Have you started your teaching blog yet?  How is it going?  If you are like many new bloggers, you want to get all of the bells and whistles going immediately.  After all, you have probably been spending time perusing some of the education and even non-education blogs on the web to get ideas for what you like and do not like.  One of the features of the blogs that you have been visiting are the widgets that are placed on the sidebars or footer.

Widgets are, simply put, little pieces of programming code that can be put on your blog to create the bells and whistles you want it to have.  Need a calendar?  There is a widget for that.  Want a link to your Facebook page?  There is a widget for that too.  In fact, you can find a widget to do just about anything you would like to do on your blog.

Widgets also add functionality, meaning that they can help make the actual process of running and maintaining a blog a bit easier.  Whether it is with help finding a Creative Commons picture for an article or a widget for running a giveaway, there are tools that you can install to help you do that.  Just like each blogging platform is slightly different, so are widgets.  Again, one of the best ways to find ones that will work for you is to browse other teachers’ blogs.  See what they are using and decide if something like that would fit with your blog’s theme and design.

If you are new to blogging, the thought of adding code to anything you are doing can be very intimidating.  The makers of widgets and your blogging platform company know this.  Take a few minutes and search through their help articles for widget installation.  They will tell you where and how to add the widgets to your blog.  If you still cannot find the answer, do a search for “widget installation on (your blogging platform)” for the information.  There are countless articles and information on the Internet about how to enhance your blog with widgets.

Take your time and remember that there is a learning curve when it comes to blogging.  It is okay to change, rearrange, and redesign your blog until you get it exactly how you want it to be.

Some great widget resources:

Widgetbox

50+ Web Widgets

Top Widgets for Your Class or Student Blog

Join us for next week’s Teaching Blog 101 series when we talk about networking and why it is important for your blog’s growth and success.

If you missed any of the previous Teaching Blog 101 articles, you can get caught up here:

Teaching Blog 101:  So You Want to Start a Teaching Blog?

Teaching Blog 101:  Wireframes, Templates, and Colors, Oh, My!

Teaching Blog 101:  Creating Content for Your Blog