Thing #4

Commenting is key for a successful blog, in my opinion. We blog because we are wanting to build our own personal community of people with like-minded ideas, habits or interests.   In order to build your blog, you have to let others know you are out there with your own blog and leaving comments on others blogs is probably the best way to let others know, “Hey! I’m here! I’m kind of like you. You are not alone in your thoughts and ideas.”   

We can let others know that we have a blog via posting a link on our Facebook pages, but for the purpose of this particular blog (a teachers blog) I doubt many of my non teaching friends would be interested in reading this blog.  However, my fellow classmates would be. So, in order for them to know that I exist, I have to leave a comment on their blogs.  It’s how you start to build your blogging community.

 

I loved the service CoComment from the blog Cool Cat TeacherBlog.  You can see all the places you have commented and read recent comments to that post. That is a really awesome tool especially if you get “lost” in bloggerworld and forget all the blogs you visited and left comments. 

I also love the idea of leaving open ended questions toinvite more comments. Honestly, I just think asking any question at the end of your blog would be a great way to get more comments, especially if you are using this blog as a way to communicate with other teachers and get ideas for classroom assignments.  Ask a question! See what other teachers from all over the place have to say.  I think asking questions on your blog (while should get more comments) it can also be an invaluable tool to be a more successful teacher (if you do end up having a teachers blog). 

I chose Britney Elliott’s  I commented that I loved her idea for using a blog in her class.  She had the idea to use her blog as a way of giving examples to her students for different problems. I love that idea. Whereas I was thinking more along the lines of using a blog for the parents benefit, I love the idea of using a blog as a tool for the students benefit as well.

My second blog I picked was Nick Caudill's blog Gadfly. He made me laugh because he said that he thinks he will be a nuisance to the teacher because he doesn’t feel he is at good with technology. I think the fact that he has his blog set up and registered proves he is better than he thinks he is and I told him that in my comment to him.  

My third blog I picked was Tiffany Anderson’s blog, “FromChalkboards to Smartboards” I LOVED that title! Her blog is very creative and pretty. I picked her blog randomly because she was from the other Education 3040 class.  I pretty much just gushed to her in my comment about how much I loved the look of her blog and the name of her blog. 

My fourth blog I went to was Kendra Donaldson 23 Things for Teachers.  She and I both want to go back and spruce up our avatars.  I told her in my comment to her that I need to change my avatar to be more reflective of who I am. 

This fifth blog I visited was Emily Mount's blog, Ms. Emily Mount's 23 Things. I told her in my comment that I hope this blogging exercise helps us all to establish more friends outside the classroom because I for one, don't have many friends at APSU being a non traditional student. 

One of my favorite blogs is, Miss Britt In Pursuit of Happiness.  I love her blog, though comment rarely.  I commented on her last post "Happy Birthday" because it was her birthday.  She wrote a post in honor of her 32nd birthday titled "32 ways to be happy."  It's a great read if you get the chance. 

Another blog I read all the time is Sarah Joy.  She is a college student in Portland.  My last comment to her was about how similar she and I are. She was writing about how there isn't enough time to do everything she need to do, like call her mom more often. It's blogs like her that I really enjoying reading the most.  The personal ones that allows us a little insight into another person's world.