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Michael Wesely is an Instructional Technology Specialist with 28 years of experience in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, He believes creativity belongs at the heart of learning. Michael is passionate about turning classrooms into creative playgrounds where curiosity is sparked, innovation is fueled, and a little fun is always part of the plan.
Your WHY
I’m passionate about helping educators spark joy, creativity, and confidence in their classrooms by showing them how to use technology to transform learning into something unforgettable. Through storytelling, hands-on tools, and a creative mindset, I empower teachers and students to shift from simply consuming content to creating it with purpose, passion, and play.
My mission to help educators reimagine their classrooms as vibrant, student-centered spaces is where engagement drives deeper learning. I love reminding teachers that they don’t need to be tech experts; they just need the courage to try something new. When students are empowered to explore, design, and lead, learning sticks, and teachers rediscover what lit their fire in the first place.
I do this work because I’ve seen firsthand how powerful learning becomes when we move beyond the script and let curiosity and imagination take the lead.
Your Background, Growing Up, and Your Journey in the Corporate World
Believe it or not, I was incredibly shy and quiet growing up. If you met me today, you’d never guess it. I was the classic oldest child: a rule follower, the “good kid,” meeting all those parents expectations. Today, that quiet kid has become someone who embraces failure, leans into creativity, and knows that sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
In college, I chose business because it felt like a safe bet, a major that opened the door to multiple careers. After graduation, I landed at Enterprise Rent-A-Car and spent five years moving up the corporate ladder. As a manager, I learned the power of lifting others, focusing on their success, and building strong relationships. When you prioritize people and their growth, your success naturally follows.
After five grueling years in business, I found myself at a crossroads. I entered the workforce full of energy and ambition. I enjoyed the success of climbing the corporate management ladder. But by the mid-90s, something had shifted.
Customer service had become a pressure cooker, and the motto “the customer is always right” was starting to spiral out of control. People had figured out that if they complained loud enough, they’d get something for free, no matter what. It wasn’t about solving real problems anymore; it was all about appeasing anyone who made noise.
The squeaky wheel didn’t just get the grease, it got a refund, a discount, and an apology.
That culture of constant capitulation chipped away at your spirit, slowly but steadily. That’s when I hit the fork in the road. I knew I enjoyed training and motivation. That brought me joy in lifting others.
So I faced a decision:
Option A: Stay in the corporate world and pivot to corporate training and motivation.
Option B: Use my passion for training and motivation in education.
I chose education, not because of job market trends or a looming teacher shortage. Honestly, I didn’t even know that was a thing at the time. I chose it because I was tired of pouring my energy into work, which made me feel empty. And, yes, I’ll admit it, the idea of summers off after years of working year-round was a big part of the appeal.
When it came time to pick a path, I chose elementary education. I wanted to work with kids who hadn’t yet learned to be that 1990s squeaky-wheel customer.
I graduated in the Spring of 1997 in Education and never looked up the
HISTORY of why there were corporate converts.-> CLICK HERE
Becoming an Educator
After I left the corporate world in early 1996, I made going back to school my full-time job. Thirteen months later, I earned my Master’s in Education, and just eight weeks after that, I landed my first teaching job.
I wanted to be that teacher—the one students remember for bringing joy and fun into learning. We all have that one unforgettable teacher. Mine was a college professor who taught with such passion and joy that it was infectious. I was determined to be that educator.
I stepped into the classroom ready to rebuild myself and redefine what a career could feel like. I wasn’t alone in leaping; I was part of the first wave of corporate people switching careers before “career-switcher programs” even existed in my area.
Since that time, I’ve never looked back.
Engaging Kids and My Path to EdTech
How can you not love seeing that exact moment when a kid has an AHA moment and you’re watching their face light up?
I had a blast learning how to become that teacher. Watching kids’ faces light up with joy when they learn something was a huge reward. Their energy became the fuel I needed in my life. I found it easy to create magic for them and see their joy in the simplest things. The customer service skills from my corporate background quickly adapted to my littlest clients.
I learned how to turn anything into a game and use my motivation skills to excite them about it. I was even able to turn reading at home into a game! I had students reading for hours at home each month simply by adding a reading punch card and some knight costumes. Interested in knowing more, CLICK HERE.
Each hole represents 15 minutes of at-home reading!
After 15 years, our school had another administration shift. Our new principal, David French, came with a mission to discover what a technology-infused classroom looked like. We started with a book study with Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess, followed by Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller, both for me to validate how I was already teaching. These books spoke to risk-taking and outside-the-box thinking, and about creating lessons for students that had them engaged and excited about learning. Little did I know that this would be the biggest evolution of my career as an educator.
David French created a culture that felt safe to explore, take bold risks, and, most importantly, fail forward. His environment was electric, full of energy and experimentation, and it pushed me to think differently about what was possible in the classroom. I never imagined I’d be excited to fail at something, but under his leadership, I realized that failure was just feedback in disguise. Every misstep taught me something new and necessary for success. And when did those risks pay off? It felt like hitting a home run out of the park. Big risks come with big rewards, and thanks to that mindset shift, I started chasing growth, not perfection.
Becoming a True Facilitator
During this time, I learned how to shift from being the “sage on the stage” to a “true facilitator of learning”. Giving up control wasn’t easy at first. Once I saw the magic that happened when I did, I wondered why I hadn’t leaped sooner. Instead of crafting detailed lessons and guiding every connection, I focused on building strong scaffolds, often turning objectives into questions.
The result? Students’ learning soared far beyond the required goals. By making their discoveries and connections, they truly owned their learning. Long-term memory and enthusiasm skyrocketed.
For me, it lit a spark. I found so much joy in learning alongside them as I guided their journey.
One of my favorite classroom evolutions was in writing. In second grade, students usually wrote on giant lined paper or in black-and-white composition notebooks. Editing was tricky, especially if they forgot to skip lines. Let’s not forget the ultimate joy of the writing process for the student: copying everything over for the final copy.
Nothing inspires young authors like writing the same thing twice, right? Add in the extra time just so you have something to assess, and it was… a journey.
One of my biggest risks was moving all our writing to Padlet. I’d post a creative prompt at the top, and students could type directly into the Padlet.
What did I first notice?
They were writing so much more. I could copy and paste their responses, double-space for easy editing, hand them back digitally, and they could revise without rewriting everything. But the moment that got me? I overheard one student explaining to another how to use quotation marks, repeating something I had said earlier. That was my big AHA!
I had successfully replicated myself. That was magic.
As this evolved, I eventually invited parents to join the writing assignments live. I’d send them a link and the time we’d be online, and they could jump in to write stories right alongside the class. The energy it created was electric! Naturally, it turned into a friendly competition—don’t let the parents outwrite you! While this might not sound groundbreaking now, remember—this happened 13 years ago. At the time, it felt revolutionary.
Cruising Along My Journey
It was this journey that led me to the current position I hold now, Instructional Technology Specialist. I feel like the cruise director of a cruise line. I get to guide all the fun. It was a difficult decision to leave the classroom, and that took me two years of consideration. I was having too much fun with the kids. My journey with David French was for 5 years, which forever shaped my future. So, Dave, if you’re reading this, know that my time with you has been my favorite in my 28 years with Virginia Beach City Public Schools!
I love gamification and have learned I can gamify anything! Preschool and Kindergarten teachers getting their students to clean up with joy are my inspiration!
Imagine Math is a learning platform that the district purchased. While the kids enjoyed it, they focused on a part that is more gamified than the part that provides the most learning and bang for your buck. To address that, I simply created a “side game” that rewarded and encouraged students to focus more on the section with a higher payoff. All it took was some flashy graphics, creativity, and several boss battles.
If you have Imagine Math, the resources to replicate it at your school are at bit.ly/mwimagine
I was also able to do the same for Achieve3000 https://bit.ly/ak3site
What’s Next For You?
How do I want to use this amazing skill set and lens I have acquired, and what might that look like for me in the future?
I am currently working on the answer to that question and thinking about it often. I still love what I do too much to say farewell. I plan to continue having it be part of my future, just with some better vacation time!
In the meantime, I still occasionally practice my TikTok skills like this video from the FETC 2025 Conference. I mentioned that I’m skilled at motivating people. Right? Yes, that’s Barbara in the videos. For the original, CLICK HERE
There were a total of 4 different ones…including an entire restaurant full of educators joining our TikTok trend- to view my profile for those, CLICK HERE
Michael Weseley’s Contact Information
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwesely23453/
X @techwarriorKES https://x.com/TechWarriorKES
Bluesky @techwarrior.bsky.social
Email: mvwesely@vbschools.com
Wakelet: https://wakelet.com/i/invite?code=b7c78qcs
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vbmike
*****
I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Michael Wesely. I had so much fun learning and playing with Michael at FETC, especially when he made the TikTok movies. Make sure you check those out above. We kept connecting and realized we need to do more together. So I invited Michael to my virtual porch for this podcast. I enjoyed our conversation, where I learned more about him, his stories, and how he brings joy and creativity to young kids. I hope you enjoyed it too. Please share this post and podcast with your friends and make sure you connect with Michael.
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Make sure you check out more of the Rethinking Learning podcasts and each post that the guests created. Click on this link or the logo below to list by episode, alphabetical, or reflections. |
I am also the co-host of the “Real Talk” podcast with Nicole Biscotti. We delve deep into the topic “Authenticity in a Polarized Society.” Click on RealTalkBN or the logo below. |
I’m getting wonderful feedback on how much the information and stories in “Define Your Why” has helped them. For more information about this book, go to this page or click on the book for resources, questions, and links. |
My latest book, “Grow Your Why…One Story at a Time,” includes 23 stories from inspirational educators, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Go to this page or click on the book to go to Why Press Publishing for launching, details, and resources. |
