Cutting back… switching off…
I’m now almost half way through my two week Easter break and it’s been a bit of a roller-coaster week. We went to Derbyshire and had a lovely time with our dog, walking in the countryside and exploring what the area had to offer. It was great to take a break from technology (although I did use my iPhone and laptop very occasionally!) and spend lots of time reading, which is something that I love doing but never seem to get around to when I’m at home.
While we were away, we also had a worrying few days when our dog became very ill and we had to take him to the vets. We are very happy to have him home with us now, but we now know that he has a heart condition which will stay with him for the rest of his life.
So, over the past week, a number of factors have caused me to think carefully about my own situation… to sum things up, I spend far too much time staring at screens. I sit at my computer during most of my free time and I stare at my iPhone regularly when I’m out and about… I’ve only been married for 8 months, but I’m amazed that my wife puts up with it! 
One of the main reasons why I spent so much time using computers is my love of creating websites to help teachers (and children). As many readers of this blog will know, I currently run quite a few different sites:
- Teaching Ideas – Shares free ideas, activities and resources for teachers.
- Teaching Videos – A collection of educational videos for classroom use.
- Teaching Photos – A place to find inspiration for your class displays.
- Teachr – A homepage for teachers.
- TeachrSearch – A search tool which helps teachers to find educational resources.
- Ideas to Inspire – Hosts collaborative presentations which give ideas for using various online and offline tools.
- Welcome to the Web – My guide to the Internet for the young and old.
I also run a three blogs (this one, Teaching News and a photo blog) as well as a forum for teachers.
Whilst I love running these websites, they do take up a huge amount of time… for each site, I have to add new content, respond to emails, run back-ups, apply updates, create RSS feeds if appropriate, and more. I’m also a classroom teacher and ICT co-ordinator so those roles take up a fair amount of time too!
As a result, I have decided to make a few changes… in the future, I am planning to remove some of these sites and merge some of the features of the others, so that there are less things to manage overall.
I have also decided to end this blog at MrWarner.com. Whilst I have really enjoyed writing posts here and I truly appreciate the comments and feedback that people have given, it seems silly to be running three blogs. As time goes by, I am planning to go through the previous posts on MrWarner.com and add them to Teaching Ideas, so that they are still online. This will also open them up to a much bigger audience.
Once again, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and respond to this blog. I will still be writing similar types of articles to the ones I’ve been putting here, but I’ll post them on Teaching Ideas and Teaching News instead. In that way, I can focus more clearly on building up my free educational resources for teachers, whilst having more of a personal life too.
Goodbye from Mr Warner (.com)
That’s a shame – but fully understandable. Spend your efforts focused in a few things, not least your wife!
Sorry to see this go but have always been in awe of all that you were managing!
Real life is so much more important than that in cyberspace.
Glad to hear pooch is a bit better and happy near anniversary!
I can see your point entirely. Running one website is time consuming enough nevermind seven plus three blogs! All your sites and blogs I have bookmarked and I use regularly. I’ll look forward to what you decide to merge together.
Shame to see this blog go – I hope we can still enjoy and be inspired by your efforts in the classroom.
Sorry to hear this Mark – weirdly enough I was just sorting out my reader and had just added this blog!
Keep up the good work, if it’s any use don’t take home your laptop’s power cable at the weekend and then when it’s run out you can’t do any more fiddling. Works for me.
Steve
I totally understand where you’re coming from. I spend far too much time online & I only run 2 blogs & a wiki. I often feel as though I put my online life before my real life with my husband & 2 dogs – although not deliberately, of course.
I think you are very sensible to take the time to reflect on how you spend your time and, even more importantly, do something about it.
Thanks for all you do for us teacher, even those you don’t know. I have learned a lot from you over the last 18 months or so & will continue to follow your tweets & other blogs.
I hope your beautiful dog’s health allows you to enjoy more quality time with him.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog, Mark, and I’ve learned such a lot over the last couple of years. But I completely understand this decision and hope that it helps you to manage your online and offline time more favourably!
Sarah and I are having an Analogue April Mark (not entirely because I still read this, budd
) as I can relate to your “predicament”.
But… What one acheives in an analogue world doesn’t get retweeted, yet it does have effect, echo, resonance, value, shared experience, and genuine warmth that makes a lasting difference.
You have a gorgeous real life. Your wife doesn’t “put up with” I am sure. What you acheive digitally is inspiring and a huge part of you. But I am sure she will value the new you too.
Enjoy.
Sounds a sensible decision Mark. I never realised you had quite so many other websites! Bizarrely I wasn’t aware of your teacher news blog, I’ll add that and follow on the conversations over there.
Glad your pooch is doing ok
Hi Mark,
I just noticed you are following us on You Tube and I started reading your blog and looking at some of your other sites. Sorry to see you are packing this one in but can understand why. Your other sites are excellent – mines of information and ideas. Our children are very lucky to have teachers like you. I hope things go well for you, your wife and your hound.
Best wishes,
Chris