I’ve been thinking a lot this week about my role at school. I’ve been thinking mostly about my official title (K-5 science specialist) compared to what I do. What do I do? Last week consisted of the following: I traveled to a different elementary school to co-present a science focused staff meeting on modeling phenomenon; I worked with a 4th grade class on a Design Thinking Project related to their earth science unit; I worked with a third grade class on an Engineering Design Project incorporating spheros into a martian landing simulation; I introduced Extraordinaires to a first grade class to give them a feel at Design Thinking and boosting some creative thought; I helped lead a kindergarten class is using emjoi’s on the iPads through the SeeSaw app to demonstrate their knowledge of manmade compared to natural objects; I worked with a fifth grade class to practice their interview questions to prep for interviewing teachers about how they use outdoor spaces for learning; I helped our magnet coordinator document trainings we’ve done and research based practices we use in instruction and worked with the art specialist to brainstorm new station ideas for the upcoming art night.

Looking back at this week, this is more the norm than the exception. This is also what I love. I thrive on challenge, I’m not a fan of change for the sake of change, but I am also not one to repeat the same lesson just because it worked… what if there was a way to make it work better, a better way to have students apply knowledge, have more voice or choice, share their ideas more effectively… this is what drives me. I work with supportive administration, colleagues parents and kids. I feel encouraged by them to keep searching out new ideas and strategies. So what’s the problem? Maybe there isn’t one, except in my mind. Am I still a K-5 science specialist? Are these things a K-5 science specialist does? I sometimes feel guilty, like I’ve abandoned my identity, I feel like I’ve drifted from science content and processes as a focus of my instruction toward a broader view of ‘science’.

I imagine being in a lunch room with all of the different fields I dabble in at different tables and me carrying my tray around trying to find a place to sit: I feel like I would be rejected by the makerspace group, the tech-ed teachers, the technology specialists, the english teachers, the art teachers, the design thinking group… Rejected isn’t the right word, they are all lovely people and I’m sure would make room for me to join them. But where do I fit? Or should I start considering making a new table? I know others have gone down this road, I follow people on twitter who are now “innovation coordinators”. Maybe the bigger question I should be asking myself is why do I care? If I’m doing satisfying work and helping kids learn and grow, what does it matter what group I belong to? Would a new label change what I do? Why do labels matter? Anyone else feel like they aren’t sure where they belong?