Great topic, +Dr. Will Deyamport, III !
A couple of weeks ago, I started work at a new school - a private school. It's my first time working in a private school. After completing my 10th year in public school, it's already seeming so very different. The one thing that has resonated with me in these first weeks is the idea of a 360 teacher. It was evident in my interview process and it's even more apparent as a tech integrator.
So, in finding your hustle, keep in mind the idea of a 360 educator. Your hustle should not be limited to education. In fact, that is detrimental. It can lead to burn-out/brown-out and a less fulfilling impact. We are 360 educators and we teach 360 students. That's an aspect I often forgot. To our students, they are not two dimensional. They are not just students. They are artists. They are musicians. They are skaters. They are athletes. They are gamers. They are brothers & sisters. They are 360. So, don't hide your "360" from them. When talking about your hustle, don't limit it just to education. You are not two dimensional.
When I first thought of this topic, I thought of finding my hustle as it relates to education. But, that's assuming I am two dimensional. So much of what contributes to me as an educator has to do with who I am outside of school.
Take time to reflect on your 360. That's where you will find your hustle. What gets you out of bed? How would you spend your perfect day? In there, you will find your hustle.
So, what gets me out of bed? What is my perfect day? Creating of all types is one of my favorite things to do. I love giving things "makeovers." It's part of the reason I am a secret cleaning star. My family jokes that I actually like doing renovations, cleaning out refrigerators, and doing any cleaning overhaul. But, I like it because I can see change. I can see what it was before and what it is now. I am creating. I am creating a new space and a new look. Creating is essential for me.
I also have to have the outdoors in every day. This includes windows - a lot of them. I need my own space. I love to collaborate, but I need quiet outdoor space to be productive. I need to move. Sitting is one of the least motivating things I can do. It's tiring and draining and uninspiring. The only time sitting is great is after a hard work-out, a long day, or outside. No exceptions.
Why is all of this important? It's what makes me a 360 person. Each aspect impacts my own "hustle." It impacts my motivation.
It's now not a secret why I make a ton of presentations. I love to create. It's not a secret anymore why I moved into technology - I love to move and create.
As a high school English teacher, I found myself constantly finding new ways to innovate my classroom - not tools - but ideas. I was excited to try them all out, but I didn't have the time in the year to do it all. So, I needed to move to a larger scale - an arena where I could share out many ideas and help create change. That's what moved me into the edtech spectrum. I wanted to create large scale change. It's change that drives me. It's the ability to create that drives me.
My love for the outdoors has moved me into the makerspace arena. I never saw myself as one working with Arduinos, robotics, Raspberry Pis, Makey Makeys and the likes. However, I found it because of my love for tinkering, moving, and being outside. It combines tech with art, nature. It is 360.
My hustle is creating. It is not just related to education, but to me as a whole person. Your hustle extends beyond just tools and cool new devices. It is a way of life. What makes you tick? What are the constant themes in your life?
I will always be a creator, an inventor. It's who I am. It is my hustle. What's your hustle?
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