Why do I blog? #edblognz #cenz

So here it goes, yet another challenge for #edblognz:

Write a blog post about why you blog professionally and some of the things you blog about. Share it using the #EdBlogNZ hashtag so the newbies can get further ideas to blog about.

I started this blog four years ago next week at the end of ULearn11, well actually the 21 October 2011, but we rearranged when the term breaks were that year for a wee Rugby World Cup that was happening in NZ that year.  This is my first blog post:  ULearn11 - learning, discovering, trying it out for myself.

Since I began this blog I started four others:

• One where I discuss the political side of education and society in general.  It is public.
• One where I review books, because I love reading.  It is public.
• One that is attached to my Curriculum Vitae as a link to give more information about how I run my classroom programmes and me as a teacher.  This is not public and is by provided link only.
• One that is my Teacher Inquiry and is a record of me as a classroom teacher for registration.  This is not public and is by provided link only.

So what have I blogged about on this blog?

• art activities I have done with my class.
• social studies units I have done with my class.
• reading units I have done with my class.
• writing activities I have done with my class.
• my class camp.
• how I run my Reading Tumble, my spelling programme, why I do handwriting and homework.
• how I use modelling books.
• technology I have used in my classroom programme with the pros and cons.
• courses and conferences I have been on like ULearn, ConnectED, Teachers Matter, Educamps, EduIgnites and NZEI.
• why I use Twitter and social media.
• blogging challenges like #edsketch and the blogging meme.
• being the new teacher and the challenges it brings.
• leadership.
• classroom environments.
• issues of the day in education.

I blog professionally because sometimes I want to reflect on what when well, what didn't and what I would do differently.  Sometimes I want to show off my students' work.  Sometimes it is to clarify my thoughts after PLD and conferences.  Sometimes it is just to share new information with colleagues.  This blog serves a number of purposes.  This blog fits the purpose I decide it will fit when I write the blog.