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Welcome to the start of day three here at NAIS’ 2011 Annual Conference. This morning we kick start the day in Blogging Heads: Three Heads Discuss Why and How They Blog.

Michael Ebeling, Peak Experience blog (Summit School, NC)
Josie Holford Compass Point blog (Poughkeepsie Day School, NY)
Jonathan Martin (St. Gregory College Prep, AZ)

We’re about 4 mins from the start of this session and the room is beginning to fill.

READERS: Thanks for joining us. Please share a bit of what you’d like to get out of this session?

We’re underway with introductions from Sarah Hanawald, Academic Dean at Cannon School who will moderate this session.

Was there a key insight/need that pushed any of you Heads of School to begin blogging? Were there internal or external motivators?

@George – Great question. I’ll see if we can’t get that answered for you.

Josie Holford is explaining how she got started with blogging. She decided when, as a Head in her first position, that it was important to show up. That was in 2006.

Jonathan Martin says, “its a practice, a discipline – a habit” He actually started when in between Head of School positions.

Blogging Heads: blogging is a practice and a discipline #naisac11[via Twitter]

Jonathan Martin said that it was “all about writing about what he was learning about schools during his search.”

@jonathonemartin blogs to learn and to lead #naisac11[via Twitter]

@JonathanEMartin Discussing blogging as a discipline like exercise [via Twitter]

Michael Ebeling says that “blogging was a way for him to show, as a prospective head and new head, that there was a connection with what he was doing and what one had to say – a cultivation of voice.”

Sarah Hanawald: “As prolific bloggers, do you find that to be intimidating to other school heads?”

Blogging: A discipline. A learning tool. A leadership tool. I like it.

@michaelebeling I blog about teaching and learning. Blogging helps me share and drives me to keeping reading and learning [via Twitter]

Josie Holford: “More folks follow her from international schools… says that people do come up to her about her blog but do not comment on it.”

Josie Holford: “many people use the internet, but few actively participate”

@josieholford wish more people would be interactive on the my blog.#naisac11[via Twitter]

@josieholford says not many people write comments on her blog. The commenting is a fear many Heads of School have, isn’t it?

Jonathan Martin: “Some bloggers only write once or twice a month, others, like himself are addicted to blogging.”

@JonathanEMartin discussing blogging frees one from the “perfectionist publishing culture” CAN always go back and fix something [via Twitter]

Jonathan Martin: “blogging is about sharing and being transparent. But blogging as a Head of School is a different written and expressive form; it’s not printed – you can always fix mistakes. It’s more of a journalistic form of writing.”

@jonathanemartinI like the don’t-have-to-be-perfect form [via Twitter]

If blogging isn’t the interactive experience Josie and others wish it were, do they see others avenues (twitter, Facebook, Ning) as the natural progression?

@Chris – great question. We’ll see if we can’t get that answered for you.

Michael Ebeling: “There is a relationship between Twitter and Blogging – but the audiences are very different.”

Sarah Hanawald: “Are there any pitfalls to blogging?”

@michaelebeling I love meeting people at #naisac11 that read my blog. Wish more people at home did [via Twitter]

RT @JamieReverb:@michaelebeling I love meeting people at#naisac11 that read my blog. Wish more people at home did [via Twitter]

blogging heads talking about how some posts live on good & bad….#naisac11[via Twitter]

Josie Holford is sharing how she blogged about a response to a Hedge fund manager/education philanthropist’s remarks at a conference she attended and, in her mind, did not feel would be overly reactive but it turned into one that was somewhat polarizing for some folks.

Josie Holford (@JosieHolford )described story behind this posthttp://bit.ly/gLjc8f#naisac11[via Twitter]

Michael Ebeling is sharing a story about a favorite post that he had a top ten list of things that his children said that he should do for the school year and people still check-in with him. He also notes, on the flip side, that he posted a quick post about a speaker that came to school and spoke to parents and provided information that was counter to what he had hoped — the post stirred up conversation within the parent community of the school.

@jonathanemartin blogging and sharing is feeding and accelerating innovation #naisac11[via Twitter]

READERS: Do you blog? If so, why?

@jonathanemartin reflecting on why some posts live on-may not be for audience or reason originally written#naisac11[via Twitter]

Jonathan Martin says that “his blog is often a re-purposing of his work at school – information shared at school that others might not necessarily have access to during the school day.”

ME: Excellent use of a blog to help spread the word of what is happening at school.

Blogging tips for other heads: re-purpose some of all the talking you are doing anyway #naisac nice for others to hear [via Twitter]

Blogging is an excellent platform for reflection in our own practice http://bit.ly/eOeYp5

Great point Dolores! Thanks for attending this morning…

Sarah Hanawald: “What is the relationship between Twitter and Blogging?”

Michael Ebeling: “Twitter is the single most important tool I use to gather information on a daily basis.”

@michaelebeling “twitter is the single most important (professional) source I have right now” #naisac11[via Twitter]

Michael Ebeling: “Twitter is a container from which I can draw on ideas for my blog. It’s my reach into the world beyond Winston-Salem”

@michaelebeling not how much you tweet, but when you do they should have links #naisac11[via Twitter]

Blogging heads: twitter is the single most important source for my professional learning @michaelebeling#naisac11[via Twitter]

@michaelebeling “clear writing is clear thinking” -blogging helps clarify thinking#naisac11[via Twitter]

@Jason, re: the poll. I wonder whether those Heads who don’t blog say it’s b/c of fear or time. Really curious as I’ve heard both responses. Other reason?

@michaelebeling speaking on impact between twitter and blogging-tweeting new post link allows for immediate feedback from peers #naisac11[via Twitter]

Josie Holford: “I’ve become a bit of a Twitter evangelist over the last year — it’s a form of professional development.”

Twitter also serves as a kind of manual RSS for new blog posts.

Blogging head @josieholford#naisac11 twitter saves me time by bringing me curated information [via Twitter]

@Fred – Thanks for joining in. And a great point re: Twitter as a manual RSS feed for blog posts.

@JosieHolford twitter is an “extraordinary time saver” &@jonathonemartin twitter is an “infinite tool”[via Twitter]

Blogging head@michaelebeling#naisac11 clear writing is clear thinking [via Twitter]

I wonder how many heads of school use Twitter?

@jonathanemartin at #naisac11on how Connected Principals blogger site developed from twitter community, check it out: http://bit.ly/dmjjoA[via Twitter]

I’m really hoping my head of school is there right now.

Interesting comments from heads re twitter. I’m beginning to believe it is a transformational tool.http://fredbartels.posterous.com/

Blogging is professional development for me. It forces me to articulate my thinking.

Twitter allows quick collaboration/connecting if time is factor for blogging

. @jonathanemartin sharing why he blogs and connects via #twitter at#naisac11http://ow.ly/i/8xB1[via Twitter]

ME: Questions from the audience “are there any topics that you find taboo?”

Josie Holford: “It’s about my school – it’s mission, it’s place in the world.”

It is almost like twitter is a scratchpad, a place to play with ideas, and then the blog is a place to put those ideas together into a coherent (or semi in my case) statement

Jonathan Martin was once asked, that while on an accreditation visit if he’d be blogging about his experience “No – that would not be professional” says Martin.

Blogging heads #naisac11@jonathanemartin blogging and tweeting helps me be part of a wider circle of thinkers[via Twitter]

@Liz Davis … How many heads are in attendance 🙂

@Liz – I’m towards the front of the room — there are about 50 people in attendance this morning.

@Fred Bartels I guess that is my real question. Good point.

blogging heads audience member says nothing makes faculty happier than featuring good work on blog #naisac11[via Twitter]

There is blogging and there is blogging. A head of school can simply publish a newsletter online. Does that count as a blog? Is there a distinction?

The heads on this panel do so much more than that. What they do really makes a distinction. They share their philosophy and thoughts on the pedagogy at their schools.

neat discussion on narcissism and blogging #naisac11[via Twitter]

@liz Good point. Definitions of blogging vary from person to person, don’t they?

That is what makes them so amazing.

@Liz Davis… they are reaching out to the larger community, so true

@Liz – Excellent point! They are truly, as Jonathan said, “out on the edge”

Their blogs make me want to work at their schools or send my children there.

I suppose a head could have the opposite effect via his/her blog.

Each of the Heads are addressing the question of “is blogging a form of narcissism?” — interested to here that they all believe that they do not believe it is, but that it is all about strengthening their leadership platform in their schools.

A school’s blog is a great way to showcase your school, the classrooms, your ed philosophy #naisac11[via Twitter]

NOTE: The number of Heads of School is about half. Great turnout.

#naisac11 Neat discussion on Headmasters blogging-check it out here live:http://bit.ly/hG5tFy[via Twitter]

Best argument re narcissism is Liz’s earlier comment “Blogging is professional development for me. It forces me to articulate my thinking.”

Audience: “school oriented blogging, especially if you write every week, is hard — it may not always be of interest to a wider community”

NOTE: Tim Monroe – Sage Thinking –http://sagethinking.blogspot.com offered the last question re: school oriented blogging.

Blogging heads #naisac11 is your blog yours or the school’s? Differing views on this [via Twitter]

@JamieReverb if school hosts your blog, blog is schools? #naisac11[via Twitter]

@michaelebeling what I post or blog has to have depth #naisac11[via Twitter]

Sharing this: Top 100 School Administrator Blogs might get people inspired http://bit.ly/fWuNVH

@jonathanemartin blogging is about the “soulful work” we do with students/teachers….source of inspiration#naisac11[via Twitter]

Audience question: “what else do you do to promote your blog inside and outside your community?”

Josie Holford: “Student/classroom blogging can be connected to the Heads’ blog – outside there is Connected Principals as an option to cross pollinate when blogging as a Head of School”

@josieholford recommends Connected Principals blog #naisac11[via Twitter]

@reth1nk my school hosts my blog, but I post a disclaimer there. should Heads do same? #naisac11[via Twitter]

Michael Ebeling is talking about a post in which he blogged about an organization and that the school and said organization now have a relationship that benefits the students.

ME: That’s an important value add for independent schools.

Do Heads need a disclaimer at their blogs?

RT @dgende: Must read by@JonathanEMartin Why I Blog: A Principal’s 13 reasons http://bit.ly/iepoOg#isedchat[via Twitter]

@msstewart Yeah, easier to hold them back than kick them in the rear…. [via Twitter]

Blogging head@michaelebeling if your writing is substantive and relevant, readers will come#naisac11[via Twitter]

Jonathan Martin is sharing how Patrick Larkin used live blogging of his school’s sporting events that eventually led folks to his blog posts.

NOTE: Patrick Larkin is a public school principal in Massachusetts that blogs as his role.

Amazing to me, the access Heads providing via blogs. Anyone remember how hard it is to get on Headmaster’s calendar to meet f2f? #naisac11[via Twitter]

Audience: How do you handle the issue of privacy when blogging about your school and kids?

Each head has noted that they only blog about happenings in their school and may include photos but without names and they follow their school’s opt out policy.

@Fred / @ Liz – The number of Heads of Schools in the audience that actually blog is very small (1% of the total audience).

Audience question: “how to you transition from formal writing to blogging/tweeting?”

Thanks Jason… argghhhh

At least they are there learning about it. I suggested to my head of school that he attend this session. I really hope he is there.

RT @dwillard: Amazing to me, the access Heads providing via blogs. Anyone remember how hard it is to get on Headmaster’s calendar to me … [via Twitter]

We post names and photos on our website with regard to athletic events all the time.

Josie Holford: “You just jump in.”

Michael Ebeling: “Write about what is compelling to you” – gives example of Seth Godin’s blog posts.

Jonathan Martin: “Arvind Grover does a great job of quick, short and powerful blog posts usually with photos.”

RT @scmorgan: Release yourself from preconceived notions of length of blogs/ embrace compelling ideas says@MichaelEbeling#naisac11#bl … [via Twitter]

Sooooo thankful for insights shared by blogging heads #naisac11@JonathanEMartin@michaelebeling@JosieHolford[via Twitter]

Audience question: “How does facebook play into this? A recent article noted that blogging has declined for certain age groups”

Jonathan Martin: “Microblogging, Facebook, and Blogging all have it’s place in the ecosystem of education — professional vs. personal.”

Thanks for the shout out, Jonathan! If you want the easiest in for your head to start blogging, let them e-mail post@posterous.com– blogging via e-mail, a simple start

LIVE BLOG: Join us for Independent Matters @ 9:30 AM EST from#naisac11http://ow.ly/43fOx#isedchat[via Twitter]

@reth1nk@dwillard what if heads’ blog is just linked to school site, whose is it? [via Twitter]

Thanks Jason. That was informative and enjoyable. I’ll echo arvind re posterous

This was great (even from afar). Thanks!

efsheadsblog.blogger.com

Thanks so much Jason for covering this session!

READERS: Thank you so much for a wonderful and robust back channel to today’s “Blogging Heads” session. Check back intowww.jasonramsden.com for more sessions from Day Two of NAIS’ 2011 Annual Conference.

The live blogging coverage was great! Almost as good as being there. Thank you!

Thanks for covering this, Jason!

NOTE: Heads of School that wish to share your blog with others please email me atjason@jasonramsden.com

Thank you @raventech!