The Tension is Here. Between who you are and who you could be. Between how it is and how it should be. I dare you to move! - Switchfoot

I am a librarian. I may just be the Queen of the Book Nerds. Seriously, I have a sticker that says “yay reading” on the back of my car. (it causes a lot of ill will in my house of teenage boys) I love to read children’s books aloud and recommend books for them to read on their own. I also embraced the challenge of integrating technology in our school and I know that a school Librarian/Media Specialist can change the way a school works. I wholeheartedly believe in libraries and librarians! And, I loved working in the elementary school library that has been my home for the past 8 years.

But, I left that job back in June to become an Instructional Technology Specialist because I was ready for a different kind of challenge. I wanted to be uncomfortable, step outside what was normal for me and learn something new. I was infatuated with this crazy smart, creative, innovative Kennesaw State University Instructional Technology Coach that came to work at my school for a while. I admit, I became a groupie and came to see and believe that personalized learning and technology integration can transform education and the lives of our students and our teachers.

My idea for my future began to shift and when a job became available at KSU iteach. I decided to go for it. Well, first I talked to my husband, my principal, my parents, my kids, my friends and well, even my dogs. Then, I decided to go for it.

Got it! And, the rest is history. Except, it really isn’t. The rest is the future…

I knew this job was an alternate path and would be challenging and uncomfortable for me. I knew that most of the iteach team had been together for a while and I’d need to find a place where I fit there. I knew that I had to pull my weight quickly because a lot of kids and teachers and administrators would be counting on me for what I could bring to their school. Every day I still ask myself if I made the right choice and if I can really do this. I come back to the same answer. I can do this because I am part of iTeach.

I had no idea the level of support I would get from this dynamic, off the wall, outside the box group of people. I didn’t have an inkling that after one group meeting my head would be spinning with ideas and strategies and inspiration. There is at least one and more often there are ten people at any given moment that I can text or call or slack (wait, is that a verb?) to get help with a problem or an idea for a project. I’ve followed them around schools, pelted them with questions, stalked them in meetings and designed a plan of action based on their expertise. I have a team, and what a team!

I’m still not comfortable and that is just fine because I have discovered that outside my comfort zone is where I learn the most.

Luckily iteach at Kennesaw State University is here for me just like they are here for thousands of administrators, teachers and students all over the country as we navigate a bright and exciting, if a little uncomfortable new path in education.