First off, congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the 2010 Edublog awards! I think it’s truly amazing that so many educators are using blogging as a way to supplement their teaching careers. It’s a valuable form of expression and one that requires patience on behalf of the writer. I know how tough it can be to share one’s thoughts openly and also how sometimes the words just don’t flow as easily as other days. Afterall, so many educators work long days and nights. So, to those who make time to express themselves through blogging: I salute you.

After reading the happy acceptance speeches of some of the winners of the Edublog awards, I decided to take a moment and share some of the education bloggers that stood out for me personally this year as up-and-coming.

If you have a particular education blog you love that you’d like to share with our readers as a “must-read” in 2011, share it in the comments!

1.   Dangerously Irrelevant

Scott McLeod is an Associate professor at Iown State University and director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership. He also blogs about effective and ineffective uses education technology. Definitely worth a trip to your reader every couple of days.

2.   Simple K12’s I Heart Ed Tech

Sometimes you just want an upbeat, practical blog that will motivate you to try new tools and connect with individuals from all over the education sphere. If you’re looking for a constructive blog to help you learn how to apply social technologies, discover education apps, and unearth specific examples of how teachers are using technology in the classroom, the I Heart Ed Tech blog is for you.

3.   Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day

High School teacher Larry Ferlazzo blogs quite a bit, not just for his own personal blog, but also over at his Engaging Parents in School blog. However, on his personal blog, the real value for readers is his continuous highlighting of blogs, websites, books and other materials. These lists, though sometimes more brief, are the perfect bites for his fellow teachers and tutors.

4.   David Warlick’s 2 Cents

Davis Warlick embraces his blog as a place to record and share his observations and reflections on the world and as a teacher. It’s not always about education, but it is educational and worth visiting again and again.

5.   Cool Cat Teacher

Teacher and IT director, Vicki Davis shares anecdotes from classroom life and tips on how to navigate education technology and collaborate with others using technology.

6.   Always Learning

Always learning is a blog all about teaching in the big wide world. The writer Kim Cofino is a passionate teacher who believes in teaching students how to love learning.

7.   Box of Chocolates

Though she’s only been blogging for 2 months, Cecilia has already secured first runner up in the Edublog awards. On her blog, Cecilia talks all about teaching language, her daily teaching challenges, as well as challenges she faced when trying to secure her own education. Worth a read.

8.   Idea Connect

Graham Whisen got into blogging in order to reflect on his teaching career and become a better practitioner in his teaching. He also wanted to give back to the educational community and share his thoughts with a wider audience. He talks a lot about policies of classroom learning and teaching through clever uses of new media and technology.

9.   About a Teacher

In September 2010, Greta Sandler decided to start blogging with her students. Though it started just as an experiment in encouraging her students to start writing and sharing their thoughts, the content is far from a simple classroom exercise! She even uses her blog to share some fun activities such as Christmas Caroling via Skype. Overall Greta is an emotive and caring teacher and blogger who clearly believes in the importance of creating a strong educational community. Be sure to add her to your list!

10.   The Nerdy Teacher

Nicolas Provenzano may claim to be a nerdy teacher, but that’s not a slam. Nerd pride is in and everyone who reads his blog loves his tech saavy ways. He also doesn’t fear sharing his nerdier side with a series called “Everything I Ever Learned About Education I Learned From…” This series features fun, pop-culture friendly topics such as Everything I Learned about Education I Learned from Saved by the Bell. If you need advice on technical matters or just want to get some wisdom from a teacher who is motivated to inspire learning, Nicholas is your man.

11.   Blogging through the Forth Dimension

If you need a direct and honest voice amid the chaos, don’t be afraid to add Pernille Rip’s teaching blog to your reader. She blogs about a variety of topics that effect educators including why she decided axe homework from her classroom. An admitted overachiever, Pernille Ripp is a clear and proud voice of reason on those days when we need it most.

featured photo by Mooi

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