Today, I received an email with a copy of the ASCD SmartBrief. In it, there were several articles that caught my eye, including this one:

What I'm struck by isn't so much the content, but WHERE the content appears--in a blog. Blogs have become a powerful way to share learning experiences, engage others in powerful conversations, and foster reflection. Reflection is the crucial ingredient; it is a teacher's ability to reflect on his or her own performance and then to change it. Blogs and wikis enable writers to, as Edwin Schlossberg writes, "create a context in which other people can think." And, blogs do deepen reflection.

Think is something we seldom have the time to do. Yet, when I sit down to write about something I'm learning, I'm struck by the simple power that blogging gives me. It enables me to reflect on what I'm learning, and be transparent about that learning, even I don't fully understand it.

Each of us deals with an explosion of information and ideas. How do we process it, manage it, keep track of it? My response has been to blog it...keep track of it in a place I can get to from home or work, on the road or at a campus provided I have Internet access and a computer to type into.

Get your own blog by going to the Technology Center and signing up for a blog where you can keep track of positive stories, not unlike what the writers in this ASCD SmartBrief are doing.

BTW, when you click on the button to sign up for a blog, you'll be asked to LOGIN. Use your email account name (e.g. if your email were "someone@saisd.net" your account name would be someone) and your password is what you use when checking your email.

If you encounter problems, don't hesitate to contact the Office of Instructional Technology Services at 527-1400 or via email at "mguhlin@saisd.net"