While I have my own blog, much of what I do in the edublogosphere is commenting on other people’s blogs/posts. My indefatigable efforts to share my opinion (whether desired or not) has lead to an award as a fantastic commenter. Here is my badge, with pride:

Considering the source, I’m humbled, and the timing is great because the biggest breakthrough I’ve had lately with my class has been in commenting. I’ve planned and made commenting a goal with my students, and they’ve stepped up to the plate. Here is the weekly main blog post where you can see all the links to past and future comments for my kids. Here is how I’m doing it:

1. Tell them to read prior week’s comments
2. Leave messages to them in their comments so they have to or will want to respond
3. Tell them they have to leave comments
4. Give them links to find comments easily

My philosophy of blogging is that comments are a key ingredient in a good blog network. I think it’s better to start with commenting, rather than just writing posts of your own. It leads others to your blog, and it lets them see that what you say maybe worthwhile. Also, comments can be the difference between a blog becoming an exercise in monological narcissism and a community. I wanted my students to learn that first. They will have their own My Space pages, and hopefully, their own school blogs as they grow older, but they will also have the basis of good commenting to help make those richer experiences. Eventually, I will nail down the controls and security, and I will have students with their own blogs. I hope that they will still be good commenters even when they have their own blogs.

I have to run to my son’s Open House tonight, but I’ll be handing out my own awards in the next week. I had a wonderful evening yesterday at the pool, reading a tacky romance novel. A few more days of that and I think I’ll be back to normal.