A Promise to the JJL Community: We will Make A Difference

How has your learning already made a difference, or how do you know it will? What is the difference you are learning to make, and what are you doing to make it happen?

I received a blog tag from Terry Starbucker this past Monday. I’m going out on a limb here, and taking the liberty of responding to him on behalf of the entire hui (group) of contributing authors we have here at Joyful Jubilant Learning.

My feeling is that this is not a conventional blog tag meme, but one that speaks into a commitment you decide to make to uphold the honor of what blogging can, and should be. Like any medium, dignity and honor is created for the whole by the actions of the individuals within it. This does Make A Difference; a big difference.

Thus, I wanted to squeeze my response into our current forum, for it seemed to fit so perfectly. Therefore, I ran short of time to run my draft by my fellow authors here, but knowing them and their intentions as I do, I didn’t feeling forging forward with this was that big a risk: I know that each and every one of them wants to write for a blog that strives higher; one that is committed to making a difference. They are Alaka‘i ka ‘ike, Guides in Learning who lead by their great example [alaka‘i.]

In fact, a few of them have already committed to this Blogger’s Promise (initiated by Joe Hauckes, author of Working at Home on the Internet). You can read what was said by our authors individually:

1. Terry Starbucker: I'm Making Joe's Promise
2. April Groves: Remembering Who I Am with a Promise
3. Joanna Young: Respect for the authentic conversation: comments, links and all that jazz

All of you who read Joyful Jubilant Learning are very important to us. You inspire us in the penning of every word here. We always write in the hope you will decide to join our conversation one day, for then you become teacher and we your willing, eager student. However an online presence can be scary for some, and joining an online community can seem to be too consuming a commitment. We understand, and even if you never choose to add your voice to these conversations, we want you to be proud of us, and proud to learn from us, and with us, silently in your own way.

So I, and I am sure my fellow authors here, do not hesitate to make this commitment to you. In sharing this blogging promise, and joining the ranks of many people we admire, we start with our values:

  [Badge designed by Rick Cockrum at Shards of Consciousness.]

Because we are committed to Aloha and Ho‘ohana,
[i.e. We write with the Intention of unconditional Aloha]
Because we are committed to Collaborative, Lifelong Learning,
Because we are committed to the Inclusiveness of Community,
Because we are committed to the Possibilities We Create within our Humanity,

We, the Authors of Joyful Jubilant Learning do Ho‘ohiki
[We make this Promise]

We will add value and conduct ourselves with distinction in the blogging community.

• We will be sure to comment on other Blogs if we can add to the conversation in our spirit of collaborative learning.
• We will respond to comments on our own Blog.
• We will acknowledge any links to our Blog with a comment on or trackback to the linker’s Blog.
• We will continue to link to other Blogs that are pertinent to our posts’ content.
• We will commit to being a Vital part of the Blogging Community, in full acceptance of our responsibility in Learning Leadership.

And you know what? We do collaborate here: No post is ever set in stone forever … Consider this a first run, and jump in with your feelings my fellow authors, for I am happy to keep editing this until we have a manifesto we proudly shout from the blog-tops in one clear voice, Lōkahi.
~ Rosa Say

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Footnotes to references above:

• on Ho‘ohana: By Blaine Collins: The Body Ho‘ohana

• on Ho‘ohiki: On Ho‘ohiki: Keeping your promises

• on Lōkahi: Lōkahi Teams: The ties that bind are your shared values, and Lōkahi Teams: When they are Virtual and Voluntary.
  
  By Joanna Young: Lōkahi: the language of collaboration.

• on Making A Difference: Our Compilation Page.
  

Comments

[Rick Cockrum]

I'm glad you thought Joe's promise fit the forum, Rosa. I see it as much a promise to ourselves to remember what we're doing as a promise to our communities.

[Rosa Say]

That’s a good distinction Rick; it’s the kaona (hidden meaning) behind ho‘ohiki – ho‘o means we make the promise (hiki) happen; in keeping the promise for ourselves, we also keep it for others.

And Rick, thank you for the badges you contributed to the cause!

[Joanna Young]

Rosa, thanks for kicking things off with these promises - I think they are things we would all sign up to and I think/hope we already practice.

I do have a few thoughts about how we can go the extra mile on this - which is in part about how we share responsibility for the different roles in supporting an on-line community. Things like visiting, commenting on, thanking people who link to us...

One of the things I try to do at Confident Writing is e-mail a new commenter with my reply and a word of greeting or thanks - is that something we could do here? It would require some co-ordination though, as we wouldn't all know who was new...

There's a whole lot of other things we might want to be 'up front' about - the 'promises' idea came round at a time when I was thinking about how to be transparent about other things I do or don't do - for example I explained that I will only link to sites I've visited, which means I won't publish long lists of links unless I've spent a lot of time visiting them all. I'm not saying that's the right policy - everyone has different ideas on it - but I felt better about being clear with my readers (and myself) about what I would and wouldn't do. Maybe we could clarify how we deal with some of those things here? (Maybe we/you already have of course!)

One of the other things that was on my mind at that time was the question of copyright of comments on a blog. I like to quote the words of people who have commented on my site, and I know you (Rosa) do too - as far as I could tell from my enquiries into this this is fine so long as you credit (and link to) the words of others, but it might also be an idea to have a statement somewhere to say we love to share and highlight what you share with us here?

Which takes me to my last point (sorry this is so long but you did ask!) which is how we can build on this promise to keep looking for ways to build on, develop, enrich the wider community at JJL - beyond the community of writers to include readers, commenters, followers. Are there things that we can do, say, practice that will encourage others to get involved - if they want to of course!

If you're listening and reading - and have ideas on how we can commit to helping to strengthen your sense of involvement, community and connection here - please do let us know.

Joanna

[Joe]

Hey Rosa (and the rest of the gang),
I didn't start this as a meme, but rather a simple promise to my readers, commenters, linkers etc. from me personally.
But a friend of mine, Liz Strauss of Successful Blog thought it would be a promise worth making herself and pass on to other friends to help strengthen the Blogging Community.
As you can see, it has taken on a life of it's own.
Thanks to everyone.
Joe

[Rosa Say]

All great points Joanna (the thought of copyright for comments never crossed my mind) – let’s keep this discussion going. One of the reasons I was so comfortable in getting this posted without a “back room” discussion first was because, as you point out, this blogging promise is already best practice for most of us. However other things are not as transparent (for instance, were there ever to be a personal attack on any author here I would immediately delete it without a second thought), and an extended statement would be a good idea.

Aloha Joe, mahalo for visiting us at JJL! When I visited your post I clearly saw your intention with this as a personal statement and commitment, and I think that’s why it has taken off the way it has; personal is powerful. It would have been better for me to stick with the word “meme” as in a viral idea that resonates, for blog tags are starting to grate on some, and I purposely did not “tag” anyone here – incriminating my fellow authors was already pushing the envelope! That said, Starbucker is one of our authors, and he knows of our values; I am grateful that he brought this to my attention as he did with his tag … I’m quite sure he’ll stop by at some point and add his own words to this!

[Steve Sherlock]

Yes, this is a best practice that will help to foster the conversation and build an understanding amongst the readers, writers and commentors.

I did not pick up on it because I already have this in so many other words on my blog. My value add, my disclosure statement, and of course, my lead line: "My views on life from Franklin, MA. I'll start with my 2 cents exploring the "good experience", "life long learning" and life in general. You can ante up a comment or an email and we'll take it from there."

Since we did not have such here, I heartily endorse it. Thanks for going the extra step Rosa!