Identity Theft
I’ve been thinking a lot about identity lately. I have been a teacher – specifically a science teacher- for 24 years. I love my job and am passionate about many aspects of this career: teaching through inquiry, being a part of the discovery process with students, connecting ideas to larger concepts and seeing our role in the greater world. I also enjoy talking about my work with others. Secretly, I am pleased with the admiration others would give when learning about my job. I also found there was some privilege built into the title. I could explain away the random assortment of items in my cart at hardware stores and grocery stores. I could also talk my way into donations. The “I’m a science teacher” line got me occasional discounts, random free admission and one time a whole sleeve of condiment cups.
But for awhile now I’ve been diverging from the path of ‘true’ science. What started as a dabbling into engineering due to new science standards evolved into an embrace of technology and maker-ed mindsets. Thanks to the encouragement of people like Deb Besser and Annmarie Thomas, I developed new projects, adding a building component and engineering for every grade level. I wrote grants to secure coding and programming tools for staff and students to integrate across curriculum. I told my story and dream to parents to get donations of tools, equipment and funds.
Then I got hooked into design thinking due to a fellowship from the Teachers Guild. While my previous interests and experiments took me down a side path, I could still see the original road I had been on. But design thinking has really pushed me to face a fork in the road. I’ve had a dream about how to meld all of these separate pieces into a cohesive whole. But trying to tell someone else what they could do doesn’t always work. I had reached the point where in order to show my vision, I had to be the one to do it. I had to be the change.
An opportunity came up to teach tech-ed at the middle school level and I realized this was it. It was now or never, walk the walk or stay in my lane. I decided to take the plunge. I met with the building administrators and told them my vision: I want students to build with inspiration, to feel connected to a bigger community, that technology is a tool that can create meaningful and useful products and that students have the power to have a positive impact on the world. Next thing you know, I’ve got a new job for next year!
When I was able to start sharing my news with others. I faced a reality I hadn’t considered. The comment that hit me hardest was: “You mean you aren’t going to be a science teacher anymore?” Boom, sucker punch to the gut. I didn’t have an answer. I also realized that not only did I have my identity wrapped up in my job, but I had embraced it so wholeheartedly that others viewed my job and me as one and the same.
It’s tempting to feel guilty that I became my job, but I don’t. I see it as passion. I have just as much passion for my new position. However the title doesn’t currently lend itself to inspire others. What I’ve realized is the title invokes a memory in others that has mixed emotions. I’ve also realized this is part of my new task. My job is to be true to my passion and vision and as a side effect create a new reality for what this coursework implies. The dream now is to be able to tell people ‘I’m a tech ed teacher’ and have the response be: Wow! That’s awesome! I’m going to steal my identity back.
