for them with their teachers, but we also need to support them in their struggles. The same is true with any child. It is part of our duty as parents.

Do Girls WANT to be a Data Diva?

A few days ago, Datachick, Karen Lopez (blog|twitter) wrote about Computer Engineer Barbie and a game on Mattel’s website called “Data Diva.” Having a 9 year old daughter, I thought I’d have her check it out. It sounded like something she might be into (seeing as how she is obsessed with the virtual world games like Webkinz). Jason Strate (@StrateSQL) offered the suggestion that I blog about it. Great idea!! Here’s what we found out.

The intro to the game says “You can be a computer engineer. Help Barbie program a robot puppy to do cute tricks.” I was hopeful that there might be some beginner programming skills she could learn through the game. We clicked the “next” button to start the game. The first page asked for a code to unlock stuff. I”m guessing the code comes with the Computer Engineer Barbie. Maybe the game gets cooler or more interesting if you have the codes?

From that page, we clicked on “play.” We were brought to a page with a cute puppy and instructions on how to play. The heading was, “Computer Engineers use a special language called ‘code’ to make programs work.” Underneath, there was a grid of 1s and 0s. I thought maybe it was going to somehow teach my daughter binary (in which case, I should play too, so I can understand my fiancée and my brother when they type binary messages to each other). Instead, the game ended up being more like a game of Bejeweled, or Cash Cow (not sure the real name of that game). You just move columns and rows to line up 3 or more of a certain color box that can have either 0′s or 1′s. When you do, the puppy on the screen moves in different ways. After only one game (you are given a time limit), Grace was bored with it. She exited the game, and saw that there is a Wedding Stylist game. She was much more interested in playing that!

A while back, I wrote about other programs out there to teach children about programming. While some of them, such as the Alice Program may not have had great graphics, at least it taught real programming! Nice try, Mattel… Maybe a younger girl would like “Data Diva”, but I didn’t feel like it quite lived up to the promise it showed.

On a side note, I have to give props to Mattel for their efforts in giving Barbie traditionally male roles such as a computer engineer. They want to inspire girls with their multi-tasking Barbies with the hottest technical gadgets such as a laptop and iphone. Even grown up girls get excited by the find of Barbie in their own profession. I know WAY back in the day when I worked at Pizza Hut, I was thrilled to find Pizza Hut Employee Barbie. A friend of mine, Jes Borland (twitter|blog), a DBA, pretty much counted down the days until her computer engineer Barbie showed up!! They know what they’re doing over there.

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,400 times in 2010. That’s about 3 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 50 new posts, not bad for the first year! There were 93 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 143mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was November 20th with 97 views. The most popular post that day was Personal Branding – make people know who you are.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were twitter.com, facebook.com, bobpusateri.com, jasonstrate.com, and WordPress Dashboard.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for courage, what to pray over your children, big pictures of the corkscrew at valleyfair, colleen and uncle squaty, and syringe clipart.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Personal Branding – make people know who you are November 2010
1 comment

2

We’ve all been there!! June 2010

3

The Bucket List October 2010
1 comment

4

How a Teacher is like a DBA November 2010
2 comments

5

Encourage Girls for the Future… September 2010
6 comments

A Tale of Two Blogs

I’ve been writing online for about 6 months now. My topics have ranged from everything from parenting, to teaching, to traveling. After looking at my goals for the future (getting articles published, etc), I was given some good advice to split my blog into two. This site will continue to focus on parenting/teaching or professional-type posts. My new site, “My Life as a Dancem0m” will be based on events in the life of me and my family. Due to the nature of my job, some topics may cross over from one blog to the other, but I will do my best to keep them separate.

As always, I love comments from readers, so please feel free to add your 2 cents on posts!