IDOL courses Academy has taught me much more than instructional design--and I’m not talking about anything found in the modules.  

1. It’s good to be pushed out of your comfort zone once in a while.
   Gretchen Rubin says a key component of happiness is living in an atmosphere of growth. As a classroom teacher of nine years, I was comfortable and confident in my role. Yes, I learned new things all the time, but it was usually within my control whether I decided to learn a new technology tool or tackle a new-to-me novel study. The IDOL courses Academy has actually given me a new respect for all the students who sat in my classroom over the years. I had forgotten what it means to be totally out of my element, bombarded with new tools, ideas, techniques, and theories. It has been refreshing and eye-opening to experience this type of growth and learning again.
   
   
2. You are never stuck in your career path.
   An English degree was never going to open a lot of doors for me, but once I tacked on that Master of Education, I really felt like teaching was my only career option. Once I decided I wanted to leave the classroom, I applied for dozens of jobs and googled “what to do with an English degree” over and over. I even paid for a course specifically designed to help teachers transition. Finally, I started looking at master’s programs, because I assumed I was going to have to go back to college in order to transition to a new field. It turns out, the IDOL courses Academy is actually much more in line with the skills I need to transition into the instructional design field, and a lot cheaper than attending a university. 
   
   
3. You really can find the right job for you based on what you like to do.
   When covid struck and I was forced to teach online, my school purchased eLearning curriculum for me to use with my high school students. I started paying attention to how the lessons were constructed, making notes for how to change my own lessons, and paying attention to what I didn’t like about the curriculum. Little did I know that a year later, I would learn all about how those courses were designed and created, and that the process had a name and a job title: instructional design! Don’t be afraid to home in on small aspects of your job that you enjoy. You might be able to turn them into large aspects of your job, and get paid even more for doing them!

While I haven’t reached my Big IDOL Goal yet, I know that no matter what, IDOL courses Academy has given me a valuable learning experience that has completely changed my view on what is possible for my life. If you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Take that next step.  You are not stuck on your current path!

Written by: Mallory Pickert

Mallory joined IDOL courses Academy in January 2022 after almost nine years as a high school English teacher. When she’s not working on her portfolio, she enjoys reading, working in her garden, and snuggling her dog Nutmeg. She would love to connect with you on LinkedIn.