The Future is Now
A Five Year Plan
___
By Al Lang
I live day to day. I don’t spend much time planning, I just go with the flow. I strive to streamline processes to keep things going. Somehow I always wind up on top. The thing is I keep my life simple, to focus on my teaching. This is a part of my life that doesn’t run itself. I’m usually at it from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm. It’s a big chunk of my life. In many ways it defines me. I love what I do, and live what I love. The best thing is, teaching is good to me. I get to learn all the time, and no one expects me to stop learning. It’s a perfect fit for a lifelong learner.
The Immediate FutureMost urgent in my life is to close out the school year. My school career is settled. I don’t look at job listings any more. I found a safe place to grow and change. I’m a member of a large group of great teachers and administrators, and some really fantastic students. I’m regaining my footing and I found a direction I am passionate about. I think everything's better with technology, and spend my free time changing it up. Nothing gets by me without a dose of tech and a sprinkle of Google. Of course I created a monster. I have to fight for Chromebooks with the rest of my team. This is good because I like teachers to use technology, and I figure how to do more with less.
The Next Few YearsSo for the next few years there are a few things I want to do professionally:
- An ESL endorsement
- Do something with my damn administrator's certificate.
After ThisTo round out my five years, I guess I will have to say who knows. I’m a bit old by some standards. I don’t feel old, but to be honest it adds a sense of urgency to what I do. I’m close to being the oldest teacher at my school. In a year or two I will be. I am getting ready to let go of 150 great students, and get ready for 150 new students. The cycle of life. It all makes me wonder, how did I get so lucky?