I’ll be the first to admit it: The word “blogging” seems so ... dated. When I graduated college my brothers joked me that I would get a job as a professional blogger—an idea that seemed downright ridiculous. And here I am—managing the Teachstone Blog! So what the heck does that mean? And what does this all have to do with you?
In short, my role is to find great authors who can talk about an array of topics. How boring would this blog be if I wrote each post? You’d probably hate it because I would write too much about my brothers teasing me. Or my cats.
So here’s my open-letter to you—why you are the best thing that can happen to our blog.
You Can Share Your Expertise
But Meghan, I just go to work everyday like the next person. I’m not really an expert. Well, you’re right and wrong. Maybe you do work each day, but you are an expert at being you. No one else has the exact same background, the same job, same students, same coworkers, in the same place. Maybe you are famous for all your creative, open-ended questions, or maybe you once had to suddenly mentor three brand-new teachers on the CLASS—everyone solves puzzles and overcomes challenges a little differently.
And that brings me to my next point...
You Have a Story
As humans, we are drawn to stories. We love hearing about the trials and triumphs that others have gone through. Stories inspire us. They keep us motivated.
I was so excited to meet people at InterAct. I couldn’t wait to ask them what their experience with Teachstone, with CLASS, with teaching was like. A lot of folks were talking about their CLASS journey—even if their path was really hard. It’s important to share both the accomplishments and the not-so-great moments. Others need to hear that they aren’t alone. They need to hear that maybe someone else had a hard time using CLASS in their special needs classroom, but there are ways to make it easier.
Be a Published Author
So, we already covered that you’re an expert with a great story, but being a blog post contributor can help you, too.
Not only does it just feel good to add “published author” to your résumé, but it can help your career by:
- Improving your writing skills. After all, the more you write, the better you’ll get!
- Helping you reflect. When you write about your work, you start to learn a lot about yourself—what you’re good at and where you can improve.
- Standing out to potential employers. Imagine having your blog post published on NPR Education (or Teachstone!) show up when a recruiter searches your name on Google. Instant credibility!
Amplify Your Voice
And finally, my last point—your post can make a difference. This year, the Teachstone blog has averaged 14,000 views each month (and growing!). That’s a lot of eyes reading your words. Your story can impact the lives of teachers, coaches, observers, and school administrators all over the world. I believe that’s the most important reason why you can be the best thing that happens to our blog.
