This year I decided that I would try having my own blog.  I thought that maybe I’d explore ideas about how our school was transforming under new leadership.  I thought about sharing books with families or posting themed collections of books that could bring classroom discussions home if families chose to do that .  I thought that perhaps I would share resources to grow understanding about various social issues.  I do some of that in the classroom, but am sensitive of differing family values and choices.  How much should I talk about the refugee crisis or poverty or the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN?  I wanted to share and allow families to make choices.

That was my thinking in August, but then I got cold feet.  What I’ve discovered is that blogging makes me nervous – I think of things I could post all the time, but putting them down feels risky.  I’ve talked to Mrs. Wyman about what I am learning about this process.  She said I should just do it.

Today, on this second snow day in a row (UGH!), I read this post on a teacher’s blog that I follow.  It’s about teachers as learners – in this case these teachers are learning about blogging.  At the end of the post, Megan, a teacher in this project, pretty much described everything I’ve been feeling.  She wrote about it eloquently and reminded me of what I need to do.  Practice!  Many years ago I told my cousin that I just couldn’t seem to capture light in my paintings.  “I just can’t do it,” I said.  He asked, “How many times did you try it?  Once, right?”  He was right, I had only tried once.  How silly of me.  Of course I couldn’t do it the first time.  Of course I’d need to practice and experiment over and over and over and then some.

I realize the same is true with blogging.  If I truly want to find my voice, I’ll have to explore, experiment and practice.  With time, perseverance and patience perhaps I’ll find my way.