Dear Principal/Superintendent:
Good morning! You are probably wondering why you are receiving this letter out of the blue. Let me quickly explain. I am a 35-year-old high school principal who has many years of educational administration ahead of him. Recently I began blogging on my experiences as a Principal at New Milford High School with the hopes that my ideas and success stories could help other administrators in some fashion. A blog can also be used as a fantastic public relations tool in your school/district. If you were like me a year ago you are probably cringing at the thought of blogging. Thoughts like "I don't have time to do this, I'm not a writer, or I haven't the faintest clue about starting a blog" are probably resonating through your head as we speak. These were the same thoughts I had, but rest assured I am here to help you get started!
Even though I feel that I am relatively good at what I do I will be the first one to admit that I have so much to learn about effective leadership practices and changing the culture of a school to improve student engagement and achievement. This is where you come in. As an experienced administrator you own a wealth of knowledge. You have implemented ideas successfully and have probably encountered some failure along the way. The insight you possess is priceless to administrators like myself. I have seen firsthand how the field of education has shifted from a possessive to sharing culture. My professional growth and development greatly depends on your wisdom, network of resources, and feedback. You have an opportunity to help countless administrators across the globe and leave a lasting impact on the profession.
Sincerely,
Eric Sheninger
The letter above contains a simple, yet powerful message. Sharing knowledge and ideas is pivotal to the growth and development of practicing administrators. It is our experiences that we encounter on the job, not text written in a book or information disseminated in a lecture, that have the most profound impact on changing the learning environment of schools. I leave you with this question. Do you feel more administrators should blog and why? Please share your thoughts because I am sure that I missed many compelling reasons for administrators to blog.
I was thrilled to add: A Principal's Reflections to my collection of Administrator's blogs on my Administrators Page: http://cybraryman.com/administrators.html
ReplyDeleteMr. Sheninger is absolutely correct that all administrators should have a blog and be able to share their expertise with their staffs and educators all over the world.
Eric, I think the tendency for blog writing to promote reflective practice is another great reason for educators to write & post. It forces one to clarify ideas, and then makes feedback on those ideas possible. I heartily agree with your conclusion and hope many take action on it. We could all use a bit more reflection to increase our intentionality in practice. I'm thrilled that you're taking on this challenge!
ReplyDelete"I have seen firsthand how the field of education has shifted from a possessive to sharing culture."
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. The transition from isolation to community has been sweeping in the past few years. Personally, it has enriched me as a teacher leader. Reading your blog has allowed me to consider the perspectives and needs of educational leaders, further informing my daily practice. Building a network of blogs created by educational leaders could spark many conversations. Remember, all change is derived from a single conversation.
Being an educator (like a classroom teacher) can be very lonely. Many teachers do not network. I imagine it's the same for building leaders.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much information to share. If educators don't want to blog, they should at least start with Twitter.
It's not about the tool you use (Twitter, blog, FB), it's all about surrounding yourself with a solid PLN.
Signed,
Infodivabronx (twitter)
I've always felt that a blog is a conversation. Sometimes people join in the conversation. Sometimes they just listen.
ReplyDeleteThe blog is the NEW extended post-it note. Any post it at the right time can create change.
@dpeter
Well put! I would love if my administrator would blog! It would help build up the community atmosphere by keeping parents, teachers, and students in the loop. A blog would also show that our principal is committed to making our school the best it can be and continually working to improve.
ReplyDeleteEric,
ReplyDeleteSo glad you have decided to blog! Your experiences along with the experiences of those who follow your call can only help us all. I have learned so much from other educators by following their writings and I can only imagine the wealth of experience others could share if they take up the practice! Blogging myself has allowed me to clarify my thoughts and get feedback on ideas. If the leader of the building is doing it, others will follow, as has been the case in my observation of districts where superintendents and principals have joined the practice. I must say we cannot leave out the teaching staff! Their input is invaluable as we strive to make our schools as relevant and effective as possible!
Nice work!
Excellent post. You hit all of the right reasons on why admins should blog. It is a great way to communicate to the staff and the community. Starting something new can be scary, but the benefit heavily outweigh the scariness. Keep posting and I know I will keep reading.
ReplyDeleteAs a principal who maintains a blog, I find the added link to my own Professional Learning Network to be indispensable. I enjoy sharing thoughts, ideas and practices. Writing blog is a way continuing the conversation about being an administrator.
ReplyDeleteEric - thank you for speaking your mind. I have never found a professional development effort more fruitful than following the blogs of other leaders and disciplining myself to articulate my thoughts publicly through blogging. It requires humility and sound judgment - afterall, you're all out there critiquing my work! If we are indeed educational leaders, then let's put it out there and articulate what we are thinking. Iron sharpens iron - and builds up leaders embracing the realities of this calling. Well done in your post. Keep up the good work - but don't forget to keep balance (you tweet 7 days a week... is that healthy??).
ReplyDeletemy blog "Principal Thoughts:
http://chrislindholm.typepad.com/principal-thoughts/
I have strayed away from blogging and your post reminds me how critical it is that I get back to it. I rely so much on my PLN to inspire and help me reflect. But I need to balance the time I spend exploring what my PLN has to offer with time to think and write about my own experiences.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing this post. We do need to get more of our administrative colleagues to join us.
My blog:
http://talkworthy.blogspot.com
I agree.... it's just finding the time! I have found using it to create a conversation within my school community has been successful. Blogging about the day to day decisions of the district (or building) allows for feedback - which is great.
ReplyDeleteI am also able to share my "deeper" thoughts about education and this allows the community and staff to better understand my philosophy. Many great discussions with staff at meetings or the grocery store have been prompted by something I have written.
My blog: http://blogs.salineschools.com/gradens
Exactly why I started blogging as well, although I got away for a while. I too am looking for other admin's to follow and hopefully for them to read my blog as well. I think blogging as part of a PLN is great.
ReplyDeleteI blog on Fridays and use it as a method to communicate what has happened during the week. I try to make the message positive and point out individuals that are doing great things within our school.
ReplyDeleteGreat Letter!
ReplyDeleteI started blogged www.principalofthematter.com well over a year ago, but ended up taking a 6 month break in the middle. I am back at it now, and am enjoying it much more. I feel that I have matured and am blogging more when I have something to say, and to develop my own thinking, rather than to try to get people to read!
Keep promoting the practice!
Thanks,
Your banner says it. Education is reflective, and reflections are better when shared.
ReplyDeleteMy first principal REQUIRED all teachers maintain a reflective journal (this was in pre-blogging days) and e-mail it to him monthly--he would send it back with his comments. I can't tell you how heartening that was for a new teacher. (Of course, that school had only 11 teachers, so the principal could manage it--but perhaps other administrators can find a creative way to adapt that idea. Perhaps the faculty should form a Ning to more easily share each other's thoughts and reflections.)
I don't know that my ideas are any better than the ones that you have, but here is my blog, http://aprincipalspeaking.blogspot.com/ I am a principal in STL working on many of the same issues that I hear you describing. You can also follow me at @ideaguy42 on twitter.
ReplyDelete