It's been a while...I know.
This post is about my district's TK-8th Grade District EdCamp. If you are interested in EdCamps keep reading. If you are interested in a district-wide EdCamp for your district, keep reading.
Sometimes you get what you want. Sometimes your requests are granted. And then it puts you in a good mood. And that good mood lasts for a long time. (I am looking forward to starting my next blog entry with the same sentences when the Raiders get their first win of the season. But I realize at this point in time, that post may never happen.)
I am assuming that my colleagues and I might have just done the first ever district-wide EdCamp in Sonoma County and I am excited about that!
Here's how it went down:
1. We had the support of our Superintendent, Jennie Snyder (@POUSDSupt).
2. We had the support of our Principals, Gina Silveira (@GSilveira007) and Betha MacClain (@MacClainy).
3. We had time to introduce the concept of EdCamp during site collaboration days.
This was how I introduced the EdCamp idea at my site:
I showed these tweets from a #SCED chat about professional development (read the chat archives to see who they are attributed to):
“I wish teachers had more free-choice options to learn what interests them. Too many mandated PD sessions.”
“PD topics should come from bottom up and be choice-based. Differentiated by teacher need.”
“PD should always model what we expect to happen in our classrooms.”
“If we want student-centered classrooms, we should create teacher-centered PD.”
Followed by this:
POUSD EdCamp = choice in learning, connections and collaboration!
EdCamp is a form of unconference designed specifically for teachers and their needs.
Followed by this:
Here is a video of Mary at EdCamp Sonoma County.
With our staffs understanding the general concept of an EdCamp, Gina Silveira sent out this Google form for teachers to indicate areas of interest:
I analyzed the results of the survey with tally marks that indicated repeated topics of interest by those surveyed. Gina took the data and made an incredible EdCamp Schedule. We had to do the session board in advance because we had just one hour for our EdCamp. We had two sessions. I went to an iPad session and a CCCS-M/Curriculum session. I couldn't have been happier talking about two of my most #edufavorite topics-- technology and CCCS-M!
Gina made a Google form survey to gather input from teachers after the EdCamp concluded. She also made these signs, so teachers knew they were in the right room.
Here are some of the teacher quotes from the survey: "It's always great to see/hear what others are doing across the grade levels and at different schools. We have much to learn from each other." "The conversations were powerful and all voices were heard."
I got to intro the EdCamp as we assembled in the multi.
Here are my closing thoughts on our POUSD EdCamp:
1. I work in a district that is highly collaborative.
2. I want to do another district-wide EdCamp next year, or maybe even at the end of the year.
3. I saw the power in professional development that is teacher driven.
#EdCamp #pousd #eduawesome
With our staffs understanding the general concept of an EdCamp, Gina Silveira sent out this Google form for teachers to indicate areas of interest:
I analyzed the results of the survey with tally marks that indicated repeated topics of interest by those surveyed. Gina took the data and made an incredible EdCamp Schedule. We had to do the session board in advance because we had just one hour for our EdCamp. We had two sessions. I went to an iPad session and a CCCS-M/Curriculum session. I couldn't have been happier talking about two of my most #edufavorite topics-- technology and CCCS-M!
Gina made a Google form survey to gather input from teachers after the EdCamp concluded. She also made these signs, so teachers knew they were in the right room.
Here are some of the teacher quotes from the survey: "It's always great to see/hear what others are doing across the grade levels and at different schools. We have much to learn from each other." "The conversations were powerful and all voices were heard."
I got to intro the EdCamp as we assembled in the multi.
Here are my closing thoughts on our POUSD EdCamp:
1. I work in a district that is highly collaborative.
2. I want to do another district-wide EdCamp next year, or maybe even at the end of the year.
3. I saw the power in professional development that is teacher driven.
#EdCamp #pousd #eduawesome
