I've received a few comments stating that my blog is too "personal". Well, reality check - a blog is meant to be personal!
If you are unfamiliar with the concept of a blog, it is a method used to express yourself to a wider audience. It's a medium whereby you can share your thoughts, experiences and passions. Additionally, a blog is "[a] collection of posts…short, informal, sometimes controversial, and sometimes deeply personal…" –Meg Hourihan.
Before launching this blog, I did approach the ISK Board of Directors for their cooperation, but it was dismissed as being one person's personal opinion. My husband and I have also approached the school on several occasions with matters concerning our children's education, but we always felt dissatisfied with their responses and/or their approach to resolving our concerns. Like I said in my earliest post, "Why I started this blog?" - I started it because I wanted to share my thoughts, and to connect with like-minded parents, on school issues that I believe ultimately affects our children's education and well-being. I wanted this blog to create awareness, and a place where parents' voices can be heard.
It appears that from the number of responses and readers that I'm receiving, I am finding my blog posts to be a great way to let others know (especially parents who are in the process of looking at International Schools for their children), of my personal opinion on topics that matters to me and/or too controversial to speak of. Sometimes it just takes a simple move to start something big.
So here's how it works. My blog posts are based on my experiences, observations, and opinions. So for those of you who are faint of heart, or if you find this blog "too personal", then feel free to disengage and stop reading. You know what they say, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" ;-)
3 comments:
No, this is not too personal. I would have loved it to have been available to me before moving to Krakow.
One 'personal' comment from me. It would be more appropriate for ISK to be named 'American International School'.
Hi Lucy. Although I am not a Parent of ISK I have friends who have children there and i am also interested in this school being the good place.
Regarding your question in this post. I think you have full right to have the very personal Blog. You allow comments to your posts which is very good - other parents or school representatives may agree or disagree with you or present their opinions.
This said, I think I understand why school board was not kin to add the link to your blog on the official school webpage. You blog is 'one person's opinion' and the school by adding your blog would have to be prepared to add 100 other blogs of other parents. So I understand the school fully.
But I was wondering if you have also offered the school to add not a blog but an open (open to parent's, probably requiring log-in) parents forum? many schools does this and it is useful tool to exchange information. Not only opinions about whether something is good or bad but also many other day to day useful information. I am pretty sure that the decent school should allow having such forum if parents wanted it.
Regarding some of the topics you raised, I am really disappointed that none from the school officially replied to it. I was glad seeing John & Kasia replies but I understand John is no longer representing the school board. I would really like to see Ms Director's responses.
One final thought. I think you really should not be using the "ISK Kraków" nick. it is misleading. You could just use your name (or "Administrator" or "Blogger") and offer the "ISK Kraków" nick to school authorities.
Anonymous, in hindsight, I am glad that ISK didn't agree to cooperate and link to my blog because this gives me the independence to write my honest opinions and views. As to offering a discussion forum, I was informed prior to launching my blog, that the school was thinking about launching one but that's all I know. Regarding your comment that no one from the school replied, well if you've read some of the other comments then you would have seen comments from the school board members. Regarding the nick used for my blog, I personally find it appropriate since I'm blogging about ISK and it's in Krakow. But if you find it misleading, then I guess it's as misleading as an American school calling itself International ;-)
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