2:15 pm on the first full day of ISTE 2012. I grabbed an exorbitantly priced Naked juice and slid into a seat to hear Adam Bellow’s presentation, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future.” I am among hundreds of other educators packed in the room waiting for the presentation to begin.

At first, I’m impressed by the mood music and gripping slideshow, highlighting powerful quotes related to the state and purpose of education. As the presentation launches – if you have seen Adam launch is an appropriate word – my impression shifts to intimidation. Back story: This is my first year presenting at ISTE. We have multiple sessions, but I’m most nervous about Wednesday morning. At our last check, 180 people were signed up for our BYOD session. How are we going to compare to this amazing fast-paced, high-energy, entertaining and informative presentation?

Then my heart stopped pounding and my chest exhaled as I read the words Adam projected across the screen: sharing = caring. With this trip to ISTE, I’ve gathered the gumption to share. Share what I’ve found to work in my school community, with the hope that maybe our presentation can help other educators as well. My intimidation shifted to inspiration to take on the challenge of changing the world. Yes, I can continue to learn and grow and share what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown.

While I’m still nervous about bearing my story in front of a hundred strangers, I’m also bold enough to believe that by sharing my practice I can change the world. Adam, thank you for the pep talk (and the kick and the butt) that I needed to believe.