I was shocked and surprised to find that I had been included in the UKEdChat Top Educational Blog 2015 list. Lovely as it is to be included, I cannot really accept this accolade.
Simply, I do not blog often or well enough to have earned it. There are hundreds of bloggers, and acres of content from posts from the past that #UKEdChat followers and #UKEdMag readers should turn to first. I could wax lyrical about any number of people, but most of them are on this list, and totally deserve to be!
Click Here to View All Top Edu Blogs
Of course, the joy of Twitter is the immediacy of the debate, but for those of us who have been immersed in this medium for a while, it is hard not to see the circular nature of some of the arguments. I rarely believe I have something novel to say, and know that there are much smarter people who will remember who else has blogged on a given topic and have more energy to share. I have views, (boy, do I have views) some of which are uncommon enough that I know how hard it is to release them to the wild, unmediated by the wider context that is only possible face-to-face.
Rather than blog, my first instinct is to do… to talk it over with a trusted friend… to test my ideas out in reality… to read what others say… and to iterate my ideas…
I am also arrogant enough to know when I am getting something right… for me. But not arrogant enough to think what works for me (especially in the classroom) is right for anyone else!
This is not to be down on myself. I’d like to think I contribute usefully to Twitter discussions, especially #UKEdChat and #primaryrocks. I much prefer taking part in conversations than writing essays. I love to read what others are saying, and have increasingly chosen to reflect – without sharing those thoughts (how selfish… right? Or just good editing?).
So, thank you to those who nominated me and I hope you will forgive me for not accepting this badge in the spirit it was intended…. for blogging.
I’ll take it for taking part in the education debate across social media….(using a range of platforms) and hope Martin and Colin will forgive me.