When I first stepped into my new role as an EdTech TOSA back in 2013, I was fired up. I had big dreams—innovation, creativity, transformation.
I was ready to help teachers reimagine what learning could look like in the digital age.
So when my supervisor told me that my first official professional development session would be… showing teachers how to create folders in their Outlook inbox?
I’ll be honest—I deflated.
This wasn’t the kind of spark I thought I’d be igniting. I didn’t go into edtech coaching to run an inbox-cleaning clinic.
I had visions of blended learning, digital storytelling, maybe even coding. And here I was—teaching folders.
My first instinct was to push back. To suggest something more “innovative.” But instead, I paused.
Yes, I thought -- this isn’t the bold, visionary work I pictured. And maybe it’s exactly the problem my colleagues need solved right now.
So I reframed. I recorded a short screencast tutorial showing how to make folders, and I emailed it out. It was quick, clear, and genuinely helpful.
That could have been the end of it.
But something stuck with me: if this one simple skill was such a widespread pain point, what else was falling through the cracks?
That folder tutorial became the first brick in something much bigger.
I realized we didn’t have a centralized space for ongoing tech tips, screencasts, or quick guides.
Important updates were getting lost in inboxes, and many teachers didn’t have the time—or patience—to dig through their email history to find them.
So I bought a domain and started building.
At first, the site was just a basic blog with a few how-to videos. But as needs grew, so did the hub.
I added pages for upcoming PD sessions, resources aligned to our district’s strategic tech plan, and bite-sized, just-in-time tutorials.
I started organizing by tool, grade level, and use case. Eventually, it became the go-to space for all things EdTech in our district.
That single, underwhelming assignment launched a ripple effect that helped shape the culture of learning and support across our schools.
It would’ve been easy to dismiss that Outlook folder request as beneath me.
But leaning into it gave me a different kind of power—the power to create systems that actually worked for the teachers I was there to serve.
“Yes, And” isn’t about saying yes to every request or idea.
It’s about seeing each challenge—especially the ones that don’t seem exciting—as a doorway.
A spark. A quiet opportunity to build something that lasts.
Here are a few ways you can practice it this week:
✅ Notice your resistance. Is there something on your plate that feels beneath your skill set—or outside your comfort zone? Start there.
✅ Say “Yes” to the need. Instead of judging it, honor the reality. If it’s a problem for your students or colleagues, it’s worth solving.
✅ Add your “And.” What small spark can you bring to it? A creative twist, a bigger system, a resource that will keep giving?
✅ Zoom out. Today’s folder tutorial might just be tomorrow’s launchpad for something that truly changes your classroom, your team, or your school culture.
You don’t have to love every assignment. But you never know what might bloom when you bring your full self to the table—and say “Yes, And.”
Because sometimes, the future starts with a folder.
Say hello to The Yes, And - a mentorship mocktail for the encouragers, co-creators, and possibility-builders.
This blend is all about momentum: affirming ideas, adding value, and keeping the creative energy flowing.
It’s the perfect sip for mentors who believe collaboration is where the magic happens.