Catharsis

Because last year I started at a new school that fostered a completely different teaching and learning community -positive and open- than any other I had taught in before -I had an almost daily opportunity to discuss the class discussions, issues, student problems and successes- I was forced to change the way I looked at teaching and blogging. This summer this has meant inconsistent, air-headed, distraction posts while I questioned why I continue to spend time blogging when teaching has become much more fulfilling. Many of answers I keep coming to are generally vague and hard to pin down but a few have come together and have allowed me to say that I’ll stay with this thing even when it gets silly and I forget basic grammar: and spalling conventions. .

• The blogshpere or however you want to refer to what is happeneing out in cyber land is one of the last places where free and open discussion seems to be taking place on just about any topic. As a history/government teacher and citizen in a democratic republic this free exchange of ideas is exciting.

• I enjoy reading about other teacher’s experiences out there in the trenches of public school and the skyboxes of private school.
  

• I like the thought that other people who have common interests are reading my thoughts on those interests and telling me (occasionally) what they think.
  

• I know that some of my far flung friends are reading this stuff allowing me a link to friends that would otherwise fade away from my life completely and I appreciate that connection.
  

• I can’t discuss everything I’m thinking anonymously or semi anonymously with my colleagues without getting fired or at least end up on the short end of the workplace political stick, and here I can.
  

• It is possible to be a complete unapologetic dork and insufferable jock at the same time.