The Unstructered PD
The time has finally arrived to head to your professional conference! You check in, get the schedule and begin reading through the sessions finding one that grabs your attention. As you relax in a seating area with other excited attendees the chatter begins. First it starts with the best way to utilize your time, then you introduce yourself along with your job title finally the conversation begins-sharing lessons, sharing ideas, sharing everything. It’s at this point that you fall in love with conferences. Yes, the sessions are amazing. All of those educators sharing what they have learned with you in a way that you can take it back to use it. As you continue through your schedule of selected sessions, you continue to think about that early morning conversation with your new-found friends. Its the collaboration at any conference that makes it all worth it.
Imagine if there was a conference that wasn’t one? Imagine if you could show up to a scheduled location with excited, collaborative educators that want to share, learn and grow like you. Ideas could be shared on a board and then you choose the discussion you would like to be part of?
Welcome to EdCamp! A day where you meet with educators from all facets of the school systems meeting to discuss and debate different issues. EdCamp is a free, one day event which is non-commercial and vendor free and made up of sessions that are determined on the day of the event. When you arrive, the official board is covered with post it note ideas for presentations. They are arranged in a schedule and then it’s set. You decide which conversation you would like to be part of. There are no presenters, no leaders only conversations.
Ready to learn more:
- Why they are awesome!
- The best way to learn about EdCamps is through twitter-Simply go to twitter, type in “EdCamp” in the search field and you will be able to read many comments. (There are options for “edcampde” for example which means that edcamp Delaware. These day long conversations are held all over the world!)
- Locations of EdCamps
- Top 10 reasons to attend
- Hosting EdCamp TLC: A True Labor of Love-reflections from an EdCamp co-creator in San Diego, California