ProfessorTOSA Blog

I think that every blogger or journal writer should re-read their work from time to time.  Being an artist (I am, don’t you know?), I know the importance of taking a step back to analyze your work from a distance.  Often you’ll find things you’ve been missing, or things that you’ve so vigorously focused on that you’ve totally ignored the good of the whole, therefore ruining all that you’ve worked so hard to construct.  Let this summation be my step back.

Two years are nearly gone and my TOSA position has had many faces.  Currently, my work has blossomed into days of little work.  To be clear, I have work and a mass of pending jobs to do, but I’m slower than I was.  This is my point and I see this as a good thing because I feel that to a large degree, I’ve worked myself out of a job.  Because of my work, teachers have learned the tools, integrated technology of some kind that speaks to their creative strengths, and if in trouble they know which colleague they can run to for some help, should they need help fast or more quickly than they can get to me.  Ideal?  Yes. Only if ALL teachers were working at this level would it be better, but that optimum isn’t too far off. And so to describe the work I’m currently doing would resemble that of a proud district employee, an IT staff member (with minimal abilities), and the free-safety of project based learning.  Do I get into classrooms as I did when I started this position?  Hardly.  Am I more invested into the broader goals of the district, absolutely.  Am I happy with my work? Totally.

Am I a happier individual because of my time in this position? That’s a tough one.

If you’re Mr. Stark or Ms. Tremble, you know (because you’re my only readers) my near obsession and passionate plight to transform schools. You’ve read about my investment in instructional technology and as I re-read my work and ideas, I’m pretty astounded at how good everything sounds.  But it’s not so much of a passion anymore.  Don’t get me wrong, I believe everything I’ve written and I remain a tech geek when it comes to education, but the fire is dwindling and the passion has lost some of it’s heat over time. I’m ready for a change and moderation.  Not a reinvention or total change, I’m just ready  to vary my perspective.  I’m ready for kids again.

Bummer? Not for me. Tough one for some folks in my district?  Maybe.  For me I’m just reaching the end of my ability to remain positive towards a change that may never come without the tough conversations I’ve mentioned in the past.  Maybe I’m not one to enjoy the mantainence of work of this kind and that I only enjoy the ramp-up of the beginning, as one principal put it.  More likely, however, I’ve realized that my research doesn’t all point to technology as the savior for our kids’ futures.  Technology certainly has a significant place and I’ve definitely helped my colleagues with that area, but I’m more than the one trick pony I’ve shown myself to be, and I know I can moderate more of the urgent requisites for a healthy and successful future and make more of a difference for our kids as a teacher of all subjects, not just one.

And so what now?  Well, that’s easy for me to answer, but because of the current economy, I can’t give any definitives, those will come from my supervisors.  Not their fault, there’s just too much uncertainty.  For me, I believe that I’m going to learn to be a teacher again.  Won’t take long, it will just take energy and passion.  I have that.  As for the technology in my life, I won’t soon lose that.  In fact, I’d like to continue with what I’ve been doing, training, helping teachers with tutorials – all of that project based talent I have – but we’ll see what administrators would have me become and if there is a place for such a person in the district.  But when I think about what will come now, the most important and exhilarating bit to my foresight is working with kids again.  My own class of sons and daughters (like mine), that look to me, not just for Mac tips, but for an example of a man, a dad, an athlete, and academic, and as a valued member of this world.  I’ve never gotten past appreciating that portion of my job and I bet I never will.

So, in summation of my work, I’ve done well to take on this task of being a teacher and done well to accept this work that has filled two years of my life.  But I’m ready for a change.  I’m ready to have a team, to have a class, to look to parents who in tern look to me, and I’m ready to parse my time between subjects and tools and finally walk the walk I’ve been promoting for so long.  We’ll see how easy it really is.

Okay, time to power this thing down and talk to someone.