It is the last week in the #ETCoaches Blog Challenge. I am excited to have completed the challenge and picked up some new EdTech blogs in my RSS reader. All this just in time for #CE16 to boot! So what is next for me and the HotLunchTray in blogging?
Part of the #ETCoaches Blog Challenge.
See my prior posts:
What is my Purpose?
Challenges and Successes
Current Tools, Problems, and Solutions
Influential Blogs
What’s Next in Blogging?
Blogging Topics
This challenge was at just the right time for me. It jump-started my posting schedule when I could have deferred posting because school started back up. I will make sure to join a blogging challenge at the start of school next year too!
I am back in the practice of capturing ideas either on the go with memos to my phone or via a quick add to my Editorial Calendar again. This strategy also helps me capture and retain my fleeting ideas for posts. When I am ready to write, topics are not an excuse right now. I use the WordPress Editorial Calendar plugin and love it. I am super intrigued by Trello as a whole-life editorial calendar(I forget who to thanks for this tip, but it is an awesome idea).
During this challenge I was posting up to three times a week. I think trying to stay at twice a week would be ideal. However,I have learned that while I must do some blogging, it becomes counter-productive for me to adhere to a goal just to post. I plan on doing a better job this year making posting easy, but also being easy on myself if I do not meet that self-imposed goal.
Blogging Challenges
I will continue to contribute to the Blog A Month Challenge. I like the flexibility of a whole month to contribute; it gives a blogger time to really think about an idea.
I will continue to contribute to the Facebook blogging pages I post to as well: Education Bloggers, 30 Day Blog Challenge, and sometimes the less educational Intentional Blogging Challenge.
If you have not already completed the EduBlog Personal Blogging Challenge I can highly recommend it and share my posts from that EduBlogs Challenge as well.
I also contribute to two educational blog boards on Pinterest: PK-12 Blogs and EdTech Bloggers. Sharing my content that way also motivates me to publish my thoughts and ideas.
Blog Commenting
I am a big believer in the power of commenting on people’s blogs. It is a form of Blogging Light which I recommend to anyone interested in starting their own blog.
The commenting during this #ETCoaches Blogging Challenge was the best surprise! I loved connecting with my peers in this format which has helped grow me previously in intra-personal ways. I hope to continue this, but may even extend it to a group or several groups in my Feedly RSS.
Thank you #ETCoaches friends – it was fun!