Deviating from my topic

As with all activities, I have a need to figure out whether a given activity can be applied to my profession, my life activities, and my interests. So, in my beginning understandings of blogs, I have begun to think about how the activity can be applied to teaching. Can my students use blogging as a means of thinking through their profession? Will this media allow them to connect with other special educators or teachers?

One of the disadvantages of special educators is that we often don't see any quick results in the work we do with our students. Learning comes slowly to our students. And we rejoice in the smallest gains of our children/students. Special educators frequently feel isolated once they have left higher education and are working with students with special needs.

But there is hope. Blood, on page 10 stated, "In the weblong universe, everyone can say his piece. Produced without gatekeepers, weblogs focus on whatever topic is of interest to its maintainer." This seems, to me a way for special educators to begin to connect with each other.

A blog worth looking at is Special Education Teacher in Washington, D.C. What struck me first was the new posting about a deaf educator who has earned her National Board Certification. For those of you who don't know, this certification is equivalent to being Board Certified in the Medical World. It's a big deal. (I am not board certified). And this is not the only positive posting. There are many others. There are also postings related to bilingual education, technology, and talking to one's child about the better things of life.

It appears that this blog may provide special education teachers with an outlet to celebrate the victorys we have when working with our children, as well as create a sense of enjoyment in knowing that we belong to a wonderful discipline. This was fun--and it is a blog I will return to over and over.