Fast forward to the fall of 2019. I was preaching to my students the importance of throwing themselves into all sorts of edTech tools. I found myself talking about Podcasting, but feeling like a hypocrite for not really trying. A little part of me even worried about being asked how to do it. I wouldn't be able to speak with confidence. I brainstormed for hours about the focus and topic. That caused so many delays! Edtech focus? K12 focus? General Teacher Prep? Finally, once I heard our director, Dr. Jen Collins, talk about her vision for the School of Education and owning the idea of the Proud Rural Teacher, I realized I had my focus. So, I quietly made my first episode. It was nothing more than an intro. I
prototyped my solution by publishing it and checked Google Podcasts 200 times the next two days. I still remember walking to work, refreshing Google Podcasts one more time, and seeing it there. It worked. I published something. And I didn't tell a soul for several days.