Usefulness of Blogging

I am, by nature, an introvert. I’m not a big talker or sharer–I can, and I do, and so many people mistake me for a social butterfly. But by nature, I’m an introvert.  So, sitting down to a computer and writing my thoughts for someone else to read never did strike me as my idea of a good time.

What I discovered is that I did get some clarity and focus out of blogging. Taking a jumble of thoughts and experiences and having to respond to a prompt and put a reflection on a page in a way that others can understand it forces me to be articulate. Although I think the most useful reflections on my fellowship, good teaching, and innovation came in the form of Fellow conversations at breakfast and dinner tables, it was good to have another forum.

In the future, I don’t think I’ll continue to blog about teaching or in general. Not for an audience, necessarily. I like the idea of putting down my own thoughts, perhaps by journaling, but I don’t think I’ll be consistent with it. I do think I can use technology to archive some of my best lessons and student work, and that may be a worthwhile goal.