Finding a Voice Through a Blog

At the end of the day I am shy. To meet me, you would probably not necessarily catch on to that one, but the more I watch myself in certain situations, I realize it is more true than I care to admit. This weekend I attended the 21st Century Learning Conference in Hong Kong. Each time I attend one of these conferences, I listen to the experts and surround myself with some of the top educators from all around the world and yet I still clam up. I am still learning and each time I am too afraid to raise my hand and become involved in the discussions that are happening all around me.

The people around me are connecting F2F, and I feel safer connecting behind the safety of my blog. My ideas may be out in the public, but I can read them, edit them, and refine them until I feel confident about what I have to say. This is the main reason why blogging can be such an amazing tool for students in your classroom. In my classes, sometimes students do not have the confidence to raise their hand in a class discussion. Behind the safety of a blog, students can have control of how they are being perceived by the class. I find this to be especially true for my ESL students. Their writing and their thoughts on a discussion in class can find a voice in the safety of a blog. they have had time to process what has happened, comprehend the aspects they were unsure of, and ask questions of trusted students, before they contribute.

So maybe I am the ESL student I have always taught, except for me, the language I am trying to learn is technology.

When does one learn to come from their version of safety and protection and begin to trust their own voice? I decided that if I couldn't do it, how can I expect my students to find the courage to do it? So, at the conference I decided to finally speak up and contribute to the conversations that were happening all around me. Instead of listening and perhaps not always agreeing or seeing the meaning in a particular discussion, I made myself contribute.

All of a sudden the conference became more meaningful to me. I was able to have the conversations I have searched for and although I fully admit that I am a non-native speaker when it comes to technology and web 2.0, no one seemed to mind. I was able to engage in some of the most meaningful conversations about the future of education I have had in years, especially with some fabulous teachers from Saigon South International School (Robert Appino, Gary Bertoia, Angela Cleeton and Chris).

Now my job as a teacher is to somehow translate my awakening to my ESL student. Hopefully their class blogs will continue to help them find the confidence to trust their own voice. I plan to continue to find the courage to use mine.