What Will Your Teaching Legacy Be?

I never wanted to retire. I had been working in a school media center without a budget, and had reached the top of the guide. With the prospect of earning less money the following year due to health insurance payments, union dues etc., I had no choice but to leave. I miss my kids, but I don't miss the lockdown drills. Fire drills ok. Lockdown drills... frightening.

I did an enormous amount of research when I created our school's media center website, including research assistance, infographics, tutorials, and 135 pathfinders, more than any other high school has posted. The site was a gift to my students, but it was hidden with other "important resources" under the high school's main page. Students could never find it. The website I created is no longer connected to the school. No one ever updated it. It disappeared within the last month or so. The domain and site have been paid for up until the fall of this year. You can take a quick peak if you're interested: RP Media Center.  My 20x30 poster tutorials lined the walls in the media center. I sure hope they are still there. Here's just one of the dozens I created:

 

Student aide working at the front desk

I love Photoshop® and Snagit. They have been   my favorite go-to programs to create lesson plans and tutorials. (The new version of Snagit has   some terrific features.) Education pricing is here.

It has been 2.5 years since I left the profession, but I've been giving back in many positive ways. I serve on the Board of Directors for The Palisades Virtuosi, a trio of classical musicians. I design their posters and assist with fundraising. My volunteer work brought me back to my hometown of Teaneck, NJ, where I do design, communications and web site updates for The Teaneck International Film Festival. For a while I was even on my condo's board of directors. Today I was just accepted to be a student blogging commentator for Edublogs. Another top-secret project is in the works, and I'm beginning to write my first children's book. I also dabble in photography and retouching old photos. I'm looking forward to writing more music, and loving the time to just simply enjoy a good book. I continue to post on Twitter.

I had an average of 16 members each year volunteering for the library council, the largest group number the school had ever seen. Some students remained in the group from 7th-12th grade.

Library Council's Year-End Party

Every now and then, I run into a former student, and it warms my heart when they remember me fondly.  I too have fond memories of them, and some have stayed in touch with me on Facebook. As teachers, we never know how many lives we have touched, but social media has allowed us to stay connected and be remembered some day when we are gone.

If any of my former students are reading this, know how much I enjoyed knowing you and teaching you how to be great digital citizens!

Time for a New Chapter: Moving On

At the end of June, I will be "retiring" from my teaching job as media specialist. I put the word "retiring" in quotation marks because after 25 years of teaching, I am ready to cut back to part time, and to utilize my technology and design skills in another place. With a B.A. in Communications, teaching certificates in Early Childhood, Elementary Education and as a Media Specialist, I feel well-rounded and ready for the changes that await me. (Let's not forget the Master of Education!)

This has been a bittersweet decision, as I work with the greatest colleagues and students, but to understand my decision, you have to know me and the many interests I have.

1. I have been writing music since I was ten years old. Having produced a CD over twenty years ago, I have missed writing and playing the guitar. As a senior in high school, I composed the music to a play written by one of my friends. You can find the CD on Amazon.com or iTunes®. (Scroll down a bit and you will see the CD Baby ad on the right.)

2. Photography has been an important part of my life since high school.(Thank you, Mr. Reilly) I took photos for my high school yearbook and developed them in my darkroom at home. When digital photography came about, I immersed myself in Adobe Photoshop®, and began learning how to retouch and restore old photographs. This came in very handy when I needed to create a website for the school's media center. I learned basic HTML and was off and running. I'm proud to say that I've written more pathfinders than any other high school on the web. (Let me know if you have surpassed 133!) I then learned Adobe InDesign® and started designing newsletters, business cards, websites and the school newspaper. Here are some samples of my work:

 

3. My technology skills have grown by leaps and bounds since I became a media specialist. I taught professional development classes to my colleagues and worked with classes and individual students. I'm excited at all the new changes which occur on a daily basis. I NEVER have turned down the opportunity to learn more or try something new.

4. I'm not sure if I want to remain in New Jersey. Our property taxes are one of the highest in the United States. The air pollution is bad. My door is open to change. Where? I don't know right now, but it's definitely on the table.

So, what do you think? All suggestions and job offers are welcome. Please email me if you'd like.......I'm ready for that new chapter to begin.