I haven't posted in a week.
It's not because it's summer; I have plenty of stories saved up and thoughts ready to discuss.
It's because...well, it's because of my anonymity.
I know. That sounds weird. I guess it's not actually because of my anonymity; it's because I'm tired of it.
Here's the thing. I blog because I love to tell stories, but also because I care about education and its future and how that relates to my students. I care a lot. Like....a LOT. And I want to be part of the national dialogue on all of those things, and share my ideas, and talk to other people about theirs. And.....I don't feel like I can if I'm hiding behind a pseudonym. You know?
But I also don't know if I can write about the stuff that I write about if I'm more public. Or maybe it's not can, but should. Because even though all these things happened to me, they also happened to kids who were anywhere from 11 to 14 years old at the time....and I don't know that it's fair to have this stuff out there about them, even without their names attached.
I don't know if my district has guidelines about these things, but even if they don't, I still need to consider it. That's the responsible thing to do. The adult thing. And if I want to be part of the national dialogue, I damn well better be responsible and adult.
So I don't know where to go from here. Because I want to be more openly public, but I don't want to compromise anything for my students' future.
Do I go back through and delete a bunch of entries? Start over? Just keep blogging anonymously?
I just don't know.
Any thoughts?
(Image credit to Horia Varlan)
5 comments:
I 100% understand! I have had these same thoughts, but I do not have any answers for you. I am going to follow this post because I need the answers too. Hopefully those much wiser than us will answer. =)
http://2sisters2schools.blogspot.com/ is having the same discussion.
For me - no option. I trust my principal as far as I could throw the Empire State Building, so I am private. I even use subtrefuge (change stories, etc) to make it harder.
And this blog http://californiateacherguy.blogspot.com shows what can happen if the powers that be choose to think the worst.
Maybe you should seek out the edubloggers who DO post under their own names and talk to them.
I don't want to have to tailor my voice for a specific audience, so I remain anonymous. I may not earn as much credibility with readers, but it's the smaller risk, in my opinion. I may come to believe differently someday, but not right now.
I don't feel like I can if I'm hiding behind a pseudonym. You know?
Nope.
I struggle with the same issues, but the fear I have over what my administrators would think (I really let them have it in some posts...) keeps me anonymous!
Have you ever thought of starting a second blog (unconnected to this one) where you blogged under your real name?
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