Welcome to Ellicottville, NY where I have about 30 teachers and administrators in the room for the first session of what will be three days of immersion into blogs, wikis, podcasts, rss feeds, social bookmarking sites etc. AND pedagogy! (What a concept.)

So before we set up Blogger blogs, I give them my impassioned warning about how you have to be willing to talk (or blog) to the empty room, but that if you keep writing good stuff, people will find you. I draw the “Long Tail” on my tablet, give them strategies to find other bloggers, tell them how to comment on other posts and link back to their own. “Keep the faith!”

Then we make blogs. Five minutes. I tell them to read first, then write. To break intellectual sweat. To reflect, think, post. To…ah, whatever. Just post. But, of course be patient. Keep at it. The comments will come. Don’t…

When wouldn’t you know it. Like that moment in the big Bingo parlor when you call out “N-34″ and someone’s hand shoots up declaring victory, someone in the room says “Hey! I got a comment!” Six minutes after posting.

Six.

I run and put her blog up on the big screen. Even I am impressed. Six minutes. How did that happen, I ask? (Maybe I’ll tell them after dinner.)

I think we’re gettin’ it…

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