Time...

is one of those things we never have enough of.  I don't care who you are or what you do, there's never enough time to get everything you want accomplished AND still have time to breathe and appreciate all of life's blessings.

My one word this year was breathe.  I need to breathe in order to stay sane and not freak out about the fact that I don't have enough time.  And I'm talking time today and time over the months and time over the year.  Yes, because I'm a BIIIIIIIG picture planner.


My professional life has always been a huge priority for me.  When I stumbled by accident into the ed tech world, it changed education for me.  When I worked closely with an instructional coach or 2, it changed education for me.  Both of these things showed me a professional path that I am exceedingly passionate about.  My ultimate goal in my professional life is to be in a position of influence where I can inspire teachers, get them excited about teaching and their students, understand how to use, and the many benefits of technology in their classroom.  I'm excited just writing that sentence.

GOALS

1. I thought I had found the perfect job at OSU.  I was getting to work with select high school teachers around the state of Ohio and do exactly what I described.  It was perfect!  But it was a grant and short lived.
2. I found myself back in a classroom but working with the teachers at my school to build some technology integration excitement.  I knew that I wanted more though.
3. I want to BE someone in the world of educational technology.  I so admire Tony Vincent, Matt Miller, Alice Keeler, Travis Allen and the iSchool Initiative, Jesse Lubinsky, Todd Nesloney, and Dave Burgess just to name a few!  Now I never want to on their level...but I want to be on my own level...enough to inspire teachers out in the world.  To do that I try to cultivate a presence online...Twitter, Instagram, blogging, etc.

Enterprise Architecture - SDSU Spring '18

4. I thought a great first step is to learn to be more than a coach but to be a true leader at a school.  So I decided to enroll in an MA program for Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.  Perfect FIT!
5. This year I ended up transitioning from the technology teacher position to a 4th grade teacher position.  I couldn't love it anymore.  However, it does involve a lot of planning and time and energy.  Couple that with the MA program that I'm enrolled in (see #4), and I'm overwhelmed but juggling.

Inspirational Ed Tech Goal + MA student + 4th grade teacher

I love my life.  I don't have time for everything but I surely juggle the best I can.

INSERT SURPRISE

My first week as a 4th grade teacher I found out I was pregnant!  It was definitely a struggle those first weeks figuring out everything I needed to do, working on homework, and being completely exhausted.  However, I have an incredible partner teacher who supported me the entire time (and still is) and an exceptional husband who picked up the slack at home so I could get work done, eat, and sleep...not always in that order.

We are over the moon with this wonderful blessing.  But for me, that means I literally cannot continue to do everything I've been working on.  Clearly, I cannot stop working.  I won't stop my program...I'm almost DONE - August!  But I can't, now or when the baby comes, focus so much of my time on my goal of being someone in Ed Tech.  I will still be on Twitter, I will still engage with my PLN on Voxer, I will still blog.  These things all bring joy to my heart in a professional capacity, but they can't be a priority.

Being a mother has to trump all of these things and more.

I'm writing this post, for me...because 99% of the time my posts are for my own peace to get my own thoughts out of my head and "down" somewhere.  It's therapeutic for me.  However, I'm also writing this post to point out, because while not the exact same circumstances, there are teachers all over the world, struggling to balance everything.

Goldfish Division

To them, I want to say, don't...it will all be there tomorrow.  What is your priority?  What is the most important thing to you?  Focus on that.  Then add the other things but don't burn yourself out trying to do and be everything.  We are only humans, we can't.  If what speaks to your heart is your biggest priority, you will find happiness, even while juggling.

Lemons to Dole Whip...what?

I know what you're thinking...I've gone ahead and lost it.  There are lots of tradition and also new and creative ways to use the "When life gives you lemons..." piece of wisdom.  But I'm going to be honest, there are times when you just have to make it your own!  Hence the dole whip.  Now, I could go into detail about why I chose a dole whip...1) clearly it's from Disneyland which was my first true passion #disneylife 2) you get a cherry on top, which doesn't that always make things better (unless you don't like cherries - oops sorry) 3) the umbrella on top indicating that you need to kick back and put your feet up.  However, I am going to take this dole whip and use it a little more metaphorically speaking.  So lets take a look at these 3 reasons I chose I dole whip to represent life...in addition to being an all around wonderful treat.  

Attribution: https://goo.gl/zXVR9B

When life throws you lemons, a curve ball, things unexpected and/or a variety of things that you did not anticipate...keep in mind, what is happening does matter but how you are handling it that matters more.  

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 1: 

I eat Dole whips at Disneyland. Disneyland is a place to escape the realities of #adulting. It's a place to be a kid again! Perhaps this feeling of my childhood makes me hold onto Disneyland so much harder the older I get. Or perhaps it's the feeling of magic. That anything can happen...like a miracle. 

Change doesn't always feel like magic when it happen, but take a moment to soak in the real life magic around you. What are the random series of events that lead to this moment?!  What are the random series of events that will lead to the next change? Life is change...be excited. Take it as challenge and run with it like a kid who doesn't have a care in the world.

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 2: 

So life gives you challenges and that's ok. TAKE. THE. RISK.  Be creative in how you approach your challenge and possibly change what and how you were doing before.  Like a dole whip.  Really it's pineapple ice cream, not that impressive.  But they made it into soft serve and put a cherry on top and added an umbrella?! It's a whole new dessert!!  And people (myself included) LOVE IT!  

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 3:

Do not fight it. I am sorry to say but change happens. It happens TO you. Don't fight it. Embrace it. In fact, take some time to sit back and process it. Sit in the sun, put your feet up, enjoy a Dole whip and think. What lead to this/these changes? How can be the best ME in the face of these changes? Is there anything I can do to set another set of changes into effect? Do I even want to? Am I giving this change a fair chance? What are the possible positives that could happen? Is this change a good thing in my life? 

You won't have answers in one round of Dole whips. But maybe taking the time to reflect will help you feel a little more prepared for all your unanswered questions.  

Good luck to you and wish me luck in mine.  

Saying "I Do"

I recently (4 days ago) got married.

*I know way to ease into big news!*

And anyone that has planned a wedding or been involved in planning a wedding, knows that there are A LOT of things to figure out.  Big details, tiny details, details you forgot about, and surprises - and lots of other things in between.  Depending on your wedding and venue, you have varying levels of help and people doing things for you as well.  You also have a wedding party and lots of family who can help and support you through the entire process.

While we were planning the wedding, and even on the day of the wedding, I couldn't help but notice some parallels to being a teacher.  Yea, yea, yea...don't roll your eyes yet.  Just read for a second.

Think about all the details you plan for the year, for the month, for the week, and for the day.  Think of how those details rarely go EXACTLY according to plan.  Think of who you lean on for support - your family, your grade level, your administration, your friends, etc.  Despite the stress and anxiety and hours upon hours upon hours...*pause for dramatic effect*...UPON HOURS of work you put into everything for the kids, nothing is ever perfect.  Just like a wedding.

I realized the DAY. BEFORE. THE. WEDDING that I could not keep up with or control each of the tiny details I had been carefully devising over the last few months.  I finally reached out to my friends and said this is what I want, but you know what, do what you think is best because I will not know the difference tomorrow.  I also said that to the caterers and the DJ.  And you know what?  Looking back, I have no idea if what they did was exactly what I would have done.  I was too busy soaking up my new husband, my new family, seeing all of my friends, celebrating, and loving the day.

Now I am going to say this to you, as teachers.  You cannot control every little detail of your classroom/school/students.  Ask for help from your grade level, your administration, your family, and your friends - even your students...especially your students.  Give up the control and trust that at the end of the day, week, month, year...you and your students will have soaked up all the important things.  You will have inspired and instructed.  You will have guided and given hugs.

You will have made a difference.