@Jeff: I understand somewhat what you say about it being “vain.” My blog’s readership is likely no more then a few handfuls of people, and I sometimes wonder if I’m just navel gazing. But, I also think about how much I have benefited from blogs I have just “stumbled across” (including this one). One sort of has to hope that good writing with some smart promoting (I use Facebook) that helps people can win out. It’s why I often feel that blogs need to move away from our general thoughts (which I admit, is what I write right now) to more topics that aid collaborative exchange.

An easy and fast option is Twitter. There are good PLNs (personal learning networks) forming there, as well as open networks. Check out #lrnchat or #mathteach for example: http://tweetgrid.com/grid?l=1&q1=mathchat&q2=lrnchat

@kate – i also never seem to finish what i start. i think that there is something missing on this point when everyone suggests that new teachers blog, and it’s in what dan says about the intelligent hovering readership. there are only three teacher blogs that i still consistently read – they belong to people who have spent time looking over my comments and posts and replying to me.

to me, it feels like vain talking into the mirror if there’s no one writing back to you. blogging is based on relationships developing.

Love people for whom you work.

The concept is pretty simple and independent of your area of work: “love one another in the context of Perl” – Shirky.

I am meaning the kind of “fill in the blank with your answer to these prompts” type organizers which are reasonable at least as motivators for K-12, but which I tend to find insulting as a grown adult who is perfectly capable of asking myself questions like “what did I learn?”

http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_go.html