So, Day 1 of the comment challenge was to audit one’s own commenting behaviour. This is relatively straightforward for me because I have not been at all active in the field. The challenge is:

• How often do you comment on other blogs during a typical week?
• Do you track your blog comments? How? What do you do with your tracking?
• Do you tend to comment at the same blogs or do you try to comment on at least one new blog per week?

Pre Day 1, I could honestly say that I had never commented, therefore never tracked comments. On Day 1 I signed up for CoComment (but still don’t know how to use it and don’t seem to be able to connect to the site either). I have also made a few comments, but more of the “how do I do this?” type of thing.

Because I thought my blog could get a visitor for the first time I rediscovered how to ftp to it, upgraded it and started the search for a new theme. I seem to have been busy with a little teaching and trying to find some paid work, so haven’t had that much time…but I have to say that I am pleased to have signed up and will try to hang on in there, even if it is only just.

Just completed the blog upgrade to WordPress v2.5.1. I am mightily relieved because there were so many files and many possibilities for going wrong! However it is quite a big upgrade (from 2.1)- I had been wondering why there was not a tags facility. I blame all this on the Comment Challenge because I needed to tag the posts with Comment08 and just couldn’t see how. Now I have a lovely little box made for the purpose. So whole new vistas are opening up for me…but the priority has to be to find a theme I am happy with. Something plain and simple will do nicely.

OK, so I said I would take part in the 31 day comment challenge.

So I need to do something about this blog. I have thought it was a sort of information point for my work with schools, but I think that this blog could carry the information but be a whole lot more interesting in terms of the home page content. I read that in writing interesting posts one needs to write then post only the best of a selection of attempts. However, I don’t think I can work like that because I am busy and the writing is not my main activity.

So, my main focus is work with Primary schools and I am currently working a lot (and unpaid!) with my local school because I have spare time. I have been promoting a multiuser WordPress blog there (shepeaustow.net) and each class have one plus 7 of the more able 8-11 year olds. Although they have been selected for flair with their writing in the past they are not doing great with their blogs- this has caused me to reflect a lot on what children want to write about…it’s a big subject! I think there is a big difference between the 13 yr old and the 9 yr old in terms of what they want to write about, their audience etc…and I am still grappling with this.

The other thing that I am really wanting to do is revamp this whole site which has had nil attention since it was set up.

So, if anyone does find their way here to comment, what do you think about all this?!

So, just read about this challenge…so should I do it? This blog has been sitting around for ages not doing much and I feel seriously embarrassed by the lack of attention …so it might encourage me to get it together. Then I am really wanting to promote the children with their own blogs at shepeaustow.net …but maybe it would rub off on my work with them. Oh dear…will see how I feel later!