Despite over a decade of enthusiasm for blogging I realise that writing is not for everyone – but reflecting on our craft should be.
Writing about my reflections forces me to make sense of my ideas. When writing with an audience in mind I have to communicate my thinking in a cogent way.
Writing is a reflective catharsis.
Developing a blog post quickly became a key method for processing my classroom and leadership experience. It filters ideas and tensions, encourages critical thinking and archives my experiences. Despite writing less these days on my blog, writing is still a vital part of the way I reflect on my professional experience and adopt the attitude of dialogue.
Every week I share a little email newsletter with 3 paragraphs about ideas I am exploring or experiences in schools I have had. With over 50 issues now and hundreds of subscribers it has been another successful medium for my thinking.
Sharing reflections on a blog or in a newsletter is not just about the end result. It is not just about the published piece or the ensuing reactions and conversations. The true value is in process it takes to allow people to catch a glimpse of your thinking.
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Photo by Park Troopers