Why We Tribe

This month, our Compelled Tribe is reflecting on our WHY? Why do we blog? Why do we read & share posts from other educators? Why do we dedicate our time to being a part of the #CompelledTribe? As an educational leader, I have learned (the hard way) that we can anything, but not everything. I have to be intentional with my time and energy and therefore I choose my activities carefully. Reflecting on my WHY helped me realize my needs that are met by this group.

Reflection: Blogging helps me learn and grow as an educator. Reflecting on my successes, failures, new learning, and educational philosophy helps me to expand my thinking and continue asking questions. John Dewey famously said, “We don’t learn from experience, we learn by reflecting on experience.” Blogging is my means of reflecting.

Connection: Being an educator is a tough job and can be lonely. Luckily, we know have the ability to connect with positive educators from around the globe. George Couros wrote that “Isolation is now a choice educators make”. I choose to be connected and learn and grow from my colleagues. The Compelled Tribe helps me do that in a meaningful and strategic way through common blog themes and accountability partners.

Inspiration: I’ve had a lot of great ideas over the years….and most of them have been borrowed from others! I need the positive energy and the great ideas that come from my fellow tribe members. Jimmy Casas said it best when he said, “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” This may be the number one reason “Why I Tribe”: The inspiration I get from my blogging friends!

When I first started blogging, my WHY was to communicate to my staff in a more dynamic fashion. That is still important to me, but I have found that my WHY for blogging has grown and expanded. It’s part of who I am as educator and an activity that reminds me of what I believe and also continually challenges my thinking. I’m extremely grateful to be a part of this group of educational bloggers. We are always better together!