November…month of #writing—#edblogs…#digiwrimo…#nanowrimo & more

…which includes joining the Education Bloggers Network as well as adding a blog challenge to #nanowrimo and #digiwrimo (already a #wrimo surfeit). Still, since I already write at least one blog post a day, just not all on the same blog, #nablopomo seemed a trifle. The rub is that all +BlogHer daily posts have to be on one blog to qualify for the challenge. So I registered Computers, Language, Writing and will post a daily blogging recap ~ so very meta but something I'd been thinking about doing anyway. I most assuredly am not doing #AcWriMo. 

But back to the Education Bloggers Network, which has made a huge difference for K-12 advocacy against privatization, testing excesses and Common Core.  It could be a really big deal for us as well. I'd already added a number of  these K-12 bloggers to our blogroll and here are more for you to check out. I'm in. Are you? PS I'm making a list of adjunct and other higher ed bloggers who ought to be too. Email Jonathan Pelto at jonpelto@gmail.com. Let's do this. Now.

Jonathon Pelto replied to my request to join the network (blogged about earlier here and here):
We definitely want to include higher education bloggers – especially – as you point out – since the education schools are a growing target for the corporate education reform industry.  We actually have a pretty lively group already as part of the network and want to reach out and invite any and all who are writing about these topics.

The following is what I send out with an invitation to join.  Do you have a list of other bloggers I should make contact with?

Here is the “official blogger invite” but I need to update it to include the  higher education piece.

The Education Bloggers Network is [an] informal confederation of more than  190  bloggers who are dedicated to supporting public education and pushing back the corporate education reform industry.  While many have their own blogs sites, some write commentary pieces for local newspapers while others use their Facebook or other platforms for writing about education issues.  

Like the Committees of Correspondence leading up to America’s War for Independence, education bloggers work alone and in groups to educate, persuade and mobilize parents, teachers, education advocates and citizens to stand up and speak out against those who seek to undermine our public education system, privatize our schools and turn our classrooms into little more than Common Core testing factories.  

The Education Bloggers Network was developed in conjunction with the publication and roll-out of Diane Ravitch’s best-selling book, Reign of Error. Over the past two years, it has become a vibrant community of advocacy journalists, investigative bloggers and public education supporters working to make sure that citizens have accurate and timely information about public education issues at the local, state and federal level.  

The Education Bloggers Network is not about controlling editorial content but sharing information, helping bloggers enhance their platforms and providing expanded venues so that blog posts garner greater readership. For example, a number of bloggers have authorized that their articles and commentary pieces get cross-posted to http://www.publicschoolshakedown.org/ a website hosted by the nationally renowned Progressive Magazine.  In the coming months we will be dramatically enhancing Public School Shakedown in an effort to reach even more readers.  

We also use a program called BASECAMP to share ideas, information and blogs posts.  All members of the Education Bloggers Network are given access to the Basecamp.  Some use it frequently, some check in from time and time and some only log in when they are looking for a particular piece of information.  

The Education Bloggers Network is also finalizing a special “search engine” that will allow bloggers and other public education advocates to quickly search for information on all the different sites where members of the Education Bloggers Network post.  This will allow bloggers to review what others have written about a topic, access the most up-to-date and accurate information about various issues and collect background on the activities and players behind the corporate education reform assault without having to go through a traditional information search.   

In addition, members of the network have and will continue to be able to join on-line seminars to hear about major breaking events, hear about the latest reports, share information with other bloggers and learn about ways that they can further enhance their investigative skills and blogs. Members of the Education Bloggers Network also play an important role in reviewing books published by fellow bloggers.  

There are no required responsibilities or burdens associated with being a member of the Education Bloggers Network.  It is simply an opportunity to share our work with those across the nation who are dedicated to stopping the corporate education industry, while improving our public education system.  

As Diane Ravitch noted in a post about the Education Bloggers Network last year, “If you blog and if you support public education as a pillar of our democracy, consider joining the Education Bloggers Network.”