I hate the sound of a vacuum.

First of all, I would like to start my post by saying how thrilled I am to be included in a network of brilliant educators and technology enthusiasts. I have been receiving emails from Terry Freedman, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, and Shawn Wheeler. Through these people, I have been introduced to many more edubloggers. In an exchange with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, I mentioned one of the most comforting days in my student-teaching classroom. My peers and I had just been through a week of very disconcerting material. We were being presented with the realities of standardized testing and NCLB, creating IEPs for students, and attending child abuse and neglect seminars. It was slightly disheartening, even a bit discouraging! As a preservice teacher, I entered the program with a bit of naivete. It was easy to me to decide to be a teacher. I love kids, I love interaction, and I love creativity. I couldn't picture myself in a more suitable professional environment than in an elementary school classroom! I wanted to mold and shape students and be the teacher that inspired them in their lives. I wanted to be the role model for them when they continued their education. I wanted to be the teacher that had high school students returning to their elementary classroom to thank me for what I had done for them.

It would not have been fair for the School of Education here at William and Mary to let me enter the classroom with that kind of naivete and completely blind optimism. And don't get me wrong...my goals haven't changed one bit! I still want to be that teacher. But I now am able to enter my school with a greater understanding and appreciation for all the things that will be required of me. My responsibility to the student extends beyond just my personality attributes...my responsibility is to give all children the most opportunities available to them. One of my professors, Professor Popp, said it best. Most people believe "fair" means giving everyone the same opportunity. In reality, it means giving everyone as many opportunities available so they can reach their maximum potential. This seems a little intimidating...like my role as a teacher is to be everything to everyone!! That was exactly how I felt when I was talking to my mentor.

I expressed to her that I felt overwhelmed with the pressures that teaching seemed to have in store for me. I told her I thought teaching was making a warm classroom environment, being creative, being encouraging, and making everyone feel good about themselves. I had my eyes opened to REAL teaching, and that I preferred to just close them again. She said something that I will always remember when I'm teaching and starting to feel that panic again...

"Lauren, you are not in a vacuum! Everyone is feeling the same way you do. There are always resources available to you, and people that want to help. As a teacher, you are never alone."

I believed her, and I can't even express how much I needed to hear those words. Receiving emails and comments from people like Terry Freedman, Shawn Wheeler, and Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach have driven the point home for me. I am not alone...I am already becoming a part of a huge network! I couldn't be more thankful!

Which brings me to my next point...So often we talk about how technology is important in our classrooms to really connect with students and get them involved and enthusiastic with their education. Blogging for students is wonderful, wikis to collaborate for students are invaluable. The internet is a great way to connect teachers with parents. However, made even more clear to me in the past few days through emails with other professional educators, it is important to remember that technology and the internet are wonderful ways to connect educators to other educators to collaborate on ideas, solve problems, and share solutions.

I am not in a vacuum.