A few weeks ago, someone gave me an assignment to check out 20 blog sites in my niche and pin point what I like about them so I went on a blog search spree. After several searches, I found lots of cool teacher blogs but I discovered they all had 1 major thing in common- they were all owned and run by non-Nigerians! I didn't find a single teacher blog owned by a Nigerian teacher except for Jane's and besides mine of course! The person who sent me on the search insisted that I go back and research and I came up blank.
I was really bothered and I realized that it’s either most Nigerian teachers do not know the importance of running a blog or they actually do know but are not sure of how to set-up a blog and get it running. So I set out on this quest to get vibrant teachers to come together and talk about why we need to blog.
I was really bothered and I realized that it’s either most Nigerian teachers do not know the importance of running a blog or they actually do know but are not sure of how to set-up a blog and get it running. So I set out on this quest to get vibrant teachers to come together and talk about why we need to blog.
So I worked with Jenny Chisom who, by the way, is a blogging guru and has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities attached to running a blog as a teacher.
First, I shared my experience so far as a teacher/blogger and how it has broadened my horizon and allowed me to share my thoughts, ideas,and discoveries with any teacher who stops by. Then we shared thoughts about why a blog looks good on your CV and increases your potential and net worth as a teacher.
Jenny Chisom then took us on a mind-blowing session captured below.
WORDS IN STONE BY JENNY CHISOM
Ø So first I usually say "Blogging is one art and science that you can retire on and even will to your children. They may not be able to use your teacher certificate to continue but they can inherit your blog. #selah”
Ø First blogging is writing and sharing to the world, so a teacher rightly have lots of content to share.
Ø A teacher is a (forgive my language) badass mentor, leader, a never-do-without in society and a life learner!
Ø Nigeria's educational system has lots to benefit from blogging because it is easy to know what isn't working, what's great, etc
Ø Blogging is the highest search engine optimised tool so reaches beyond your shores.
Ø A teacher blogger can:
1. Use their blog to expose schools to the media, get more students, gain credibility from parents, and showcase best students and school owners.
2. Teach students across the world a particular subject, especially for examinations.
3. A number of teachers in different subject areas and interests can run one blog that will become an online school. Have you thought about that?
4. Teachers can gain lots of influence by sharing school notes with fellow teachers in and out of their countries via submitting on a blog.
5. Blogging since 2009, I have accessed favours that just being an English language and Literary studies graduate, running a company, being a certified coach couldn't get me. So yes, a teacher blogger cannot be in search of teaching jobs, the jobs will pursue him or her.
6. Teachers who cross share content, like assignments, school notes, school calendar, school conference notes etc will gain huge and steady traffic forever!
7. Blogging will improve a teachers writing skills, and keep the teacher up to date with latest teaching tools, and new researches... Teachers can gain traffic by publishing relevant posts, sharing among each other, peer reviewing and peer commenting. This will attract teachers from other countries. Content -original content consistently is the highest traffic earner for blogs
8. A teacher blogger will easily become a resource person for other teachers, schools, educational conferences, work with the Minister of Education, Heads of school associations et al. Are you ready to explore?
9. A blog markets itself even, so a teacher blogger will continue to be read, referenced and called upon to help (consultancy) forever! The internet never forgets!
10. I've been teaching blogging for 3 years now, and run a bloggers network called LOGiN Bloggers Network, believe me I've seen plenty. The wrong mindset about blogging is the reason, many so called bloggers give up so soon, and lack of training before starting brings frustration.
11. A blogger is a celebrity! More popular than an author or country-bound celebrity who isn't blogging. So imagine, a teacher blogger!
12. Blogging makes you that interconnected and global citizen teacher, which is mostly what makes your school hire expatriate to head schools.
13. There are different blog platforms, the most popular is owned by Google, called "blogger", the most versatile for use is WordPress, which is a software for building any kind of website. There are many other types of blog platforms like typepad, blog.com, simple site, open diary, live journal, xanga, wheatblog, etc
14. Our educational system will improve' dubious school owners, faulty curriculums, scanty child care, poor teacher welfare too will reduce if there were teacher bloggers who blog objectively.
15. . A teacher blogger can run a full personal teaching experience blog, a subject based blog, a school online, a school blog for advertising schools, a teacher training blog, a school whistle blower blog etc...opportunities abound, trust me.
16. A school blogger can teach other teachers how to blog, or even help them manage their school blogs, earning extra.
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BTW blogs are not synonymous to gossip, entertainment or news, its way bigger than those. They can be a niche of choice like we know. People would not usually associate a blog with teaching which makes what we are doing/ setting out to do unique. Blogging is a great way to make cool money without stress. Honestly from now till eternity teachers will always complain about low pay because the pay can never ever be commensurate with the amount of work we do. And doing extra/private lessons after a hard teaching day's work cannot work for me, I don't know how other teachers do it so blogging here I come.
So what’s your excuse?
Two blogger workshops are coming up to guide any one interested properly! We will have two more WhatsApp sessions or 1 practical bring your own device session depending on which is convenient for you... There we will be looking at:
1.How to set up a blog and write great content and
2. How to attract traffic and monetize your blog content
The 2 separate Whatsapp sessions will cost N2,500 each while the hands-on practical session, which will be 6,000. Some people are visual learners and will do better when they see. However, the WhatsApp sessions will also have pictures/videos perhaps etc to buttress our points.
The time, date venue and account number(s),will be posted on here so please watch this space!
Leave your email address in the comment box if you are interested and you will be contacted!
Cheers to the robust future of the Nigerian educational system.
CIAO
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