By Theresa Carter
In May of 2006, I was in my 16th year teaching full time at Prairie High School in Cottonwood. With a freshly-minted master’s degree, I interviewed with IDLA for a part-time teaching position. Two weeks later, I fielded a phone call from Jeff Simmons; from a traffic jam in Boise on his morning commute, he said IDLA was inviting me to join their part-time teaching staff. That 10-minute call changed my professional and personal trajectory in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Over the next 19 years, I cultivated skills as an online teacher, a classroom teacher, a teammate, a leader and a friend.
Of all the jobs I’ve had in my life—which have included spraying big tracts of weeds with a tiny spray bottle, cleaning motel rooms, waiting tables, and hawking fresh fruit on the beach of Lake Coeur d’Alene, (hey–it was for a health food restaurant) IDLA still ranks as my most rewarding gig.
It has afforded me opportunities and lessons beyond teaching in my content areas. I once led internal and external professional development, where I discovered I was really bad at content development. The realization wasn’t a negative one; it’s good to discover strengths and opportunities for growth, but IDLA allowed me to learn that in a safe space.
I got to travel all over our state (and a few others) showing schools the potential of blending in-person instruction with the use of personalized technology; it was thrilling to present for the Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance (VLLA), and contribute to a high-level research project on blended learning. I transitioned to a full-time role with IDLA as a Regional Support Specialist, where again I enjoyed a rich environment in which to grow my skills as an educator, a mentor, and a leader. I’ve made lifelong friends and have witnessed some amazing work as IDLA has been a respected, nationally-recognized leader in online learning.
Some people work their entire careers not feeling fulfilled, not reaching their potential, or not knowing they matter to their organization. I’ve been so blessed to experience that feeling of fulfillment in every role. When someone works for IDLA, they know they matter and they know their work is important.
I’m a little bit retired now and have come full-circle back to being a part-time instructor. I still feel appreciated, valued and fulfilled. While I don’t know how long I’ll continue to teach online, I do know that IDLA still has the best people, and the best learning environment I’ve ever experienced.
