The Good, The Bad, & The Inspiring: A Guest Blog By @CazzWebbo
Dear Martyn,
How are you today? I hope this finds you as well as I was when I wrote it, if not ten times better. Thank you for your kind invitation to do a guest blog. I decided to write it as a little letter to give it a personal touch, because I believe blogs are essentially that: personal. Some are more formally written than others, but really we have such great licence to indulge in all our vain glorious whims of expressive fancy that we should totally revel in the chance.
How are you enjoying your blogging experience so far? Is it as good as you hoped it would be? Are you feeling lonely here, or are folks coming up trumps for you? Is it proving to be a stimulating forum of rich pedagogic engagement, or are you simply wondering where all this will lead yet maintaining deep faith and integrity in the belief that it will lead somewhere at all?
I think that the good bits about blogging include having a speaker’s corner to bellow from whenever you feel like it, and the topics aren’t even restricted. You’ve also got to admit that it’s slightly addictive when you start looking at the site stats to see how many hits you are, or aren’t (ahem, lol) getting on each post. And OMG, how fab it is when you get a few comments, too! And then getting your blog post RTd!!! Wowsers 🙂
Of course there’s the integrity of believing in what you have to say as well. The convictions you hold that inspire you, nay, compel you to spout out facts, opinions and rhetoric on things you think need to be said.
And there’s the opportunity to plug your favourite causes, like, for example, did you hear about our Sweet Dreams charity diary loads of us teachers on Twitter are putting together? It’s gonna be great, man 🙂 if you want to know a bit more about that and the charity we are doing it for, please see our justgiving page at www.justgiving.com/FHASweetDreamsCalendar2015 – feel free to drop a few quid in the tin while there, haha 😉
I suppose there’s a few things that do gripe me about blogging though. Like, what shall I write about? Who will be bothered to read that? And, I wonder what CLM (careerlimiting moves) type stuff I’m endangering my working life with by choosing to share what I do. I have occasionally been worried I’ll offend someone, so that’s held me back, but I’m caring less and less about that all the time. I do believe in kindness and respect, but I think you’ve got to feel free in your writing, haven’t you?
I think what’s been really inspiring for me about blogs and blogging, is the feeling of reinforced bravery and confidence that accumulates off the back of the process: the more risks you take with your writing, and the more honest you are, I feel the greater the personal reward and inner strength that builds from there. And reading the blogs of others over time, I really like feeling as though you start to get to know folks. For example, @nancygedge. I mean, I’m not married, don’t have kids or family life, and only have a few friends with Down Syndrome and definitely no kids at all, but I’ve learned so much more by reading bits of Nancy’s blogs, who has all those things in her world. I’d nominate her for your next guest blog by the way 🙂 I also really felt moved by reading the personal stories revealed in the blog posts of @AspieDeLaZouch and @iantindal and @themovingroad. We’ve got so much to learn from each other.
I think if I had to give a soundtrack and theme tune to the essence of what I’m trying to say here, it would be by The Hollies, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” The lyrics of which, as I’m sure you know, are thus:
The road is long
With many a winding turns
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where
But I’m strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We’ll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
If I’m laden at all
I’m laden with sadness
That everyone’s heart
Isn’t filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
It’s a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we’re on the way to there
Why not share
And the load
Doesn’t weigh me down at all
He ain’t heavy he’s my brother
He’s my brother
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
Anyway, Martyn, I hope this open letter for you to use as a guest blog from me will warm the cockles of your caring, sharing heart, and I hope you have a lovely weekend 🙂
Hope you get chance to reply to my questions too, perhaps in the comment section of your own blog when you post this. If anyone who reads it wants to respond as well, they can feel free.
Big hugs to you and you blog,
Carol! @cazzwebbo 🙂
27 years a teacher 
How are you enjoying your blogging experience so far? loving it
Is it as good as you hoped it would be? much much better
Are you feeling lonely here, or are folks coming up trumps for you? top trumps
Is it proving to be a stimulating forum of rich pedagogic engagement, or are you simply wondering where all this will lead yet maintaining deep faith and integrity in the belief that it will lead somewhere at all? a bit o both
week 2 done – wowers
look what happened Rachel Jones ……….
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Glad you having fun, Martyn 🙂
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Reblogged this on Carol's Learning Curve and commented:
I guest blogged for @martynreah … See my post here… 🙂
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