Mar 17 2011
Welcoming Difference: Being critical about why we blog.
Our reasons for blogging are as diverse as we are
Critical mass (noun)
Definition 1. point of change: a point or situation at which change occurs
Hello Again!
It’s been a long time since I visited my blog and wrote anything. I’ve been back several times and extended my own deadlines for return although I doubt anyone but myself would notice such details! It’s interesting that I feel responsible for making sure everyone is informed, sort of like a member of my family who I phone to say I’ll be a bit late home. Since the last post, I’ve had my baby boy Markos (born 3rd January 2011) and submitted the final version of my thesis with the viva scheduled for beginning May 2011. There has been a revolution in Egypt and mass protests in the UK against the imposition of university fees. Protest, it seems, has become the new lethargy in these exciting times we live – all good fodder for this blog and I will be writing on some of these topics in the coming months. There has also been tragedy, most recently the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the earthquakes recently in New Zealand. The goals that took me away from the blog have been achieved. Thanks to all of you for your best wishes and for keeping up your visits in my absence.
Continuing the Blog?
While I was away I thought about whether to close the blog down a few times. Sometimes it can feel like a responsibility I could do without, but at other times, like now, I realize that it offers me something I can’t get through other types of writing and discussion. That is the essence of this post – what do I/we get out of blogging? I hope you will consider contributing your ideas I as expect that it’s different for all of us. And that is my point – looking at this issue of difference critically. I am sure that all of us who have blogs have at some time felt that we can’t cope with them. What are the reasons you have found to keep yours going? And should there be a standard way of blogging in terms of frequency, length etc or should we embrace the vast variety of styles that we see around us?
Reasons for blogging
While I was on blog sabbatical I visited other people’s blogs all the time and tried to keep up with discussions (though I confess leading up to the end of last year I did in fact switch off from blogging completely as my PhD needed my full attention). On the whole I stopped contributing as all my writing energy was being expended elsewhere. A discussion took place on Alex Case’s blog where he explored the idea that some people blog consistently, and other people are sort of fair weather bloggers – he lamented the arrival and disappearance of quite a few EL blogs. I responded here http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/tefl/bloggers-who-carry-on/. I know what Alex means and I think the question of what keeps people blogging is really important and interesting (though I would question the category ‘proper writers’ being used solely alongside those published in the real world). Alex is one of the few people who has the right to ask such a question given that he posts almost every day and never seems to take a break even when moving country. What I am pretty sure about is that there is no simple answer to this question as it really depends on who you are and what the rest of your life is like. I’m not sure its necessary to measure commitment to blogging – or at least its not important to me.
Phases of my Blog journey
My own blog journey, like so many things in life, has been a process of reaching a balance and my views have evolved and moved on substantially in the last year or so. There are some distinct phases that I’ve gone through and I find myself wondering if any of them seem familiar to you. I’ve put them in a list although of course they overlap in chronology to an extent. But roughly speaking this is how I have experienced blogging:
- Observer: hanging around looking at blogs whilst still remaining quite sceptical about blogging as an activity. Getting drawn into discussion and realising that there were exciting things going on that I hadn’t known about. Feeling confused that I was starting to like something I’d been critical about for a long time
- Contributor: started to post some responses – usually short. Felt completely panicky about possible reactions. Spent too much time worrying about whether I had said anything stupid. At roughly the same time had my first blog “sting” when someone published a private email correspondence with me on their blog. It didn’t implicate me particularly but the organisation I was involved with at the time. Started to comprehend there was some nastiness around in blogging much like real life. Chose to ignore it and look on the bright side of the blog world much like in real life. Had long and really exciting discussions with people on all sorts of fascinating EL related topics – often with people who I probably wouldn’t have ever had the chance to chat with in real life. Other people commented that I was spending too much time blogging.
- Initiator: took the plunge and started my own blog (during work sabbatical for my PhD write up). Spent hours designing the first post. Expected to receive blog traffic immediately. Realised fast that that’s not how blogs work. Was thrilled when first traffic started coming in and obsessively started checking blog all the time. Daughter said “mum, you’re not going on the computer again are you?”. Spent substantial time thinking about next blog posts. Realized that blogging was providing an antidote to the rigidity of academic writing – I was exploring the same ideas as those researched in my thesis but using different language and dialoguing with others about it.
- Born again Blogger: told everyone I came into contact with that blogging is great. Felt close to my blogging pals (still do actually!). Contributed daily to other people’s blogs. Overall got less sleep and stopped watching TV. Listened to music all the time (while blogging). Started to wonder how I’d managed to get to the age of 40 without blogging. Saw my blog as a long term project which I would stick with into the forseeable future. Started writing and presenting about blogging in the real world in an attempt to convince others of its wonders.
- Disillusioned Blogger: had my first bad experience of being bullied online during a discussion thread on a controversial subject. Realised that in cyberspace you can neither control the dialogue nor be certain of people sticking around long enough to notice if things are becoming aggressive. Spent a bit of time licking my wounds and feeling sorry for myself and trying to understand what had happened but was overwhelmed by support from lovely blog colleagues. Decided that it was a one off incident that didn’t represent my overall experience. Adjusted my view on how to handle online dialogue and took some self-protection measures in future postings (perhaps a blog post in its own right). Returned to work full time after sabbatical.
- Withdrawn Blogger: realised fitting in really active blogging with a full time job, having kids, finishing off a PhD, being active in lots of other things was impossible at the pace I’d set up before unless I ceased to sleep altogether! Slowed the pace down. Got pregnant (I don’t suggest one is connected to the other!). Decided to take a blog break initially for 2 months. Felt withdrawl symptoms. Resisted withdrawl symptoms. Began enjoying break. Started considering whether to return. Extended self-imposed deadline. Waited. Started to miss blogging. Had baby. Finished PhD. Really started to miss blogging. Returned.
- Returnee Blogger: that brings us up to date. I have returned fully recharged and excited about blogging again but at a pace that fits in with my life and with a view to enjoying intelligent discussions with colleagues and friends online.
Have you been through any of these stages yourself? Please add in your own experiences as I am fascinated by how each of us subjectively interacts with the blog side of our life.
A Final Word
On balance, blogging for me is about sharing ideas with people across time and space and engaging with a variety of thinking on important questions. This is its strength. Its immediate and its free of charge – and its a space where I am able to ask critical questions and hear what people have to say. This feels like a great alternative to publishing research and articles in academic spaces which is what I do with my other hat on. The former is equally important to me but engages a different audience who on the whole have to purchase the publications the articles appear in and this is something I don’t really feel comfortable with. I don’t want my work to be accessible only via a fee so to speak. I have really missed blog chats and surveying the wealth of information that is available around me. But I embrace different styles and types of writing as they are all important.
I don’t see blogging as a diary – and for this reason I don’t imagine I’ll ever write posts every day. But I admire those who do. The sheer length of my posts normally means this is practically impossible. I also don’t feel inspired to write posts every day, but again admire those who keep coming up with new things to say. I would rather write a post that I really *want* to write than because I feel I should which is what would happen if I posted regularly. The quality would be affected. As achieving widespread appeal has not really ever been a goal, I am happy to attract people who want to move beyond the ‘road more travelled’ in ELT.
So the critical bit of this post is (for me at least) a step away from trying to define what is the ideal post, blog or blogger and the setting up (albeit unwittingly) of ‘norms’ regarding what people should or shouldn’t aspire to. I am going to reject those categories and urge others to do the same. I very much like the fact that there are so many different voices reverberating around the blog world in so many different ways. Ultimately, I guess I tend to assess blogs on content so one thought-provoking post in a year can keep me going in the same way as two/three posts a week on blogs that I like. For different but equally important reasons. I like them both because what matters to me is the ideas, which exist beyond the concept of time.
Look forward to hearing from you!
Hi Sara
Good to see you back and blogging. Like you I have had my ups and downs with it over more than 4 years now. The ups have been great. Have had some great feedback, got shortlisted for an innovations award, my blogs have brought me in work and been the eportfolio of my reputation.
I’ve also had my downs and just before Xmas had decided to chuck it in. There are times when there are so many around that there just doesn’t seem much point in adding another and other times when I feel I’ve just run out of anything original or useful to say. They also take up a lot of time and can be difficult to fit around the demands of making a living. As someone who writes about technology I’ve also begun to realise how transient much of what I’m writing is and how I really need to go back and just ditch a huge amount of the content I’ve produced.
Having said all this I still keep churning out posts, in the end i think it’s because nothing else quite gives me the same satisfaction as clicking on the ‘publish’ button.
I guess I’m just hooked. Welcome back.
Best
Nik
Hi Nik,
Its excellent that your blog has contributed to your professional profile. Mine hasn’t I don’t think – but I can’t really measure that to be honest. I do know what you mean about too many blogs and feeling like there’s nothing much left to say. But I would argue that each person has a particular way of saying things – your blog and contribution seem uniquely Nik – so no fears about your ideas not having impact : )
What sort of stuff would you get rid of if you have a content cull (so to speak)?
I guess I’m hooked too so we’re in the same boat.
Markos says thanks for giving him a cuddle at the weekend. He appreciated it!
Take care
Hi Sara
Well my blog(s) was designed as a kind of portfolio of my skills. As a freelancer I’m constantly in the process of having to search for the next job, so I designed them more as ‘product’ rather than my professional or personal reflections. I’ve been lucky in that they have helped me in that way.
I think yours have also helped to develop your professional profile, probably a lot more than you think, but because you aren’t on that constant treadmill of applying for and trying to find work it’s a lot less apparent, but I’ve seen your blog referred to a lot and the fact that you are prepared to write and put your opinions out there I think does say a lot about you and what you are about.
PS:Thanks too for letting me hold Markos for a bit. Brought back some great memories and some very strong longings. Being a dad is still by far the best job I ever had.
Thanks Nik for helping me understand the impact of my blog in a new way – I wouldn’t have thought of it like this without you pointing it out. This gives me extra hope that it is worth continuing – and you are right professionally I guess you realise this more when you are applying for work regularly. I’m glad your blog has helped you as a freelancer.
I think being a parent is about as good as it gets really in terms or responsibility, creativity and development of new skills! Its really nice to know that people feel good after having contact with a little baby. Sometimes it puts things in perspective and reminds us all how important our non-working lives are too!
Happy blogging
x
Yaaaaayyyyy!!!
I am very glad you are back Sara – congratulations on being a mommy with two super kiddos, finishing your PhD and deciding to go on blogging! I sure am happy you decided against closing down your blog in the end – I also love how you defined the phases of your blogging journey so far.
Great to have you back in the blogging world!
Hugs,
Vicky
Thanks a lot Vicky – much appreciated!
Which of the phases of the journey seemed familiar to you. I really enjoy your own postings and think you have integrated a lot of really fascinating topics in the stuff you write.
Efxaristo para poly yia tis skepseis sou!
Filakia
xx
Hi Sara!
Sorry I am replying late.
The phases very close to me are:
How did I ever press reply, without having replied? ha ha!
So here goes:
The Observer: I read a lot, sometimes I have no time to comment but am happy at least to have read great stuff.
The Contributor: I am commenting more these days, as I have a bit more time on my hands, but as you said, sometimes I am thinking too much whether I have said something really silly or so.
The Returnee Blogger: Last year I started blogging, did it once or twice a month and then went through a phase where I felt I had nothing to say, so I was on a three-month hiatus! Until….ka-blam! Some great educators motivated me with things they said or wrote (like Shelly with the 30 Goals Challenge) and ELTChat and I’m back. Hope what I write is interesting : ) I feel very inspired!
Again, nice to have you back!
Filakia,
Vicky
Hi Sara.
I’m a baby at blogging (just barely one month) and I’ve already gone through a few of the phases you described…:) I remember, after my first post, I craved for a (any!) first comment that never came… but then, like you said, I realised you don’t get read overnight, and you can’t expect everyone who reads you to leave a comment. This is life!
Now, I’m getting to grips with blogging and I only publish what comes from within. I wait for inspiration to grab me, and I’ve changed everything at the eleventh hour because what I’d written looked bland to me.
All in all, I guess we must try and extract some pleasure from what we do. Even – and why not – blogging.
Cheers,
Bete
Hi Bete – where are you based? Glad my stages of blog development resonated. I guess I have found the trick is to arrive a the point where the blog is just part of what I do and keeping it in its rightful position!
I totally agree with you that writing from within is the best way to go. Sometimes I just don’t have anything to say and prefer remaining quiet – other times I have loads to say on everything!
Let me know where you blog so I can come and read your contributions!
A very perceptive post (and more importantly, congratulations on being a mum again).
It’s very illuminating to read your thoughts, and those of Bete, Nik and Vicky. I’m fairly new to blogging and this post is both a comfort and a warning.
Thanks.
Thanks Alan. Everyone has their own unique pathway to tread in all matters blog. I expect I wouldn’t have listened to advice that was given to me anyway as living the experience is the only way to learn and get the balance that’s right for each of us. Can you send me details of your blog so I can read it? Good to welcome you to Critical Mass ELT.
My stats page says I got some traffic from your page, but since I don’t really know what that means
here it is:
http://hellocruelworldalanmtait.blogspot.com/
And thanks for your interest.
Hi Alan,
Great – that means that readers of this blog are migrating to take a look at yours too!
Thanks for the link – will visit.
Are you on twitter? That is a great place to encourage visits to your blog. My twitter ID is @sjhannam if you are wanting to start out.
Good luck.
It’s quite normal to go through stages like this. I started off with a couple of posts a week, mad tweeting, and a lot more activity on others blogs, but I am at a happy pace of a couple of posts a month, very little tweeting and reading actual books right now. It’ll change – once teaching starts in April I’ll be more active again… more to write about, more time in the office. That’s normal too, I think. Very glad to see you back though!
Thanks Darren. I recognised myself in some of your blogging experience. I will switch off over the summer and do tend to be more active when teaching and having more to say. And like you I go in and out of twitter activity, depending on other demands. I’m reading some novels at the moment after the PhD experience and am staying away from academic or teaching related reading for a while. Its so nice to get lost in fiction sometimes.
Thank you for contributing!
Hi Sara,
You ask “What are the reasons you have found to keep yours going? And should there be a standard way of blogging in terms of frequency, length etc or should we embrace the vast variety of styles that we see around us?”
1) It’s just great to take part in an international discussion with fellow colleagues about teacher education and contributing now and then with things that I think might be interesting for others to read.
2) It’s also a way of making sense of the world in a public way writing about things which I used to share with less people.
3) And everybody should feel their way into the style, length and frequency that they are comfortable with. The extent to which a blog reflects the authenticity of it’s author will correspond to its strength as a blog.
Glad to see the black cat back again mewing and purring and yeah scratching a bit too when it’s appropriate!
Mark indeed “making sense of the world around us” and perhaps ourselves in the process. I think that’s the reason to blog for me. Perhaps in part it is about knowing that I am not alone in my thinking -that it all means more than just us as individuals.
Remaining authentic is a top priority for me too. I find it hard to imagine what it must be like to ghost write a blog for someone famous or to write posts that exist outside myself – but people do all the time which just proves the diversity argument and also that what someone feels they have to gain defines the sort of blog they have.
I am hoping to ‘scratch’ a bit with my next post – I am increasingly bemused by the claims of the exactness of language levels (as if it were a science) and how they are measured. I will be casting a critical eye over that some time soon.
Thanks for contributing!
Good to see you back again! I really liked the life cycle of the blogger that you wrote up there.
I guess I am in the withdrawn blogger stage myself, speaking as someone who blogged furiously for two years and then stopped. I personally am enjoying the break.
I still do a bit of twitter (not so much) and I have a new blog idea almost every six days. But I’m also trying to enforce myself with a rest. I’m also finding that I’m lurking a lot more, but can’t resist to comment when something catches my eye and is hard to resist.
Like the return of Critical Mass!
Thanks Lindsay! It was great to catch up with you at the weekend BTW and I should also thank you for cuddling Markos for which he was very grateful : )
I know what you mean about enjoying your blog break – I hope that continues for you as you have a lot of other pots on the boil. We would all love to see “Six Things” return at some point in the future and maybe you will start posting some of the ideas you are having at the moment – or you might start another blog – who knows! I also found that my presence on twitter was affected by my withdrawl from blogging. I wonder if there’s a connection? For me I was generally more engaged in blogging both on my own and other people’s blogs before my break and I guess twitter was where I found the links to what’s hot. I still love twitter but tend not to spend as long on it these days.
Lurking is also a nice phase to go through as it is the content enjoyment without the pressure. Everyone who has a blog also needs to remember the amount of people who lurk as they are still getting valuable input – I know I have tended to assess success through visible presence which is the same mistake as thinking that only those students who speak and actively participate are learning. We know this is not the case in reality.
Thanks so much for stopping by and I wish you all the best in all your other projects. I hope to see you blogging again when you’re ready!
Ahh! My critical perspective returns! About bloody time too…
What do I get out of blogging? I have no idea. Genuinely. At first, I thought I should write that it serves my narcissistic urge, but on reflection (no pun intended) I really don’t think that that’s right. There is an element of narcissism involved which is why I always feel a bit disappointed when the “number of visitors” stat ever drops below five hundred a day…OK…below five a day.
The thing that got me writing was a feeling that I should be contributing to this thing I was taking so much from. I was reading a few blogs and participating in the comments. Then I remember seeing something on Twitter about how people should contribute. I don’t have too much to contribute in the way of snappy teaching ideas or up-to-date application of technology to teaching. In that regard, I am still very much a consumer. But I had always wanted to write a book based around relating the Tao Te Ching to teaching. As with so much in my life, I had a great title, but no book. Blogging provided me with the opportunity to get published.
At first, I remember thinking that this was really all for me. It didn’t matter if nobody ever read the blog – it was my project and I should stick with it because it had its own integrity. That didn’t last long. Perhaps writers always need a readership.
But I think that the main purposes for blogging for me have been twofold: the first purpose has been to submit to the discipline of having to write. Any writer will tell you the obvious – to become a writer, you need to write. That has been accomplished. And as I get to the end of the Tao Te Ching, I get a sense of accomplishment.
The second -and bigger- reason for blogging is that blogging acts as a means of creating a dialogue with myself. When I sit down in the morning and open up the TTC, I have no idea about what the verse is going to say today nor how it relates to teaching. The blogpost is a dialogue between the text and myself to help me reflect upon my views of teaching. It sounds very pompous, but I’m afraid it’s true. In my defence, I can only say that I was quick to recognise my own narcissism!
I’d love to be able to have a blog like Sean Banville’s where thousands of ideas are put out there for others to use; or like Scott Thornbury’s where interesting debate is underpinned by good research. But I have to know my limitations. I think that as a teacher, my strength has been my ability to communicate with the students rather than my innovative approach to materials design. Regrettably, there isn’t much to blog about being able to chat.
As the Taote(a)ching blog comes to the end of it’s life, I am already trying to find an alternative (with Ian James doing his best to suggest some new perspectives…). I still don’t know where it’ll go. Perhaps just a diary about life as a frustrated education manager. In which case, a pseudonym will be employed.
“As the Taote(a)ching blog comes to the end of it’s life”
…that’s what drinking decaffeinato does to one’s English…perhaps Sara will correct it and save me from a life of shame?
Hi Diarmuid,
So great to see you on Critical Mass. As always your thinking has added a number of new and interesting dimensions to the discussion. But firstly – what mistake do you want me to correct? I looked and looked but couldn’t see! Will correct though – no problem. Editing never was my strong point hence my blindness to the error
**NEWS ALERT** are you closing your blog then? Sorry I missed the discussion on this. I will miss it and your writing, but would also benefit from your frustrated manager blog no end and will happily post there (anonymously probably!). Do you think possibly you have reached the end of the writing project (based on your book idea) and it is sort of like the book has been written with Taote(a)ching? I like the idea of the unwritten book being the motivation for a blog. I see no reason why some blog posts shouldn’t be published more “formally” as they are certainly good enough – yours included.
So much of what you said resonated. Blogging is a way to get published without jumping through the hoops of editors and peer reviewing. And this means it is a more level playing field as the other forums are hard to crack and increasingly so nowadays in this competitive educational environment. Plus editors and peer reviewers always want things changed which means that authenticity is affected…..
I think writers do need readers! At least they do if they are going to write in public spaces. If it was purely a diary that we were after then we’d buy a notebook from W H Smiths and leave it under our bed. I did that once for about 2 years and it was a very satisfying experience but my mind, if I’m honest, always “imagined” an audience and what I was writing would sound like to another person. An imaginary audience. Perhaps this fits with the idea of a kind of talking cure (Freud, Lacan), making sense of self – where there needs to be a “witness” to our thinking process. This is a fascinating topic – may think about this more later and blog about it! The dialogue with the self. I don’t think its over-indulgent. Its an important part of making sense of the world and quite frankly making one’s self sane in an insane world (to nick a sentiment from Freud).
Final question – I thought it was fascinating that you saw yourself as different from a teaching practice based blog and also a discussion/theory blog, and the characterisations you applied there. I’ve never thought about categorising blogs like this although of course now I come to think of it – well its obvious innit! Where would you position my blog in your categories. This is a question largely fuelled by ego I expect but also because I would like to know how people external to my writing process position this input I am creating here. Is it theoretical? Is it practical? What is it? I honestly don’t know!
As you have given this a lot of thought – may I trouble you to help me understand this better! Once again – I enjoyed reading you as always. Please keep me updated on your blog evolvement and where you next move to.
Thanks!
The error was a rogue apostrophe. I know what teachers can be like.
Reluctant though I am to squander a pun such as Tao Te(a)Ching, I thought that the blog was so clearly delineated by being a chapter by chapter ELT take on the Tao Te Ching that it would muddle things up a bit too much if it continued as anything other than that. So when I get to Chapter 81 of the TTC (“True words aren’t charming,/Charming words aren’t true”), I will get to the end of this blog.
For me, your blog is about situating teaching rather than teaching. We work (and live) in a context…a multitude of contexts. And your blog helps describe (part of) that context. To be honest, as a reader, it is this kind of blog that I value most. As anyone who has visited TTC will know, I think that teaching comes from who you are and what you believe. Therefore, any blog that can help you reflect upon who you are or what you believe is a welcome addition. It’s practical and theoretical at one and the same time.
As a writer, I would love to be able to have the creativity that Sean Banville, Nik Peachey, Mike Harrison, Ian James…the list could go on and on and on…demonstrate. But that’s not who I am. If somebody asks me for something to do in a lesson, I can rattle off some ideas without too much of a problem. They usually reply with, “…or which pages in the book did you say I could do?” If I was being truthful, perhaps my answer would be less charming: go in and talk to the students and then help them with the bits they find difficult to say. I can’t see it being a very successful blog.
Hi!
I’m happy to find your blog for the first time today and loving it – hope you’ll continue blogging so that I can learn from you!
Greetings from Turkey! I’m a baby-blogger who’s just about to plunge into your “born again blogger” stage
Congratulations on the birth of your son! I’m a mom too, I have a boy of 12 and a little princess who’s 4. They will no doubt make sure I don’t go overboard with the blogging in the future.
Cheers,
Karin
Thanks Karin!
Good to see you here and good luck with your blog adventure.
Glad you enjoyed the post.
And thanks for the congrats about the baby.
Take care and hope to see you again soon.
I had a look at your blog – you are from Finland right – working in Turkey teaching English. How interesting.
Are you enjoying your life there?
Hi!
I’m from Norway but you’re otherwise correct. Thank you for stopping by my blog! I’ll keep following yours!
Cheers,;-)Karin
I’m in your ‘initiator’ stage – new to the area and finding my feet. Feel compelled to write as often as I can to build up an audience… partly because I feel the need for acceptance, but also for me to improve myself as an ELT professional. I’m not there, by any means, but I hope by joining the ELT community on the web and engaging in English specific topics can only be a good thing for my development (and as you say, it stops watching TV ;0)
Thanks for the thought evoking post.
Thanks for stopping by and for your thoughts about the post. I think the early stages of fairly regular posting and being very involved are necessary to acclimatise to the blogging environment. And a bit less TV can’t be a bad thing eh!! Good luck with your blog!
Hope to see you here again.
Hi Sara, welcome back. It seems almost as long since I commented on a TEFL blog as it is since you wrote your last piece. My blog posts are also not coming as often as they did now my daughter has learnt how to switch off my laptop to get my attention…
I hope no one thinks I was nagging people who don’t blog much in my piece on the topic, was just interested in why some do and some don’t. Could well just be various random things for various people and impossible to generalise at all though.
No I didn’t think you were nagging me at all! I reckon its as wide as the sea and as you say for a variety of reasons. Glad to see you are spending time with your daughter. She’s got your number!
Take care