Johnnie keeps encouraging me to link my blogs from my university website, but I've been hesitant to do so. I haven't been sure that I want my students to read my blogs. And I've wanted to give myself time to find my voice as a blogger. I feel like I'm doing that with my food blog, but I'm still not so sure about this blog. I guess my entries on this blog address whatever strikes my fancy. Although my entries are sometimes thoughtful, they aren't terribly deep or profound. And when I occasionally blog about teaching, I haven't been so sure that I want my students to read what I'm thinking.
Recently, Johnnie sent me a link to an article about this very topic. I found the last paragraph especially interesting:
"Add a link to your own blog to the course website. Students will read it, because some students are interested in what professors think or are working on. Gives students access to the professor that's different than in the classroom, and shows them that professors are thinking about topics outside the classroom."
Jeremy makes a good point here, especially for teachers at universities like mine where many of my students are first generation students who are a little mystified by the academy. Perhaps I should blog more about my intellectual interests . . . and make this blog public. Although I would likely change my blogging style if I knew that my students were amongst my readership, I can also see how some of my blog posts might go deeper and become more meaningful. So far, I retain incognito status, at least where my students are concerned, but I'm contemplating a change.
