I attended Sandy Millin’s talk a few hours ago. It was about blogging and professional development. Among other things, she made suggestions about what to blog about, and one of her tips was to ask questions on your blog. This gave me an idea. In this post, I ain’t going to say much. I am going to ask a few questions, I have asked myself many times. Who are you? Yes, you, the person reading this post. I mean, I see numbers when I look at my blog’s stats. I know there are some courageous people in the world who actually read my posts, but in this post (my 99th post. Yay!), I would really appreciate it, if you took a minute to say hello, tell me where you are from/about yourself, and what you like reading in the ELT blogs you read.
Today’s post is for you, the reader.
I am doing this cause I want to get to know the people who actually read my posts. Reading your comments really puts a smile on my face!
Oh! If you blog, add your blog in the comments section!!!!If you like reading blogs, mention them in the comments section.
I am really curious about this one………Also, kinda risky cause no one might comment :p.
My Elt Rambles 
You’ll have at least one comment! 🙂
I’m Kirsty and I provide online training for adults who want to improve their business English. I set up my language teaching business a couple of years ago and I think it’s really important to keep in touch with other teachers, particularly those who teach online as I do. I want to learn from other teachers about what went well for them in the classroom, what they have learned, new ideas for teaching, and information about teaching adult learners.
Usually the articles on my blog are for my adult learners but perhaps I will write some posts about teaching as well!
Have a great day and keep writing 🙂
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Wohooo!! Thanks Kirsty!!!! Nice to know more about you and to hear about what you like reading about 😀
Thank you!!
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And another one :)….I’m Susannah, I teach adult EFL learners in the UK. I’m a relatively new teacher (2 years) and enjoy reading your blogs for tips and ideas. Thanks so much all your advice!
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Hi Susannah!
Thanks so much for leavimg a comment!It’s a pleasure to meet you : ). It’s also very helpful to know what you like reading about.
Thanks again.
Joanna
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Hi, awesome idea to post something like this. This summer will be my 10th anniversary as an EFL teacher so I think I’ll give myself a treat. I usually read the blogs secretly, not that I hide from people around me to do it, I mean this is the first time I actually post a comment on one.
I have my own blog but I don’t think that many people actually read it, but It’s fun, it’s like a little baby I’m caring about and I see it grow.
Anyway, congratulations on your blog, looks fantastic and I can just see it with envy 😉
Now it’s your turn, just guess who I am… 😀
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Hmm!MC… I am thinking of twitter and retweets and a spanish twitter name. I wonder if I am right?! Congrats on the teaching anniversary! Thanks for leaving your first comment on my blog 🙂
As for your blog, I would love to read it. Tweet it!
Joanna
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Wow very clear, didn’t take you long 😀 Yes, it’s @MigueCorDi and my blog is elearningeproject.blogspot.com
Eveyone seems to use wordpress now, what’s the big deal compared to others??
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Hehehe I knew it! I moved from blogger to wordpress. I Like the layout and widgets here. I will check out your blog tom and leave a comment of course 🙂 Joanna
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I meant clever…
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As a teacher, I teach EFL in Seoul for the BC. I’ve been teaching since 2011 and I like blogs that either discuss issues that are pertinent to me or provide excellent classroom resources. I started following your blog because of your Delta reflections. I’ve just applied for the Delta starting this autumn!
As a blogger I blog about travel and expat life in general, and I’ve just started to learn photography so I have a second blog for that.
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Hi Hannah!!
Thanks for saying hello!! The pictures and posts in your blog are fantastic! Great work : D
So, you are starting the Delta, that’s great!!! You will really enjoy it but it is a lot of work!!!!
Let me know if you need any help with anything, maybe I can offer some suggestions. Sandy’s website has loads of Delta info.
Thanks again!!!
and Good Luck with the D.
Joanna
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Hi,
I’m Sandy, and I’m totally going to steal your idea 🙂 Thanks for inspiring me! I love the range of posts that you have on here, covering lots of different aspects of life and giving a real sense of who you are as a person and a teacher. I’m originally from the UK, and this year I’m an itinerant wanderer 🙂
Sandy
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Hi sandy!!!
Thanks for saying hello 😀 and yes, steal ahead :p You inspired me!!!
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Hi Joanna! I also attended Sandy’s webinar. I’m Julia and I’m a self-employed teacher based near Manchester. I really like the ideas in your blog, the challenges (I’m yet to participate but hope to soon!) and the variety of areas you cover. The “colours” section on your blog is especially interesting.
I also have my own blog, https://juliacphang.wordpress.com/ It’s quite new and like Miguel, I’m enjoying seeing it develop!
Julia
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Hi Julia!!
Thanks for writing a few things about yourself. I have never been to Manchester, but I do spend my summers in the UK and Manchester is on my list of places to visit this summer :). I remember your name from Sandy’s talk yesterday. I will also stop by your blog 🙂 It is great to read other people’s blogs. I am glad you enjoy blogging as well. It is so fun, isn’t it?
Thanks for saying hello and talk soon 🙂
Joanna
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Thanks Joanna 🙂 Manchester is a great city, so I hope you get the chance to visit soon!
Yes, as Sandy said yesterday, I also find blogging quite therapeutic – it’s a great way to get ideas out and reflect.
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Hi Joanna! I’m Clare. Originally from London, but have been teaching at a German university for some years now. I like your blog because the range of topics you cover, and also because your “challenges” inspire ideas for my own blog! 🙂 Keep up the good work!!
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Hi Clare!
I know your blog as well and thanks for writing for the challenge:).
Thanks for saying Hello ….. and keep blogging 😀 😀
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Hi there, Jo. Thank you for inspiring me with your great posts. I am an English Teacher based in Athens. I teach General English but I would love to turn into teaching online Business English. I need some time to think , plan, and effect it.Any idea would feel welcome. Thanks to all great educators out there for inspiring me everyday.
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Hey there Ang!!
I definitely know you, my study buddy 😀
You, my dear, can achieve anything you want to. I am sure of that. As for teaching online, let me know when you are ready and I will help you as much as I can 😀
Joanna
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Thank you so much Joanna for being always so understanding and supportive!
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Hi Joanna,
I love the democratic, citizen journalist aspect of blogging.
Without having been at Sandy’s talk, I agree that a blog is generally a conversation, although mine isn’t really (being more two fictional characters who discuss issues between themselves). All the more important are bloggers like you, who interact and challenge us to write something personal.
I absolutely love blogging – it’s brought me into contact with a whole new community and has reminded me once again of our innate need to be creative. Teaching is a creative job anyway.
Oh, I’m from the UK, but stationed in Hamburg, Germany and teach in-company.
XX
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Hi Helen!!!
Thanks for leaving a comment. Yeap, I am all for challenging and being more personal (sometimes maybe too personal, but eh, what can you do? I am who I am). I think that when you blog you have to be true to yourself. You like writing posts where your characters interact and tell a story. I like that. The fact that you enjoy writing them is so evident in your posts. I think our blog posts should be things we like. Nothing forced and, yes, conversational…. 🙂
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have never been to Hamburg. I have heard it is really nice though.
Talk soon
xx
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Hi! I’m Hana. I like visiting this blog because I like the positive energy I feel from it. Keep going and inspiring people. 🙂
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Hey Hana!!!
Thanks for saying hello and for the kind words. I am getting lots of compliments today 😀 I wanted to know what people like reading in other blogs, but reading nice words from you guys is A OK as well 😀 . Tooting me own horn people :p
I really like reading your blog as well Hana and thanks for taking part in all my blog challenges 😀
Joanna
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Hi Joanna, I’d say courageous readers are not the ones who read blog posts but those who leave “comment” footprints:) I’m quite a newbie in the blogosphere. My blogging adventure started with giving reasons why I don’t and shouldn’t blog, which ended with starting a blog – https://eltcation.wordpress.com/. I like the light-hearted tone, humour and energy coming from your posts. Keep up the good work! Cheers, Lana
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Hi Lana!!
Thanks for being “courageous” and leaving a comment then 😀 , cause you are right, many people don’t. I mention the word courageous for my readers cause , man , do I ramble :P. I do appreciate the fact that you said,
“Hello” and may I say, I am intrigued by your first post, and I am going to go and read it now (even though I am supposed to be making lesson notes).
So, thanks again for leaving a comment ( I ❤ comments) and I really want to hear from you guys!! So, thanks, thanks, thanks 😀
Talk soon.
Joanna
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Hi
It will be a good plateform to enhance our teaching capabilities by learing from others experience s.I am ELT lecturer.
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Hi Hassan!
Nice to meet you 😀
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I’m Clare
I’m not a prolific blogger, I’m afraid. I enjoy reading other people’s posts but I didn’t find blogs to be that successul with my teacher trainees. I made reconsider using them at a later date. I am a teacher trainer at a large FE college in east London. I now understand why I keep getting these posts on my twitter feed. I was a bit confused!
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Hi Clare!
Thanks for saying hello!I think you have been getting all those tweets as part of the conversation I was having with Miguel. Sowie about that!
I actually started blogging cause Marisa,my trainer suggested it would help me reflect!
London is my favourite city! I love going there!
Thanks again for stopping by.
Joanna
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Hi Joanna –
What I like most about your blog is that you can tell there’s a real person behind it.
There are many great blogs and bloggers out there, keeping us scattered band of ELT teachers up-to-date with the latest trends, But your posts often have that extra touch of reaching out to make connections with other teachers (just as you are doing in this post and in your Younger Teacher Self challenge).
You have a knack for making the CPD world feel friendly and welcoming, whether teachers are based in the EU or in far-flung regions.
One day I might work up the courage/make the time to join in or blog myself 🙂
For now, I can tell you that I work for a training company in central France. We teach a range of languages, along with management and IT training. I spend about half my time teaching English to engineers in company, the other half of my time is for course design/assessments/teacher training/new projects like online classes ….
And in case the “Murphy” part of my name wasn’t enough of a clue, I’m Irish.
Looking forward to post number #100 !!!!!
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Hi Eily,
Thanks for all the nice things you said :). It’s great to learn more about you. You shovld try blogging out,it’s real fun. I was in Paris this November. It was great. Thanks again for stopping by.
Joanna
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I know you were wondering what we bloggees/blog-readers like in other blogs too. A couple of favorites are Mike Griffin’s https://eltrantsreviewsreflections.wordpress.com for its honesty and I miss the insights into the world of The Secret Dos https://thesecretdos.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/am-big-you-wuss/#more-3220. Olya Sgeeva is great for practiacl tips too https://eltgeek.wordpress.com . But it is really hard to cut the list off there …. basically generous people with their experience and time 😀 I do blog a little for our internal school blog, and don’t get enough time to do that as often as I’d like … Cheers!
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Hey Eily!Thanks for the follow up!I am sorry for writing your name incorrectly earlier.My phone won’t let me edit,so I will correct it tom!I read Mike’s blog as well.It’s great. I will also look at the other ones you mentioned as well.
Joanna
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while you’re at it could you correct Olya Sergeeva’s name too please
ooops!
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Hi Joanna
I am Zhenya, based in Ukraine, training teachers and trainers in various places (in and beyond Ukraine); blog and read blogs for connecting and communicating with like-minded educators, and for reflection on the work I am doing. Reading yours because it is yes, lively, and very genuine, open, ‘real’, if I can say so. Please keep writing.
🙂
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Hi Zhenya,
Thanks for saying “Hi” and telling me a bit about yourself and what you like blogs for. I remember reading your ‘blogging style’ challenge and that was actually one of my favourite challenges 😀 I like reading your blog posts as well cause they are great!!!
Talk soon 😀
Joanna
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Hi Joanna 🙂 I love how you have turned this over to your readers and gotten such a great response. I love your ideas for connecting people and bringing out the personal side of being a reflective teacher. I’m Sophia, I’m from the UK originally but freelance in Singapore at the moment and trying to figure out how to combine work and child-raising without failing on all fronts!
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Hi Sophia,
Thanks for saying Hello. Yeap, I turned it over to the readers. I wanted to see who they are, cause as bloggers we only see page views. I wanted to see people. I am really happy that so many of you actually did say something!!!
I have only been to Singapore when flying to and from Sydney. I really do want to visit one day. Working and child raising eh? My sister has a 3 year old so I know what that is like (or do I?)
Thanks again for leaving a comment. Talk soon.
Joanna
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Hi,
I’m Rachael, I teach secondary and primary school pupils in Geneva, Switzerland. I’ve been teaching for about 20 years & I blog to share teaching ideas and reflections at http://www.fabenglishideas.com. It’s also a useful place to put info related to workshops, saves hoiking piles of handouts to conferences.
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Hi Rachel,
Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing your blog. I have read it. It’s great. I agree with what you say about blogging. I often put my ideas in a blog post and go back to see what I mentioned and get ideas from myself 😛 and I also share my slides or summaries of my presentations there as well.
Thanks again!!
Joanna
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Hi Joanna, my name´s Anna, I´m from Russia, working for an international company as a Business English Teacher.
I´ve started blogging not so long ago and I remember first time of following one and another. Now I have some favourite blogs, your is one of the favourites. Thank you for your inspiring posts not only about teaching, that´s great!
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Hi Anna!!
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello!!! Bloggin is great and we should exchange tips about BE some time :D. I enjoy reading your posts as well 😀
Joanna
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Hi Joanna,
First of all, wow! As I read this, you have 43 comments already! 🙂 Well done for having such an excellent and popular blog!
As you might know from my own witterings, I am Rachel and I from the UK. I graduated from the same university as Sandy Millin in June 2012 and worked for Routledge academic publishers for 2.5 years in Editorial and Digital Development before following my dream of living in Berlin by way of completing a CELTA course here. I am now teaching adults in private language schools (one of which is the school in which I did my CELTA) and loving all of ELT so much more than I expected to!
I read your posts, and lots of other prolific ELT bloggers’ posts, to find out more about the industry in general – teaching ideas, thoughts…it’s all fascinating for me 🙂 I blog in case I do ever manage to move back into publishing, so I can aim for a more ELT-focused role and prove I have a huge interest in it.
Keep up your blogging – and thanks for opening my eyes to so many more wonderful bloggers who have commented on this post 🙂
Rachel 🙂
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Hey there Rachel!
Thanks for leaving a comment cause well, you know by now, I ❤ reading them!!! It is also great to read more information about you.
This blog post is about meeting people, hearing about their blogs and learning about what they like to read. When I look at my stats I see people from all around the world visiting my blog and I wanted to see who these people are.
I have strayed a bit away from my original teaching tips side of my blogging, so that is what my next blog post will be about.
It is great that you blog. Keep it up. You have a lovely pen!!!
Thanks for commenting and for the compliments!!!
Joanna 😀
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Hi Joanna, I’m the guy behind tekhnologic – a small blog about using technology in the classroom. I’m originally from the UK but I live and work in Japan now. I really like your blog because you have experience of teaching different aspects of ELT than I do, and I am always curious to gain some insights. I also think your blog definitely has the human touch, which is a valuable thing when the Internet can be so impersonal. Thanks for everything you have written, and everything you have inspired others to write. I’ll definitely keep reading.
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Hi Tekhnologic,
Thanks for stopping by. Japan , eh? Most of my page views are from Japan. I was wondering about that!!! So, now I know one person in Japan who reads my blog. 😀
I love your blog. You are much more tech savvy than me, you share loads of ideas and may I add you are to the point as well (unlike me, as I do tend to ramble a lot).
Thanks for all the nice things you said about my blog :). I appreciate it!
Talk soon ( in a blog post somewhere)
Joanna
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