The Downside to Leaving the Classroom as an ITS: I Miss My Kids

I never put much thought into classroom decoration or layout. I knew that my walls would be covered by student work. I also knew that my layout would be collaborative from day 1. I was never keen on rows and neither were my students. I designed my room for them…their learning lounge.

I loved seeing who the kids were in my class, even using my tech ninja skills to find out before the official list was published. I didn’t do this for “student removal” but so that I could get a leg up on knowing just enough information about my students to understand how best to get them started.

I created vision boards, as odd as it sounds, to envision what success meant for me as a teacher. It was never about test scores but about helping my students develop their mathematical thinking and do it at their best.

I enjoyed purchasing extra supplies, snacks and random goodies for my students when they needed it most. When the first day of school arrived, I LOVED standing at my door welcoming each into our “learning lounge” by name with a smile, a handshake and sometimes a hug.

I looked forward to Friday Night Lights…not the tv show, but the lights of Lion stadium as our boys prepared to play. For the past two seasons, I experienced this as a mom and teacher while my daughter cheered. Game day at school was always special.

I looked forward to graduation because it is just as much a “payout” for teachers as it is for students. There’s something about looking into that crown of caps and gowns knowing that you had a hand in getting them there.

So much has changed and even though I dreamed of the role in education that I have now, I will always miss having my own classes of minds to mold and learn with. In my new role as an instructional technology specialist, I will be working directly with teachers and sometimes in classrooms across at least 11 campuses serving over 500 teachers.

In the midst of all of the training, support, development and travel…I will always stay close to the reason that we are all here and the reason that I believe in immersive technology…kids.