Day 1: Do a Commenting Self-Audit
One of the goals of the 31 Day Comment Challenge is for us to improve our commenting skills and draw more people into blog conversations. So to kick off the 31 days of activities we’re going to start with a commenting self-audit. You can use this to get a better picture of your blog commenting skills and strategies.
For this activity, do the following:
1. Answer the following questions:
- How often do you comment on other blogs during a typical week? When I go through my Bloglines feeds I usually comment on half of the the blogs I read. I also comment on my partner teacher’s students blogs once a week.
- Do you track your blog comments? How? What do you do with your tracking? I track blog comments that I make on other wordpress blogs. My blog keeps tracks of these for me.
- Do you tend to comment at the same blogs or do you try to comment on at least one new blog per week? I comment on many of the same blogs but I also try to comment on new blogs I’m reading.
2. Now review Gina Trapani’s Guide to Blog Comments and ask yourself how well you’re doing in each of the different areas. Are there any specific areas where you think you need to do some work? What do you want to do to address these issues?
I’d like to leave more informative and interesting comments. I do read any other comments that have been made and try not to be redundant
Whew, I’ve made it through day one of the challenge. I want to keep up with the daily activities and not let the challenge down. I hope I’ll be able to do it. I wonder if you can double up if you miss a day? I also look forward to getting to know other bloggers in the challenge.
6 responses so far ↓
Sue Waters // May 2, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Hi Kimberley – welcome to the Comment Challenge
. You’ve done well in completing your Day 1 task. I often used to sit down and do several tasks at the same time in the 31 Day Blogging Project as it made it easier and you could spend some time reading what others had learnt before tackling it yourself. So it’s fine to double up and Michele’s Day 2 task is easy 
Sarah Stewart // May 2, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Hi Kimberley, I am sure that it doesn’t matter how you do the challenges. I fully expect I’ll be doing things higgledy piggledy. cheers Sarah
langwitches // May 3, 2008 at 12:37 am
Kimberly,
I was very impressed, when I read that you comment on half of the blogs that you read in your bloglines. I am glad, that I am involved in this challenge, since I was doing REALLY bad in the comment department. I seemed to focus on the “writing post” part.
The challenge is working! I am finally commenting away.
I want to be like the Classroom Queen
Langwitches » Comment Challenge- Day 2: Comment Around the World // May 3, 2008 at 12:48 am
[...] back towards the USA was a little long, but there still was time to make one last stop in Canada on The Classroom Queen by Kimberly Brown from Regina, [...]
lauren pressley // May 3, 2008 at 6:20 am
I love that you take the time to comment on student’s blogs. I use blogging when I teach too, but I mostly write the main post and then the students comment on that one. We’ve never had a non-class participant comment, but I think it would make a difference in how the students perceived the exercise. I’ll have to look into having colleagues contribute. Thanks for the idea!!
kibrown // May 4, 2008 at 6:11 am
@lauren. I really enjoy commenting on student blogs. It’s an interesting way to get to know students from another class. The students often send me comments or emails so I feel like I know them. My students really enjoy receiving comments from Jim Ellis my partner teacher. One of my students said that she always knows that she’ll receive at least one comment on her Friday writing because she knows Mr Ellis reads her blog post. I also try to comment to the grade 2&3 class in our school that are blogging. They love to receive comments.