Blogging for This Course (pun intended): A Reflection

My learning environment is in the midst of change. A significant number of new families have settled in the neighborhood during the course of the last ten years. The neighborhood is now densely populated as single-family houses become a rarity in favor of multi-unit dwelling complexes. A significant number of students are learning English as their second language and hail from a broad range of cultural traditions from various parts of the world, including Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. Although it remains a working-class neighborhood, the area immediately around the school has experienced an increase in both property values and rents as a result of young professionals moving into newly constructed apartments.



Within the walls of the educational institution, administrators and teachers are struggling to genuinely collaborate to find ways to meet the needs of an ever-evolving student body. Although new programs have been implemented for those who are learning English, there are some who passively resist or decline training available for teachers on cultural competency. Activities such as soccer, visual arts, and dance, which are popular among kids from a variety of cultural backgrounds, have been included in after-school programs since they were expanded. Leadership requires establishing or improving systems of communication to engage all stakeholders with clarity and transparency, which is key for demonstrating a responsive culture (Grissom & Condon, 2021). There has been an increase in the number of initiatives undertaken to improve communication with parents whose first language is not English. Despite the fact that some tensions persist, the school is making concerted efforts to foster an environment that is friendlier and more accommodating toward everyone.

In this context, blogging can be a powerful medium for instructional leaders interested in personal growth and discovery. I write plenty of email messages. Over the years, these emails have shrunk from several paragraphs to a few short sentences, enough to deliver the point across. Sending emails seems extrinsic to me since the focus is the recipient. I want to make sure my email is read and I want to be mindful of the reader’s disposition and possible reactions.  Blogs are a reflective tool that school administrators can use to evaluate their own leadership styles, pinpoint areas that need work, and establish goals for their own professional development to hone their critical thinking skills and gain a deeper understanding of leadership concepts (Raffo, 2012). Blogging is intrinsic, personal and different since I have no idea who will ultimately read my writings. There is an elevated sense of liberty to document my thoughts without a sense of inhibition. 

Establishing a staff blog can be an effective way for educators to encourage one another, share ideas and resources, and collaborate during the process of organizational transformation. Providing the professional learning community with a local source of relevant information contributes to the development of the community and boosts morale. The blog can be used as an internal forum in which instructors can voice their questions, affirmations, concerns, or suggestions in a manner that is helpful regarding the process of change. Instructional staff can engage in a discourse with each other and the administration, modeling accountable communication and open dialogue. They can share examples of how they navigate the changing school culture, disseminate good examples of instructional practices, and promote habits that the school hopes will become more prevalent. The blog can also celebrate and highlight various members of the faculty and staff by inviting them to contribute their thoughts in the form of blog postings, helping staff members connect with one another. A blog can make positive contributions by modeling effective transparent communication and the evolution of culture.

References

Grissom, J. A., & Condon, L. (2021). Leading schools and districts in times of crisis. Educational Researcher, 50(5), 315-324.

Raffo, D. (2012). Blogging as a Reflective Tool For Leadership Development: Exploratory Study of a Leadership Practicum Grounded in the Relational Leadership Model. Journal of Research In Business Education, 54(2), 39-51.

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