• Blog
  • About
  • Digital Portfolio
  • Presentations
    • Ontario Summit 2019
    • Petaluma iOS Summit >
      • You Can Explain Everything and Your Students Can, Too!
      • Getting Going with Google Classroom
      • Capturing Student Ideas with Visual Apps
    • ISTE15 >
      • Connecting the Next Digital Leaders
      • Hacking the Daily 5
      • Passion-Based Learning: Genius Hour, 20% Time, and Innovation Day
    • DENapalooza Vancouver 2015
    • PITA15 Whistler >
      • Passion-Based Learning: Genius Hour & 20% Time
      • Screencasting for Visible Thinking & Learning
    • CUE15 >
      • Hacking the Daily 5 - Rockstar Jam Session
      • Digital Citizenship for the 21st-Century Citizen
    • Odyssey15
    • iOS Summit Vancouver 2015
    • 2014 Presentations >
      • ERAC IL4K12
      • CUEBC14 >
        • Learn How To Drive: Storage & Collaboration in the Cloud
        • SAMR: A Technology Integration Model for Educators
      • SFU14
      • Union SD Tech Innovation Summit
      • CUE Rockstar Manhattan Beach 2014 >
        • Learn How To Drive
        • Screencasting for Visible Thinking and Learning
        • Hacking the Daily 5
      • CA GAFESummit 2014 >
        • Learn How To Drive
        • SAMR: A Technology Integration Model for Educators
        • Passion-Based Learning
      • JET14
      • MERITCon14
      • ISTE 2014
      • CanFlip14 >
        • Screencasting for Visible Thinking & Learning
        • Passion-Based Learning
      • Vancouver GAFESummit 2014 >
        • Learn How to Drive
        • Passion-Based Learning
      • Walnut Grove - Genius Hour in Elementary
      • Odyssey 2014 >
        • SAMR: A Technology Integration Model for Educators
        • Explain Everything! Practical Uses and How-Tos for Screencasting on Your iPad
        • So You Want to Mystery Skype?
      • Roseville GAFESummit - Passion-Based Learning
  • Contact
A Tech Teacher on a Mission

Shifts (and how I'm learning to appreciate this one)

8/21/2015

10 Comments

 
PictureShift by pixabay.com
Each new school year always brings a shift for me. Whether that shift is the challenge of a different grade level, moving to a new school, inspirational professional growth, or simply working with different colleagues, I am always moved to adopt new learning.

This year’s shift is different. Very different.

I’m not going to be teaching this year. This is the first year in 4 years that I am not a part of a classroom, a school, or a school district. This year, I’m taking a personal leave from teaching to pursue the remainder of my Masters degree full time. And I will be living between San Mateo, California and Langley, British Columbia while I complete it.

Yes, I will still be learning, but I will be learning in different ways. This shift is profusely more personal than any other one I’ve done before. I get to make a major investment in my personal life while also creating space to complete my education. I get to experience living in a different place and plant my feet firmly in my singular role of “student” instead of juggling the professional roles of “teacher”, “coach”, and “student”, and beyond.

PictureAHHHH! by Tia Denise on Flickr.
Despite the exciting, wonderful, and mindful reasons for this change, taking a step back from where the real work gets done in the education feels like a major interruption to my professional life. And on August 15th, as I sat at EdCampSFBay, listening to the excitement of school startups, the passion of teachers returning to their beloved students, and working through professional problems collaboratively with peers, it was like an earthquake inside of my soul. 

Anxious, panicked Victoria took over (rather forcefully) and my mind wandered into overdrive: What am I doing? I’m not going to have any of my own students this year! What if I lose touch because I’m not in the classroom? Should I still even be in the classroom when I go back? What role am I supposed to play in education? Is it teaching? Coaching? Administration? Something that doesn’t even exist in my district? Ahhh!!!

As you can see, I wasn’t exactly dealing with things well. 

The challenge for me this week was to answer at least some of those questions by fighting back at them with logic! 
(Note: Logic doesn’t always come naturally when one is internally panicking at an edcamp.)

  1. I’m taking this year off to be a student. One role. Full stop. No distractions.
  2. Yes, no students. See logic point #1.
  3. If I lose touch, I’m choosing to lose touch. I need to keep reading blog posts, connecting with educators, and attending conferences and professional development events. Losing touch is a choice.
  4. Stay in the classroom…? Uhhhh… shoot.

This last question is very poignant to me. I have the space this year to figure out what role I wish to play in education moving forward. This isn’t as simple as writing pros and cons lists; this is figuring out my calling and understanding the path I need to navigate to get there, whatever that may be. There is happiness in knowing I could create larger changes in the educational sphere, but sadness in the fact that those roles are often farther away from kids.

The truth is, I’m not sure how this is all going to turn out. What I do know is that I have the space and time to focus on these questions, support present all around me, and room for new adventures as I live between my two homes over the next year. I’m learning to appreciate the hope, the wonder, and the excitement that the coming year has to offer. 

This shift is different. And I’m choosing to make the most of it. 

Picture
10 Comments
D'Alice
8/21/2015 06:43:20 am

Let me tell you a little something I know about you:

You WILL be GREAT at whatever you choose to do.

And in no way do I see you choosing to lose touch with students and the classroom, no matter the role you choose later on. Even if it's not in the classroom. You recognize that students are the core of education and any awesome changes you make in helping them will be done with them in the forefront of your mind. If you are not in a classroom, you will find multiple classrooms filled with students and teachers to visit before making any decision.

Anytime you find yourself wanting to be in a classroom, I'd gladly welcome you into mine. Dare you step foot in it. Once you're in you won't leave. (At least I didn't - and don't plan on it anytime soon).

All the best to you in this upcoming year! It will be filled with stress (both good and bad) and adventures. Take the time to savour every moment of it. And know that you're on a meandering path, not a straight road with a dead-end.

D

Reply
Victoria Olson link
8/31/2015 07:03:44 am

Hey D,

Thanks for the kind words, friend! Indeed your last statement is true - and almost nothing comes directly or with ease. :)

V.

Reply
Jim Cash link
8/30/2015 12:41:05 pm

Wanted to wish you the best for the coming year and for a successful finish to your MET. I'm grad of that program (2012) and I know it can be quite demanding but very satisfying at the same time. Take care and I will continue to read your blog, of course (although I don't often have time to comment on blogs I read as much as I wish to).

Reply
Victoria Olson link
8/31/2015 07:04:37 am

Jim,

Thanks for commenting and congrats to you (even if it's late). I look forward to joining the Alumni side of MET. :) Take care!

Reply
Kevin F
8/30/2015 12:47:33 pm

This may be self-serving, or justification after the fact, but I don't believe that leaving the classroom necessarily means "losing touch". Sure, we all know those for whom it did, but I don't feel like I've forgotten 16 years of classroom experience simply because I've been a ToSA for 3 years. I think if your primary focus is *kids*, then your contribution will be valuable, whether you are a teacher, ToSA, coach, administrator, researcher, or some other role.

Reply
Victoria Olson link
8/31/2015 07:06:38 am

Well said! While that seems to be common sense that kids are at the middle of our work, I think it's really easy for folks to lose touch of that out of the classroom. For those who don't, it's because the passion truly lies in what's doing best for students, not simply advancing one's career. Thanks for the beautiful reminder that I should not be scared of this happening to me :)

Reply
Errin link
8/30/2015 03:30:18 pm

Good for you to take the leap and make real change in your life. It will be wonderful to focus on your studies and the personal investment is priceless. Also, the time to think about your journey as an educator will give you the opportunity and space you need to figure out answers to those and other questions. Best wishes to you!

Reply
Victoria Olson link
8/31/2015 07:07:53 am

Thanks Errin! It's surreal that it's August 31 and I'm not preparing my classroom for students next week. But I am so happy to be with my partner and building our life together while I complete my Masters degree. Thanks again for the well wishes. Have a great year!

Reply
vicky link
8/16/2016 01:58:54 am

“I'm Rain,” the girl leaning on Milo says softly. ... Quite frankly, I don't appreciate ... Some things you will learn in time and only at the precise moments

Reply
a4ndinesh link
9/9/2016 11:47:59 pm

To learn the appreciate thing is could be done in a same way as it could be followed in the big way of business things

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Victoria Olson
    A curious and passionate educator in Langley, BC

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Tweets by @MsVictoriaOlson

    Picture

    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2016
    January 2016
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013


    Categories

    All
    Assessment
    Augmented Reality
    Balance
    Blogging
    Camtasia
    Collaboration
    Communication
    Community
    Creativity
    Design
    Edcamp
    #EdFailFwd
    Education
    Efficiency
    Elementary
    Google Teacher Academy
    Guided Math
    Intermediate
    Ipads
    Multi Age
    Multi-age
    Pln
    Primary
    Pro D
    Pro D
    Pro-D
    Reflection
    Resource
    Screencasting
    Self Regulation
    Sharing
    Tech
    Things That Suck
    Think35
    Twitter
    Video
    #YourEduStory


    Want to subscribe to this blog? Enter your email address below for automatic email updates:

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.