Yesterday, I was fortunate to be a part of EdCamp Hamilton. I loved being part of the planning committee for this unconference, and I was absolutely thrilled with the turn-out yesterday. Are there things that we would do differently next year? Yes! But was yesterday a success? Absolutely! Close to 140 educators, administrators, educational assistants, students, and parents spent their sunny Saturday learning and conversing together.
Even though I was behind the registration desk for most of the day and participated largely on Twitter, I could still feel the energy in the school. People were excited about what they were learning. Jo-Ann Corbin-Harper, a fantastic Grade 8 teacher at my school, came up to me during the day and said how happy she was that she had come. We even conversed about some EdCamp-like possibilities at the end of the day. The day was a motivating one!
As the day came to an end though, I started to wonder, what happens next? Did today bring about change? Is this what today was about? It’s with these questions in mind that I was thrilled with the two conversations I had online today. One was with Donna Fry, Karen Lirenman, and Laurie Renton, and one was with Bill Forrester, Cathy Beach, and Susan Jackson-Bosher. These conversations made me realize that changes are happening (even if they are small ones). We’re moving beyond just “talking” to “doing,” and these rich conversations are helping lead us there. This makes me excited for what the future holds!
What have you seen as the ripple effect after an EdCamp? How do you help inspire change? I’d love to hear your thoughts on these questions!
Aviva
Aviva, I feel SO fortunate to be one of the LUCKY ones … someone showed me the power of twitter when I was a naysayer. Prior to really giving it an honest try, I truly believed that twitter was for tweeting your whereabouts, what you were having for dinner, or checking up on the latest movie star scandals! Boy, was I surprised! I lurked and, with time, became comfortable with using hashtags and engaging with various people within my new global PLN. I feel blessed, daily, to know that there is always someone out there who is willing to help when I’m stuck, or someone I am able to help as well. Our conversation today was just such a powerful example of how inspiring this PLN is. The conversations can happen so spontaneously … and the enthusiasm is empowering … even when trying to work through challenges! I have yet to experience an edcamp. One day, for sure. But, for now, I feel so blessed to be continually inspired by my online PLN … and, through these connections, accessed some of the BEST PD in 26 years of teaching! I, too, am excited to see what the future holds! Thank you for our conversation today and thank you for being an important part of my learning journey, Aviva! I am blessed!
Laurie 🙂
Thanks Laurie! I feel equally as fortunate. I was also sceptical of Twitter for a long while before I started tweeting. Now I’m amazed daily at the power of this tool to learn from others and to share some amazing resources. Twitter has definitely led to some incredible PD opportunities for me too, and yesterday was just one example of that. I love the spontaneous conversations that happen thanks to Twitter, and I’m so glad that all of us conversed so much today!
Aviva
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Hi Aviva,
I loved the EdCamp Hamilton. It gave me a lot to think about; and I got to meet (and follow) so many inspirational educators. One thing I learned is how much more I need to learn. But that excites me, and creating a supportive PLN has been the first step in that learning.
I love your blog – your enthusiasm is contagious. Thanks!
Lorraine
Thanks for the comment, Lorraine! I’m so excited to hear that you enjoyed EdCamp Hamilton and I look forward to continuing to learn with you as part of my PLN!
Aviva
P.S. Thanks for the kind words as well! Much appreciated.