Reflection of Launch Me ....
This week I had a chance to learn from some amazing people. It isn't every day you get to sit down and talk with Brad Waid, Ginger Lewman, and Kevin Honeycutt. Being next to them made me feel like a rock star. For the longest time I've felt like I was on island or a lone ranger. When you are at a small town school and you are the only teacher that teaches your content and or skills you start to feel isolated. I started to attend and present at conferences so that I didn't feel so alone in my field. I just need to connect with someone that was like me. I started at my district level sharing what I can do and it spread to region conferences, to national conferences, to international conferences.
ISTE which is one of the largest tech ed conferences accepted my proposal last year. When I got the notice that I was accepted, it felt like I have been playing for a farm team and I've been called up to play with the major league players. My heart just stopped, I ran around the house just screaming like I've won the lottery. When time grew near to the conference and my session had been cancelled my heart broke. Which is OK, because I had made it. I didn't get to hit it out of the ball park, but at least I was called up.
If you watch NCIS you know about Gibbs and how he likes to knock some sense into Tony with a kind but powerful slap to the back of the head. I think Kevin and Brad so wanted to be like Gibbs and knock some sense into me this week, which I so deserve. Even my son got into my face after the 1st day of Launch Me and just flat out said "How many ways do people have to tell you that you are amazing at what you do."
Now that my 2 Gibbs wannabes, my sons, my husband, other teacher friends, and even my daughter is in my corner shoving me to the launch pad I best get on board. It is always scary to start something new, to go beyond your comfort zone, to reach for the stars and hope that their is someone waiting for you. I think Launch Me has given me the power to fly but also the energy to stay in orbit.
Thank you Launch Me family for the Gibbs slap and being there.
