Thing 12:

I thought that cool cat teacher had such a good point about teaching kids to comment. We teach so many things, but taking the time to validate someone else's ideas or thoughts is such an important skill to teach. I have success reaching and connecting to "tough" high school kids by using this method. I have to be genuine, but really it is not hard to find something good to say about students. Another great post today on a blog I am following called Learning is Messy talks about making someone's day with a positive post. I branched out and actually commented on his sight. I was nervous and accidentally posted twice. But as I am learning, it is not the mistakes you make that matters, but that you are learning from them. The blog on edublogger's etiquitte makes the point that if you do not reply or comment you are not giving the blogger any verification that someone is out there and he is being heard. In other words lurking is only half of the experience. Don't cheat yourself and others from your ideas.