• I want my district to use Google Apps for Education.
• I want to make a Facebook page for my school and my library.
• I want better websites for the school/library/district.
• I want the filters to stop choking us to death.
• I want more teachers to come to me for collaborative projects.
• I want to be able to share what my students create online.
• I want my students to share their learning experiences with the world.
• I want my district to really understand the importance of having our students create positive digital footprints NOW.

Basically, I want everyone to think like I do. Or at least listen to me and understand. But I really just want them to think like me, because OBVIOUSLY I’m right.

This has been my basic thought process up until this past week. I spend a lot of time thinking about how I want to change the world (or my school and district) and how I can get what I want. Unrealistic, I know. I sometimes have inflated ideas of myself and what I’m capable of. I chalk that up to my upbringing, which I’m extremely thankful for. I have the best parents ever — they gave me the best opportunities and extremely high self-esteem. Anyone who spends a lot of time around me knows I’m pretty spoiled. I don’t think I was overly spoiled as a child, but as an adult I’m used to things working out in my favor. I think this is why I have the expectation that I can force things into working out the way I want them to. Over the last few days, I’ve come to the realization that I need to change this way of thinking.

Realization – the state of understanding or becoming aware of something (as defined by Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary)

Now I’m not saying that I’m about to stop plotting and pushing for change. That just isn’t going to happen. Instead, I need to focus the bulk of my thoughts and planning on ways that I can help my teachers and students. I need to focus a lot less on what I don’t have but desperately want. Instead, my focus needs to be on working with what I have to support my students and teachers the best way possible.

• I will help my students and teachers find success with the tools we have available.
• I will show my students and teachers ways they can use these tools to create and share.
• I will find ways to incorporate digital citizenship and making a positive digital footprint into as many activities as possible.
• I will share our accomplishments and successes with the administration to show what we can do.

Obviously, I can’t just forget about my “wants.” What I hope to do instead is to focus on what I can do — what I WILL do — and use that to support what we could do.