Well I am back, but things aren't the same. In July, I received a great offer to take on a new position in the district. It required me to leave the classroom and my comfort zone as the Tech Tiger. Leaving comfort has been exciting and scary at the same time. So far no regrets, though I do miss teaching and from what I have heard my students are missing me for now.
What seems to surprise most is that my new position is not a tech position. I am the Instructional Lead Teacher in Arts Integration for the Jim Henson Academy of Visual & Performing Arts at Northwestern High School. Why? My love for tech wasn't based in the tools, but what students could do with these tools. I saw technology as a door for students to open up their creativity. The technology is not going away, but will be one avenue I will share with the teachers as we work to incorporate the Arts into all content areas.
While I am now at a school that is the home of the wildcats, I am keeping my name. It reflects me and five years of growth as an educator, plus I can't bear to part with it. My posts will probably change as I navigate this new world of professional development, PLCs, Arts Integration, but the tech in the Tech Tiger won't die.