Education Week offers a good overview of blogging by some principals and other school administrators, noting that their numbers are few but the ones who have tried it are finding “great value” in the process.
As you might expect, one of the big factors that have chased some out of the blogosphere are comments that are not exactly kind.
Still, comments can turn ugly, particularly because they can be made essentially anonymously. Mr. Stock briefly pulled the plug on his blog when comments were made that included personal attacks following the departure of a popular high school football coach.
Clayton Wilcox, the superintendent of the 148,000-student Pinellas County, Fla., school district, retired a blog he’d run for more than a year last spring after a number of episodes in which comments became mean-spirited.
We’ve been lobbying some of the administrators in our overly large school district to start blogging but so far everyone seems too shy to take the leap.
Maybe they’ll read this article and learn from the experience of the Western New York principal behind G-Town Talks. She used her blog as an opportunity to interact with her school’s community (students included) directly and honestly.
Administrators need to understand that a blog is just one more communications tool. One that can be a whole lot more effective than that monthly printed backpack letter.
Very well said–and thanks for the props. I figure it’s always better to get my word in their ears, hopefully first, but at least along with all the other noise out there.
Thanks for the props. I always figure it’s better to get my word in their ears, hopefully first, but at least along with all of the other noise. It’s a form of communication for us and great PR.
I thought the article was excellent and highlighted a lot of bloggers that I learn from.
I do wish they had made more clear for administrators that you can moderate comments, because I think that builds in more of a safety net factor for the blog.
One of the interesting things about different principal blogs is the different ways they approach the blog–some are more about technology, some more about the experience of being a principal and their particular school, some are more philosophical.
There isn’t a one-size-fits all approach and I think there is a way for administrators to use blogs well and to find their own comfort level.
Another issue I suspect comes up for administrators (same for teachers) is fear about the time it might take to manage a blog.
One of our administrators set one up during attendance at one conference and used it to share his experiences. Like classroom blogs, they could be used for just certain projects or occasions.
There are many interesting examples out there in the blogosphere and I’m glad the article picked so many excellent ones to highlight.
I helped connect the author, Jeff Archer, with a variety of folks. I think the article came out pretty well!