What a lot can happen in a year. It was only this time last July that I began my experiment with Twitter and blogging. I think it’s fair to say that my professional life (and at times my personal life, but that’s another story) has been transformed. Even I don’t recognise myself.
After a couple of knocks in my bid to be promoted, I began the blog back on 11th July 2011 as a way of invigorating my teaching and with the intention of reflecting on my practice. I wanted to use it as an aide memoire for all the interesting stuff that has always passed fleetingly through my mind only to be promptly consigned to the wasteland of memory. By that I mean I forget stuff.
Instead I started pontificating and holding forth on a variety of educational issues and generally annoying people. Some of my favourite moments have been the Rows Row, the Objective Quest and my many and various contre temps with the irascible (and still sadly anonymous) Old Andrew.
The blog has been nominated for 2 awards (but came nowhere near winning either of them) and has had getting on for 50,000 hits. This is hardly the big time but I’m amazed by all the corners of the globe which have lit up on the spinning icon below. I have readers in Iceland, Fiji and Saudi Arabia. Who knew so many people, from so many different places, would be interested in reading my musings?
A year on and my life has changed in the following ways:
- I’ve written a book which someone has seen fit to publish. What’s more I’m reliably informed that I can start referring to it as a ‘best seller’. Some people seem to like it and have been kind enough to say so publicly.
- I have a leadership team position at a school. Anyone who knew me 10 years ago would need to have a bit of sit down to let that one sink in. Me. Really. What’s more, I’m working with people I respect and admire like Jim Smith (of Lazy Teacher fame,) Mr iPad himself Mark Anderson, the quite marvellous Zoe Elder, and my old French teacher Gabrielle Murtagh.
- I have been invited to become an associate with Independent Thinking and people are prepared to pay me to speak to them about what I do for a living. In a satisfyingly storybookesque twist, I had my first paid gig today (a year and a day after starting all this) and it wasn’t completely rubbish. They even asked if I would be prepared to come back!
- I have actually met (in real life) some amazing teacher types. Some of these are big potatoes like Phil Beadle, Geoff Barton and Tom Bennett whilst others are quietly magnificent like Darren Mead, Helene O’Shea and Matt Bebbington.
- Lastly, but most importantly, I am a better teacher. I’m more knowledgeable, more inclined to try new things and more reflective. Twitter hasn’t just changed my life, it’s changed my teaching. Er… is that the right way round?
If so much has happened after one year what might life be like next year? If I manage to avoid being publicly exposed as a fraud, the sky may really be the limit.
A year! As a frequent reader, infrequent comment-poster of your blog I honestly had no idea it was such a young institution. I got the impression that you were a big noise in the twitterati and the edublogosphere, which of course you are, what I’m probably trying to say is that I just assumed it had always been thus.
Congratulations on both your book (bought one for our English dept) and your SLT position.
Thanks for the blog I’ve found it enjoyable and most importantly useful. Also thanks for the bits and pieces you’ve put my way this year.
Thanks Mr P – what a lovely comment. Thanks for your involvement, interest and support.
I’m really touched… Really. Your blog has been so interesting to read and I never fail to recommend it to colleagues. Thanks for your prolific output and I hope you continue to reap the well-deserved rewards.
Bah! You’ll do. Satisfactory.
… too modest to add the final bullet point, so I’ll do it for you:
*Created a blog and Twitter presence, sharing ideas that have been transformational for many, many teachers. Me included.
Congrats on your successes this year, David. Long may they continue.
Congratulations David on a wondeful year. I am sure many students and teachers will be better off because of your efforts. PS Great to see you are so passionate about SOLO too.
You guys! Thank you one and all.
Congratulations on a great year David. Very impressive. I do enjoy learningspy vs oldandrewuk. You bring a wealth of classroom passion and integrity to the twitter world and, as a novice in this area, your output is an inspiration. Thanks.
After my little tweet to you the other day, I felt it only write to commit to a longer comment on this blog.
I can only echo the words of the previous comments here. You have been an inspiration and it was truly a shock to see that you only started a year ago. Your story is highly motivating to the point where I feel I want to start my own blog (not sure who would read my ramblings though!).
I, like another poster here, recommend your blog and book to anyone who listens. I’ve been most grateful that people, like you, on Twitter have been so gracious to communicate with randoms like me who pop up asking questions, sticking my two penny’s worth into conversations and debates. There is never any arrogance or issues with cliques – everyone is always so open and warm, willing to share ideas and introduce more people to the teaching and learning community and as you have been part of that, I thank you.
I look forward to seeing what the next year holds and I thank you for giving me such a renewed enthusiasm about my own English teaching at a time it truly needed it.
At the risk of this sounding ridiculously corny, I’ll stop it there. Keep up the writing!
Best English blog around!
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