Thing 4 - Why Commenting is Important

In this fourth blog post I will share some useful information that I found on blogging and how it helps connect individuals.  I will also reveal seven blogs that I am now following, providing some posts that I left on their page.  Happy reading! 

Commenting on a blog helps to create a sense of community as individuals share ideas, thoughts, perspectives and opinions.  This sharing allows individuals to get to know each other on a more personal level.  By responding to a blog, an individual is continuing the discussion topic of that blog.  It gives the blogger an opportunity to, perhaps, look at the topic in a different way or to expand on the topic in greater detail.  Through the interactions on blogs, a virtual community forms.

When responding to a blog, it is important to share something meaningful in your response.  This tells the author of the blog how their message was understood and gives the blogger more information on the thoughts and ideas of the topic covered. The blogger can then respond in a meaningful way back.  This meaningful sharing is what fosters a blogging community.

As a blogger it is important to let your readers know that comments are welcome and encouraged.  Setting some boundaries regarding the comments will help encourage readers to blog back, as it eases fears of responding in an unwanted way.  When a reader does blog back it is important to recognize their response in a gracious and humble way.  A blogger will be seen in a more favorable light by encouraging responses and responding to them in a gracious manner.

The five blogs that I picked to follow in class are: SamplesofLearning, Vanessa Green 23 Things,  Mr Hirtle Tech Blog, Cool School Mccoy and Crane's US Hist Tech. I also chose I sixth one as one to follow, Live Learn Moore.  For my final blog choice I was able to find an English teacher’s blog that was very interesting and informative, Teacher Nuha's English Blog.

The blogs from class I chose because they were interesting and I wanted a variety of different ones.  Many of them had welcoming pages and showed a sense of humor in their postings.  All of them are fun to read and informative.  I chose Teacher Nuha’s blog because I wanted to follow an experienced English teacher’s blog.  I feel that it will open my mind up to new ways and ideas of using a blog to connect with students and others who may take interest in my blog.

I posted the following responses on the Samples of Learning - Thing 1:

I just wanted to let you know that I love your blog name. You found a great way to add your name into the title. I also enjoyed reading how you relate learning to a plant. You have to keep watering and fertilizing your mind with knowledge so that it can bloom. Awesome metaphor.

I posted this because I wanted to let the author know how much I enjoyed the name of her blog as well as her metaphor for learning. 
 
SamplesofLearning - Thing 2:

Paige, I had the same feelings about blogging that you shared. Who would be interested in what I have to say? And setting up a blog must be difficult and time consuming. I have to say that setting up the blog was not as difficult as I thought. I do enjoy reading your blog. Take care.

I wanted to share with Paige that I shared similar feelings about blogging.  I also wanted to let her know how much I do enjoy reading her blog.

I posted the following on Vaness Green 23 Things - Thing 1:

Vanessa, I really enjoyed reading how you found some of the habits of life long learning in during your experience in learning to play the classical guitar.  Thank you for sharing your struggle and how you over came it.  It was a great way to get to know you and how you were able to achieve something that you really wanted to do.  Thank you for sharing.

I really liked how she shared one of her learning experiences and applied the 7 ½ habits of learning to that experience.  It allowed her readers to get to know her on a deeper level as well as explained how the habits of learning helped her.

On Mr Hirtle Tech Blog - Thing 3 I wrote:

Some of your comments bring a smile to my face which makes reading your blog fun. (Like your comment on blogging the 23 things)  I think it is interesting that you teach tech and yet don't really use it that much (I believe you stated that in an earlier post).  I kind of felt the same way that you did about blogging.  I didn't want too share too much information about myself.  I think, in my case, however, it was more of a "who would want to read it?" mind set.  I like your idea of a blog pate to share comments and observations on your class.  It is good that you are aware of the blog being public so that you do not reveal too much.

I wanted to let him know that his comments were fun as a way of encouraging his blog postings.  I found it interesting that a tech teacher didn’t really utilize tech that much.  It seemed like a rare thing to me so I wanted to mention that.  I also wanted to relate to him that I too shared some concerns about starting a blog.  I thought mentioning this would help connect to him as a blogger.

After reading the first few posts on Cool School McCoy - Thing 2 I replied:

I like the name of your blog, very catchy.  Mine is extremely boring compared with most of the blog titles in class.  I really had a case of writer's block.  I think that it is great that you have blogged a lot.  This class is my first experience with blogging.  I love your confidence and your sense of humor.

She mentioned that she had a case of writer’s block when she thought up the name for her blog, but I think she did a good job at naming it and I wanted to let her know.  I regret that my blog’s name is so plain and boring.  I also think it is great that she is an experienced blogger.

A fifth blog from class that I chose to follow is  that of Barrett Crane, Crane’s US HIST – Tech Experience.  I posted the following on his blog Crane's US Hist Tech - Thing 3:

 I think you made a good point in that using blogging as a teaching tool will allow greater reflection time for students.  That is certainly true and something that I didn't really think about.  Keeping students' access to computers and the internet in mind is especially important. I mentioned that in my blog as well.  A blog page is very useful, but only if the students can access it.  I also liked your comment in an early post about treating the blog like a journal.  I think it is one in many ways.  However, it is better as other individuals can comment and add to the topic.

I wanted to share how I thought the blogger made a good point on reflection time and students’ access to the computer.  Also, on an early blog post he mentioned that he would treat the blog like a journal, which I think is a good idea.  I wanted to share my agreement with him.

Since I don’t know how to search for blogs yet, and had poor results when I attempted on my own, I decided to go ahead and pick two more bloggers from class.  The next one I chose was Satricia Moore’s blog, LiveLearnMoore.

I wrote the following on her blog post in response to how she can use a blog for teaching Live Learn Moore - Thing 3:

I also liked your idea of posting experiments related to the lesson that the students could do at home.  That is an excellent idea.  I also liked how you pointed out that you can use your blog to connect with other instructors.  Although I've been looking for blogs from other teachers in my subject area, I didn't consciously make that connection.  Thank you for your ideas.

I did find an English teacher’s blog that looked interesting to follow, Teacher Nuha's English Blog.  I did not post directly to her site as it appears that she uses it to interact with her students.  I did, however, send her an e-mail message.

Teacher Nuha,

I am currently enrolled at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN in there Master of Arts in Teaching program.  I have a Bachelor’s degree in English and I have decided to use it to become a secondary English teacher.  I am currently taking a technology class to learn how to incorporate technology into the classroom.   As part of the class we are required to create a blog and to also find some blogs that interest us to follow.  I was excited when I came across your blog.  I have very limited teaching experience (substituting) and, at times, feel lost.  You have a lot of helpful information in your blog. It is interesting to read about your topics on your blog.  It is a great motivator and encourager for me.  Thank you for sharing your blog.  I look forward to reading more of it.

Best Wishes,

Penny Kramer

I sent this e-mail to Ms. Nuha to let her know that I find her blog helpful and informative.  I introduced myself and explained what encouraged me to look for blogs and how happy I was to find hers.  I hope that this provides some positive encouragement to her.

That ends this post on blogging.  I hope that you enjoyed reading it.  Please share with me any comments or suggestions that you might have.  Thanks so much!