Your Own Blog Review

Thanks to everyone that came to today's session on "Your Own Blog in 10 Minutes or Less." Hands-on workshops present their own unique challenges in that everyone comes with slightly different backgrounds and levels of expertise. Our group did a great job!

It was so good to see a every single computer occupied. It lets me know that this is a subject that is relevant to many people.

As I circulated, looked over your shoulder, gave individual help, and hung around afterwords to answer you were having about your creations, I was impressed with how much you absorbed and how creative you were.

We have all hear that the "one-shot" workshop does not work. If the blog you created today lives and grows and becomes something to which you add at least weekly, then this one-shot workshop will have worked.

Furthermore, through the power of Web 2.0, this workshop does not have to end here. If there is something that you wish you had asked or something that just didn't "click," you have not missed your chance. With one click, you can add a comment or ask a question.

You now have at you fingertips a tool to communicate with your family, your school, your community, or the whole world. It's all up to you!

Two New Principal Blogs

When it comes to getting a great deal of benefit for a very small amount of work, blogs are towards the top of my list. I know of no easier way to communicate complete information in a variety of forms (written word, pictures, videos, clickable links) and have it instantly retrievable by any reader months or years later.

I am enjoying reading two new blogs, both established by Kerry Palmer, Principal of Trinity Presbyterian Middle School (Montgomery, Alabama).

http://www.tpsmiddle.blogspot.com is a blog he has established to communicate with parents. The positive tone and informative ideas are sure to keep parents coming back.

http://www.tpsmiddlestaff.blogspot.com/ is a blog Mr. Palmer has established for his faculty. The style here seems to be one of taking everything his faculty needs to know for the coming week and grouping it in one post. Announcements, calendar events,...it's all right there in one spot.

One of the neat things about a blog is that you never know who is reading yours. Sure, you know the benefit your intended audience is going to get. But, what about those whom you have never met who somehow found your blog and use your ideas in their setting.

Kerry Palmer is a first-year principal after having been a highly-successful band director and assistant principal. I have no doubt that he is going to be outstanding principal. I can certainly see other first-year principals following these blogs and benefiting from the ideas they read. I can also see more experienced principals who want to learn a few new tricks visiting these two blogs.

Good luck to all as we begin another school year. Our tasks will be many, and so will our opportunities. School leadership is a journey, a brave journey, an unending journey.

To Blog or Not to Blog?

A post appeared on Leadertalk from a new administrator asking for advice about blogs. That post is here. I responded with my own comments and invited readers to come here for links to examples.

I invite you to view these:

• GrahamSchool.blogspot.com This is a blog I create during my final year as principal.

• GrahamStaff.blogspot.com This blog served as a tool to communicate with teachers.

• TalladegaCitySchools.blogspot.com This is our central office blog for the community

• TeachTalladega.blogspot.com This is our central office blog for communicating with employees. On both of these last two blogs, selected people from each school have the capability to contribute to the blogs.

The post on LeaderTalk was composed by a new administrator, so I think it would be helpful to see the work of someone else who is brand new to the principalship:

• RLYoung.blogspot.com This blog is for the parents at Raymond L. Young Eementary School (Talladega, AL) For someone who stepped into the principalship in January 2008, this blog has been a true treasure in terms of transmit information and warmth to the community.

• 4youngteachers.edublogs.org Although the title is "Just for R. L. Young Teachers," I don't think they would mind interested visitors. Pattie Thomas, principal at Raymond L. Young, put a great deal of thought into how she would communicate with her faculty, and this is the results that is being rolled out for the start of this school year.