Do ClustrMaps REALLY work?

Kathy – She’s a mix of knowledge, experience, friendship, and humor. She's genuine, straightforward, thoughtful, and giving.  She's stylish, crafty, creative, and a reader.  She's the kind of educator that I've strived to reach towards becoming someday.  She's left many prints on my heart through the past 8 years!  Today she is moving on to inspire change in others in another manor - she's retiring!

One morning I stopped by Kathy’s room to talk. I love the random topics we’ll discuss as this is often a way for me to transition from mom to teacher as I go down the hall to my classroom. That day I told her I was contemplating blogging. She got the most excited look on her face and said that she’d been blogging too. Kathy had been reading blogs and commenting and loving it. Our interests didn’t cross from that point, but I told her I wanted to start one focusing on technology in education and my reasons why.

Kathy has a way of being so direct and specific in her comments. She was like, "DO it!"...you’ll inspire change in someone and others will learn from you. She’s also quite convincing - I did start one.  I needed one "follower" before I picked up my pen.  After reading my first post, she suggested more pictures. I’ve worked on that element and the embedding part, but have a long way to go. More blog “bling” is on my summer list and a better photo too! But, she really had faith in me. This meant a lot to me!  She has been the closest to a mentor that I’ve ever had. 

After I started frequenting more blogs, I figured that maybe this would be a way to inspire change in others. Yet, I feel that it’s done more for me. It’s changed me as a thinker, reflector, writer, and educator. It’s become my outlet of expression. It’s what I’d share with someone if we were out for coffee and had all the time in the world to chat about what I’m passionate about. It’s simply what fills my mind when I have a quiet moment to really think deeply. I can write however I want. There’s no format to follow, no one who will edit it with a red pen, no one to pick apart my grammar errors, I get to pick the “assignments” or post topics, as the author I can incorporate random colors, sizes, and even use "…….." and "-" at my own discretion.  My mind gravitates to writing and I love it!

Sometimes I feel that we miss out on that element of sharing and talking about what we feel is working or not working for that manner in our classrooms.  Either there is something more pressing or the amount of time needed to do the conversation justice just isn’t readily available. So, I like to get my thoughts down here.

Some other sources of inspiration that sparked my interest in becoming a "blogger" -

Ktenkely’s blog ilearn Technology – Her approach to sharing new resources and how to implement them is completely user-friendly and applicable. Yes, it’s great to learn new things through reading ed tech blogs, but deep-down I’m a people person and the personal posts help me to realize where the writer is coming from. Her post, Do you-want to form an alliance-with me?, stuck in my mind for a while.

Cathryn Marsala’s blog Teaching for Tomorrow Today – While everyone else was starting out their new year with exercise and diet goals, she was investigating what format to use to start her new year’s resolution – a blog. I started mine shortly after and we encouraged each other in those initial stages of trying it all out.

365 blogs - Kditzler’s 365/2010 blog – Quick pictures and captions that say so much!  What a neat way to "scrapbook" a year!  Dean Shareski challenges himself more every year with a slighter different version of the original. I wanted to take the 365 idea and transfer it to my classroom. So, these two inspired the basis of my second blog – Secondsin2nd: A glimpse at the memorable moments & small steps that lead to grand gains! I truly miss the simplicity of this blog and next year hope to start it up again with the goal of a photo a week. If it turns out to be more – excellent! Every post doesn’t need to go into extreme detail and many times the picture and a tad of explanation is more than enough.

About a month ago, I was curious who is really viewing this blog. So, a clustrmap was added. I guess I’m still in disbelief. Do Clustrmaps REALLY work?

So, the best way for me to wish you a Happy Retirement is through a book – how else!?

One of my favorite children's authors is P.K. Hallinan.  One of our board books from his collection is Heartprints book.  You’ve left many heartprints in my life and I’ll be forever grateful!  I'm giving myself the challenge to try to impact others during my many years left as a teacher, as you have with me.  I'll need to keep asking myself, "How many heartprints will you leave today?" 

While searching for just the right image, I couldn't help but be fascinated by the variety of "heartprints" that I found.  So, here's a small collection of photos from Creative Commons that I would have loved to capture myself...... Lot's of pictures just for you Kathy!!