The Content Part

Here's the deal: this blog exists only because I teach a module on blogging in my Google Applications course. I want to give my students an example of a blog, and a place where they can freely experiment with commenting if they wish. Unfortunately, I can't yet boast much of an example.

In order to be a good blog, it needs to feel alive, and that requires frequent updates. And I have been woefully neglected of adding new posts here. The problem I'm facing is coming up with content.

As noted in my "Why Blog?" post, a blogger needs something to say. Because this is part of my class, I feel obliged to post class- and teaching-related content. And that's the kicker. I already write a good deal of content that is posted to individual classes. By the time it comes to blogging, I'm not often inspired to write about my work. Much as I love teaching, it is a job, and I don't always have much more to say about it.

So how do I fix this and try to turn this into a good example of blogging? Easy. I make a stronger commitment to adding content, keeping it up-to-date, breathing a little life into it. And the only way to do that is to loosen up my expectations. Not every post needs to be a teaching moment. I don't have to try to force a lesson into each post. Doing that just turns an enjoyable activity into a chore. I just need to write, and if something instructional  happens to bubble up, that will be icing on the cake.

Yes, you'll be hearing from me more often out here. But I don't expect to adhere very closely the "Classroom Reflections" title. I'll be writing about whatever strikes my fancy. Some, maybe most of my posts will just be talking. And who knows? Maybe sooner or later, some folks will start talking with me.