The 180blog phenomenon

At the start of this year, 180blogs sort of took off among teachers in the blogotwitterverse. Now,there are 36 teachers from disciplines raging from physics to Spanish posting a single photo and caption every day. I’ve found this feed to be a tremendous source of inspiration. I’m getting a small window to classrooms around the world, teaching all sorts of subjects.

The creativity and enthusiasm of the teachers who are a part of this project are a perfect antidote to much of the anti-education and anti-teacher rhetoric we hear in the news about failing schools and the need to ever greater levels of accountability.

It makes me think the next time some politician or educational leader who hasn’t been in the classroom for ten or more years, s/he should have should have to sit down and spend 20 minutes browsing these blogs. And second offenders should be forced to keep 180 blogs of their own. I, for one, would love to see how some of our educational leaders would struggle to come up with a photo as insightful and inspiring as the photos taken by teachers who are in the trenches.

If you’re interested in following along, I suggest you check out Frank Noshcese’s excellent (and continually updated) bundle of 180 photo blogs.

And once you’ve done that, I hope you’ll give some thought to joining this project by starting your own 180 photo blog.