Summer is here. Our last week of having students in the building was last week. Starting tomorrow, the building will be quiet as custodians and facilities people begin preparing for the 2014-15 school year. If your school year has already ended, I am sure that you are busy thinking about and creating new programs and ideas for your kids already. But there is something that you need to keep in mind as you work for the students.
Summer time is a perfect opportunity for you to enhance YOUR professional development. Blogs are a great way to learn and grow as a professional. I use Feedly to monitor the blogs I follow. It is free and allows you to keep up with dozens of great education blogs. Use this time to grow and learn yourself. You might even find some great ideas (I always do) for your school. Here are ten blogs that you need to add to your summer reading list.
Getting Smart (http://gettingsmart.com)
Getting Smart is a web site that focuses on educational technology, leadership and learning. There are resources for educators and great articles on a wide variety of educational topics.
MiddleWeb (www.middleweb.com)
Being a middle school person for over 25 years, I have a soft spot for these kids. This site is a great resource for middle school people. There are blogs on instructional strategies for middle grades and some great resources for teachers. I find a ton of stuff for my Diigo account here, which I share with my staff.
Technically Yours, Teamann (http://technicallyteamann.com)
I just found this blog today. Amber Teamann is one of the people I follow on my Twitter account. Her website is loaded with technology resources for teachers and administrators.
Berg’s Eye View (http://bergseyeview.edublogs.org)
This site is maintained by a school administrator named Seth Berg. He has blog entries, resources and presentation workshop materials specifically for administrators. He also has a great perspective in his writing that I love.
Life of an Educator (www.justintarte.com)
This web site, operated by Dr. Justin Tarte, is a great blend of educational technology, resources and thought provoking blogs. I share a lot of his posts on my Twitter feed. Some great reads here, ideas to start you thinking about how you want to change in 2014-15.
Digital Leader Network (www.digitalleadernetwork.co.uk)
This site of blogs features digital leaders in education from across the globe. This site is a participatory site, and there are numerous resources to become involved with the network. They also host a Twitter chat Thursdays from 9:00-9:30, #dlchat.
The 21st Century Principal (the21stcenturyprincipal.blogspot.com)
John Robinson writes this blog. He was an English teacher, a building level administrator and has a Masters degree in Instructional Technology-Computers. His posts cover a wide range of topics, including leadership, technology in education, educational politics and new technologies and products.
Connected Principals (connectedprincipals.com)
This site is loaded with contributors from the world of equational leadership and technology. The list of contributors is impressive and the resources provided are equally awesome. This is a place where you can find dozens of blogs and sites to add to your feed.
Edudemic (www.edudemic.com)
This is a site dedicated to educational technology and its use in the classroom. I get tons of resources for my staff from this site. Not only do they have great resources, but there are articles on the effects of technology outside the classroom as well. There are articles on rethinking homework, how to be a good digital citizen and do much more.
The Principal of Change (georgecouros.ca/blog)
George Couros is a legend in the digital world. His blog site has some great thought provoking posts that will make you evaluate your thought process. There are also presentation resources and projects for you to check out too.
This is a list that comes off the top of my head. What summer reading blogs would you add?
A Principal's Life 