mguhlin

Make Love through Blogging – From Experience to Learning Opportunity

At TEFL Matters (Marisa Constantinides), the old question arises…

If we are convinced about the value of blogging, why is it that it is so hard to get so many teachers, especially trainee teachers, get into the habit of blogging?

Although I was unsuccessful in accessing Marisa’s presentation, I’d like to take a stab at answering this question:

  1. The Value of Blogging – It’s so easy to think that the value of blogging is so overwhelming that other activities pale by comparison. The truth is, blogging’s value fades for those who are non-writers (gasp, yes, they exist in education), who have other life priorities and find themselves affirmed through different mediums (e.g. an outing with friends, quiet tea/coffee stimulated chats scattered at different times during the week). As such, the value of blogging isn’t readily apparent. But for definite groups of folks, blogging does provide value. It’s a conversation with oneself, a process of developing a voice in the absence of others that is thoughtful and focuses on transforming experiences into learning opportunities. . .of a willingness to discover learning while pursuing another aim altogether.
  2. Getting teachers into a habit – We already have so many habits. Trainee teachers, also known as preservice teachers, often lack many experiences and are keen on obtaining them. However, they don’t know what is worthwhile. When everyone is an expert, how do you sort…uh, curate…the advice and information coming at you from everywhere?
The idea that blogging can help us transform an unending series of experiences that are new to us into learning opportunities, well, that holds the most appeal. Sometimes, people avoid blogging not because they don’t see the value, but because they fear that they must be perfect. They fear reflection because they don’t trust the process of sharing ideas–sunshine being the best disinfectant–and finding out if what they think in the darkness of their souls is worthy of being shared.
When I blog, I honestly ask, “Does this idea make sense? Or is it foolish?” The goal isn’t to avoid being foolish in a blog entry, but to take the raw experiences of life and allow them to change you, enabling you to learn from them. The reflection can have a profound experience on you, moving you to accept radical ideas that flow from the amalgamation of your own ideas with those of others.
We often bemoan that creativity and innovation are non-existent. Yet, what is amalgamation to one is creativity and innovation to another. The juxtaposition of ideas, information found in blog entries, when allowed to bear fruit, can foster your own creativity and innovation. Some of the best ideas that have come out of my mouth or pen, haven’t shown up because I woke up wanting to be creative. They arose through experimentation, pure chance juxtaposition of ideas and information.
If you’re a control freak, you’ll find that blogging is a different kind of writing. Your writing isn’t to make a point, but rather, to “extend yourself for the purpose of nurturing your own, or another’s, spiritual, intellectual, growth.” And, that is the definition of love per M. Scott Peck’s work, The Road Less Travelled. 
Blogging=act of love.

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

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