Ready, Set, Blog!

I’ve recently been asked by a few people for some blogging tips. Although I haven’t been the best blogger lately, this may be the kickstart that I need to get my blogging mojo back!

Pick your Blogging Site

A couple of user friendly blogging sites are Blogger, Weebly, EduBlogs and Wordpress. All are free (basic editions) and Blogger is found through Google. I personally use Blogger for blogging, but use Wordpress for my personal website. I find both to be easy to use. The preference is yours, but don’t spend too much time trying to pick a platform.

Naming your Blog

Try to think of a name that will last you throughout career advancements. Don’t generalize- “The techy teacher” is great, but what if you move out of teaching into administration or even another area? Also, don’t be “cutesy” - see your blog as an extension of your resume and personal portfolio. Make it relevant and professional.

Brainstorm Topics

It is a great idea to keep of list of topics that interest you going to spark a future blog post. Jennifer Hogan recently shared 50 blog topics on her blog (see link below). Anything goes! I am part of a voxer group and we have been talking about how we enjoy reading about great things happening in classrooms, celebrating people/students, etc. Use your blog to educate, encourage and celebrate!

Write Freely

Your blog should be your thoughts and feelings. Granted, if you post on social media, keep in mind your audience has grown, and it’s no longer your personal journal. Reflect openly, but be professional.

Create a Graphic

Canva is a great app and website that allows you to create FREE pictures to use. You can create your own, or use their samples and edit. Make your graphic, download it to your computer, and then upload it to Twitter. Canva not only allows you to create pictures for blogs, but a plethora of other materials as well (newsletters, handouts, slides). It's definitely a great resource to check out. Some graphics can be attached with a fee, but you definitely can create TONS fee free!

Share with your PLN

The world is ready! Share!!! Copy your link and paste it into your Twitter post. If you have a long link, you can cut it down to a manageable size using bitly (a URL shortener). Add a picture (Your Canva graphic or another picture) and then tag up to ten people from your PLN! Repeat and share with more people!

Here are some great resources to check out:

Cybrary Man’s Blog Page
Jennifer Hogan’s Compelled Educator’s Blog
Craig Vroom’s Fueling Education Blog
Jon Wennstrom’s Spark of Learning Blog
52 Education Blogs to Follow
EdWeek Blogs

Please share your blogs with me! I am excited to learn with you!