If you would have told me when I started this journey of being an educator 10 years ago that I would be where I am today, doing what I am today, I would have probably laughed. I would have thought there was no way ever that I would have gone back to college for a M. Ed. Instructional Technology Library Media K-12 degree. I would have told you there was no way I would be considered an innovator, or mentor, or have been doing anything remotely close to opening doors for students using technology. Back then, I was just an English teacher trying to keep my head above water because I realized that teaching was not what the professors made it out to be in college. It was not all fun and fabulous. It was not all enjoyable. There were so many days I went home crying and so many years I said I was never going back. Yet, 10 years later, here I am still as an educator.
This is my third year as a librarian. I have told my story of how I got started in another blog post, but to recap, I started as a librarian with 3 college courses under my belt and zero idea of what I was doing. I knew I loved books, and I wanted kids to love books. A couple months into the year, I saw a video on Facebook about Stony Evans and Kaitlyn Price and their wonderful library collaborations. I contacted them, we did a Skype session, we collaborated, and *boom!* things took off. Stony told me at the end of the school year that I should apply to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, but I waited. I am not really sure why, but I did. The impact that using Skype in the classroom had on our school and community was amazing. The students had never done those things before, and may never get to go visit some of those places in their lifetimes. I may not either. Doors were opened. Barriers were knocked down. It was wonderful. It is still wonderful, and awe-inspiring to think of all the endless possibilities. My mindset has definitely shifted. This is one of my passions. At the end of this past school year, I finally decided to go for it. I created my Sway presentation. I submitted it. I waited. One day, I got an email saying that I had been accepted as a #MIEExpert. I was beyond ecstatic. I remember my husband telling me that I wasn't stopping there. I was going places helping students. My journey was just beginning. I remember how amazing it felt to hear him say those words because he believed in me, and I realized once again just how life changing these experiences can be for all of us and how important they are. If those words and these experiences mean that much to me, how much more do they mean to our students? Because of that, I decided to apply to be a Skype Master Teacher. I got the news yesterday that I am also one of the 180 chosen to be a #SkypeMT. Needless to say, I am over the moon excited. So here is to a year of continuing to grow and overcome challenges. Here is a to a year of knocking down walls for students. Here is to a year of collaboration with some wonderful professionals all over the world that are passionate about students. Here is to a year of innovating. Here is to a year of stepping out of our comfort zones and engaging students in ways they have never been engaged in the classroom before. Thank you to all of those that have invested in me along this journey. May we all remember to pay it forward.
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Kimee ReedI am a Teacher Librarian that believes in out of the box experiences to make learning fun, inspire, encourage, excite, and empower students. Archives
June 2018
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