I keep forgetting to announce that Teresa recently won a major award from Iowa State University. There was even a big article on her and everything. Have a read:
The go-to teacher licensure resource in Iowa
September 16, 2025Teresa Kahler appreciates a good spreadsheet. When done well, it guards a student roster, tracks deadlines, records progress, stores notes, provides data for reports — and can be shared with her colleagues in the School of Education’s teacher education services.
The record analyst has a handful of key responsibilities in the school, perhaps the largest of which is recommending about 350 graduates every year for a teaching license in Iowa or another state. To arrive at that final step with the Iowa Board of Education Examiners, Kahler has confirmed every student’s degree completion, practicums, student teaching hours and grades, multiple criminal background checks along the way, endorsements to be included and several mandatory trainings.
Thus, the spreadsheet.
“I enjoy what I do. This is right up my alley: maintaining records and checking things off,” she said.
And she knows a few hundred brand new teachers — and a board of examiners — are relying on her to be flawless.
“I want to be certain that someone I’m recommending for licensure is really ready; that all the requirements for licensure were done. It’s my name that goes to the [state],” she said.
Director of educator preparation programs Joanne Tubbs became Kahler’s supervisor in May after 13 years on the other side — as part of the licensure professional staff at the Iowa Department of Education.
“What I learned during that time is that Teresa knows licensure better than anybody in the state,” Tubbs said. “When something was coming in from Iowa State, I knew it would be perfect, without exception. Because of her attention to detail, everything she did followed all of the licensure requirements with such care and diligence.”
Tubbs said Kahler understands what’s at stake, for both would-be teachers and school superintendents trying to hire teachers: that errors cause delays, and delays can impact employment. In her previous position, Tubbs took many phone calls from superintendents anxious to hire a recent graduate in the state but unable to offer a contract without a confirmed teaching license. Calls were especially predictable in late December, following college commencements and anticipating K-12 back-to-school the first week of January.
“What I could tell people was ‘Iowa State will be the fastest, so if you’re hiring an Iowa State grad, plan on them being ready to go,'” Tubbs said. “Teresa knows the gravity of being not just accurate, but being timely.”
For her accuracy, care and positive representation of Iowa State at the state Department of Education, Kahler is a 2025 recipient of the Regents Award for Staff Excellence. In 2022, she received ISU’s Merit Employee Distinguished Service Award.
Licensure coordinators at the 30 or so Iowa colleges and universities with teacher preparation programs combine that work with an assortment of other duties. Kahler’s list is not short. She also:
Reviews applications to all of Iowa State’s educator preparation programs across three colleges — for example, elementary education, music education, ag education, physical education, secondary education in math or history — and admits the students, typically as sophomores.
Coordinates substitute teacher authorizations with the state. Post-pandemic in Iowa, students in educator prep programs shy of a degree but with 60 college credits are eligible to work as substitute teachers.
“It gives students a chance to get out there, fairly early, to see if this is the road they really want,” she said. “It’s good money for a college student.”
(For graduating students pursuing teaching jobs in another state) verifies they completed Iowa’s licensure requirements and completes the destination state’s form, which vary greatly in the detail they require.
(Since March) manages the university’s three-year contracts with school districts across the country — more than 300 — for practicums and student teaching, a back-and-forth process requiring signatures from both parties. She’s currently working to finish up 42 for fall semester.
Coordinates criminal background checks required prior to students’ very first practicum at schools or early childhood centers, typically in their first or second year.
Some might see potential for a lot of loose ends in all that activity. Kahler is undaunted, in part, she said, because of her history on campus. An ISU elementary education alumna herself, she knows the experience from a student perspective. She also has completed 15 years in this position, plus a previous 15 in the admissions office.“I feel like this was full circle to come back here and help students become teachers,” she said.
In 2024, the federal Department of Education required states to research and compile information for students on state-by-state license reciprocity, make it available publicly and review it annually to keep it current. Kahler served on an Iowa committee of 10 to dig into the rules in each state, create the initial inventory and share it with all of Iowa’s educator preparation programs.
Tubbs said Kahler’s reputation in the licensure community put her on that committee.
“She’s known statewide as the go-to person, the ultimate resource for questions,” Tubbs said.
https://www.inside.iastate.edu/article/2025/09/16/go-teacher-licensure-resource-iowa
Carla and I got to attend the awards ceremony. Here are a couple of cruddy cell phone picture from the cheap seats in the back:
If you are ever wondering when the Computer Mine will bestow such an award on me, the answer is never. I don’t like spreadsheets.
Back in July I added another lens to the arsenal. I’ve been very slowly upgrading some of my lenses and adding to my prime lens collection. The most recent addition is the 135 f/1.8 G Master. This is the longest Sony prime lens that isn’t an extreme telephoto. Yes there is a 300mm prime lens out there. But it costs almost $7,000 dollars. I wouldn’t mind having it, but I don’t have that kind of scratch laying around and if I did I don’t know that I would spend it on that lens. It is very niche lens for $7,000 dollars.
In comparison, the 135mm lens is but a pittance of that cost and is a very useful portrait lens. Especially when shot wide open at f/1.8. The bokeh is the stuff that dreams are made of!
Here are the specs on the FE 135mm f/1.8 G Master lens:
SPECIFICATIONS
- Fixed Focal Length: 135 mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.8
- Minimum Aperture: f/22
- Filter Size: 82mm
- Minimum Focus Distance: 70 cm
- Angle of View: 18 degree
- Lens Elements: 13 Elements in 10 Groups
- Maximum Magnification Ration: .25x
- Weight: 33.6 oz
- Dimension: 3.52 x 5 inches
Here is the first collection of images I took with the new sweetness:
So what lens will be next? I thought I had it down to two. A 14mm prime or a 70-200 f/2.8… then Sony went and announced that they are releasing a new 100mm macro lens in a few weeks! I think that shuffles everything! The macro is probably next up! Unless I find a deal on one of the other 2 or one of the other 5 or so lenses that I have my eye on. I can tell, you can’t wait to see what I purchase next!