A Dandy of a Day at EdCamp MetroDC

It's always a good day for an EdCamp.  Today was no different.  The sunny day made for an easy drive down to Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart for EdCampMetroDC.

As per usual, the "Rule of 2 Feet" and "Have fun" were 2 of the driving tenets of the day.  You go where you want and take away as possible.  If you aren't in the right session to do that, find the right one for you.  All participants find they all serve as experts in one way or another, and everyone has a day of mutual learning. All for the best-price-ever for professional development:  FREE!

One of the most useful tools of the day is the schedule, which you can find here.  Yes, it was helpful in getting you get where you want to go next on campus. But it's perhaps the most helpful at THIS part of the day...when you are at home on the couch.  When you are reflecting back, perusing the Google doc links that are listed in each schedule block.  All day long, the participants are free to add to the mix of information.  A wealth begins.  It's like the gift that keeps giving, and there are so many good finds.  Here's a peek...but it's only an image. You need to go to the schedule here to get the links.

Here's what my day looked like (not a bad session in the bunch):

Session 1: Teach from your iPad/iPad apps galore

Session 2:  "Things that suck, things that rock" (a unique whole body way of discussing education trends with colleagues by moving to the area of the room that matches your answer.  This could apply to any concept in any classroom--thoough with younger kids, the best plan might be to change the vocab a bit to "things that stink and things that rock."

Lunch, Networking, & Smackdown (which consists of a 2 minute shares per person of apps and websites you love! As you'll see from the schedule doc, there were 18 goodies shared today on a wealth of info.  My personal favorite for future investigation is the NPR Women in Tech series.

Session 3:  The flipped class for the elementary class

Session 4:  MakerSpaces & more

So, the price is right, the learning is good and goes beyond the 4 sessions, they usually feed you at lunchtime from gracious donors, you get to see old friends and meet new ones, AND there are door prizes.  That's a win from every which way!

If you haven't been to an EdCamp, you need to check out their master schedule and keep peeking back until you find one near you.  Then go and bask in the number of take-aways you can keep taking with you!


Logo from the EdCampMetroDC webpage:  Www.edcampmetrodc.org
"Keep Calm & Ed Camp On" from http://www.edcampphilly.org/
Screenshot of schedule from http://edcampmetrodc.org/about/schedule/
EdCamp:  Reclaim Professional development http://edcamp.org/2012/11/thank-you-edutopia-and-matt-arguello-for-helping-share-the-edcamp-love/