It’s here! The Edcamp-Organizers Mailing List!
You may or may not have attended an Edcamp before our event later this month. (We’re guessing some of you have.)
One thing is certain: regardless of the reason WHY you’re interested in Edcamps, you’ve probably wondered HOW all these awesome events actually came to be.
Maybe you’ve been hankering for a place to ask questions before you even start thinking about what an Edcamp would look like in your school or district.
Sure, the edcamp wiki is helpful, but, let’s face it … you want details. RIGHT NOW.
You might reach out to people on Twitter. You could always contact the Edcamp Foundation for help.
But wouldn’t it be great if there was a place where you could ask questions and get answers from experienced Edcamp Organizers, via email, almost instantly?
WELL … NOW YOU CAN!
Introducing … the Edcamp-Organizers mailing list!
It’s EASY! It’s FUN! It’s OLD SCHOOL!
All you need is an email address! You don’t have to join any Google Groups, remember to visit a Ning or some other website, or sign up for Twitter, Facebook or other social media platfrom. This is a good old-fashioned, CGI-script powered, text-based mailing list. You know, like they had back in the day. Before teh Interwebz got all graphical and stuff.
How does it work?
Simply go to this page: http://lists.edcampfoundation.org/listinfo.cgi/edcamp-organizers-edcampfoundation.org. Fill out the form. Submit it. Check your email for a subscription confirmation. BOOM! You’re added to the listserver – and you’re ready to go.
Then, send a message to edcamp-organizers@lists.edcampfoundation.org with your question, and, wait for a response from the community!
Want to BROWSE a listing of MESSAGES ALREADY POSTED? You can, of course! Check out the Archives.
Please note: like most listservers, this community will take a while to get moving. Initially, the listserve will be powered by members of the Edcamp Foundation. But the best part about a listserve is ANYONE CAN ANSWER A QUESTION! We plan to appeal to experienced edcamp organizers to join in to help others – the way they were helped when they got started. It’s all about paying it forward!
So, what are you waiting for?
Head over to our signup page and get busy!
See you on the list!
You can do magic: the awesome power of a participant-organized schedule
(image credit: edcamp delta)
Think about this for a moment: as of right now, more than 220 K-12 education leaders are planning to spend AN ENTIRE DAY at Edcamp Leadership, an “unconference” that:
- for some, is located hundreds of miles from home (we have registrants from as far away as Wisconsin, Illinois and North Carolina);
- requires taking a full day off work (or, for 10-month employees, giving up a full day of ‘summer vacation’); and
- for most, will be their first unconference ever.
The really amazing part, to me, is that these people made a commitment to attend despite the fact that THERE IS NO SCHEDULE YET.
We know. This really freaks some Edcamp first-timers out. They shriek: how can this possibly work? It’s actually pretty simple:
- An unconference is built around “conversations,” not presentations. PowerPoint and ‘talking at” the audience is eschewed; casual, personal connections are the order of the day.
- Since the environment is more casual, people who would NEVER take the stage at a formal conference are actually quite comfortable leading conversations at an unconference. It’s like having lunch with friends you’ve just met. Easy. Relaxed. Fun.
- Everyone has something to contribute (even if they don’t think they do.)
This translates into many things for participants. Among them: EXCITEMENT and AGENCY.
In the photo above, an unconference participant indicates his desire to lead a conversation. All he needs is a topic, a 3×5 index card and an empty slot of the schedule board. He’s excited because he can have an informal conversation about a topic he’s passionate about. He has agency because his discussion is as much to benefit him as it is the audience – he has control over his own learning. (“To teach is to learn twice.” - Joseph Joubert)
Yes, but … who is this person? What are their credentials? What will they talk about? Will they be worth listening to? What if the conversation isn’t what’s expected? Or, what if there is another session I might want to attend instead of this one?
That’s where The Law of Two Feet comes into play:
If at any time you find yourself in any situation where you are neither learning nor contributing: Give greetings, use your two feet and go do something useful. Responsibility resides with you.
If you’ve ever been to a traditional conference, you’ve almost certainly experienced sessions that weren’t to your liking. You probably felt trapped – you wanted to leave but didn’t feel comfortable doing so. Rest assured you will NOT have that experience at an unconference. The Law of Two Feet is a key part of the Edcamp ethos; it’s expected behavior; and it’s NOT a reflection on the discussion leader. It’s just how unconferences work.
The net result of all these factors? In our experience with Edcamps, participant-driven schedules result in deeper, richer and more powerful conversations than a traditional conference. It’s not “sit and get,” “sage on the stage” learning. It’s participatory, energizing, thought-provoking discourse that everyone benefits from.
If you’re still reading, and haven’t seen the EdCamp Philly video yet, watch it now. It will explain a lot!
See you in July!
So, you’re coming to Edcamp Leadership…
Part of an ongoing series about this event intended to anticipate and answer questions, share perspective and set expectations – so that every attendee has the best unconference experience possible!
So, you’re coming to Edcamp Leadership … you may be wondering … what exactly have you gotten yourself into?
From the data we have, this will be the first unconference many of you. That’s terrific! It may, as a result however, also be a little unsettling for you. Let’s start at the beginning, the schedule process.
photo credit: http://blog.unionstreetmedia.com/
The First Question We Usually Get…
The first thing people new to unconferences want to know is “who’s presenting?” or “what’s on the agenda?”
You can find a quick overview of the schedule for the day right here but basically, the beauty of an unconference is that nothing is planned in advance.
We’ll all meet for breakfast, and there will be a space in the back of the room where we’ll have a grid set up like the picture above.
Anyone interested in leading a conversation about a topic simply writes the title of their talk on a card and tapes it on the wall.
Important note: leave your PowerPoint slides at home! While we will have projectors in many of the rooms for discussion leaders to use, the point of an unconference is to have a conversation – not listen to someone give a presentation.
Eventually, all the slots get filled up. We then build a Google Spreadsheet, like this. When it’s finished, people can access it online. We’ll even have a printed brochure for you to handwrite in your session choices if you want.
Really. That’s all there is to it. Further questions? Ask away!
Next up, a post about how the schedule process actually works in detail…
-kj-
Meet Peter Brig, Assistant Principal (he’s coming to Edcamp Leadership!)
If you’d like to be featured in our Who’s Coming? series, fill out this form!
How are you involved in education?
Assistant Principal at Pine Road Elementary School in Lower Moreland School District
What’s your ideal classroom or school like?
Authentic learning, students take ownership of their learning, all stakeholders attempting to achieve their highest aspirations, collaborative, a “whatever it takes” attitude by all, a community of life-long learners and knowledge seekers, a true PLC, and a growth mindset by all.
Have you ever attended an unconference before? If so, which ones?
Yes. Edcamp Philly 2012. I loved it. It was truly inspiring.
if you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?
Instruction
Supervision & Feedback
Are you on Twitter?
TeacherCast Podcast #56 “#Edcamp Leadership”
The amazing Jeff Bradbury over at Teachercast.net recently interviewed organizing team members Damian Bariexca, Patrick Higgins and Kevin Jarrett about Edcamp Leadership and the edcamp movement overall. Check it out! And, thanks, Jeff, for featuring our event! We appreciate the support!
Meet Rick Mohrien, Middle School Social Studies Teacher (he’s coming to Edcamp Leadership!)
If you’d like to be featured in our Who’s Coming? series, fill out this form!
How are you involved in education?
I am currently a Middle School Social Studies teacher-leader and certified School District and Building Leader in NY State. I will be transitioning to a distinct leadership role within the next few years.
What’s your ideal classroom or school like?
A classroom that is driven by inquiry, where resources are never not available, where students can ask questions and have to resources to get answers to them. It would be driven by both what students can do and what students know.
Have you ever attended an unconference before? If so, which ones?
EdCamp NYC in 2012
if you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?
How technology can help bridge the gap between teachers and administrators
Do you have a website or blog?
Are you on Twitter?
Meet Sue Dunlop, Principal (She’s coming to Edcamp Leadership [all the way from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada!])
If you’d like to be featured in our Who’s Coming? series, fill out this form!
How are you involved in education?
Principal in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada of an ethnoculturally diverse school and co-learner with a great staff.
What’s your ideal classroom or school like?
Where all students and staff, no matter race, background, family status, income level, ability or sexual orientation access all opportunities. Where barriers and biases are blasted away. Where questioning and inquiry are always encouraged. Where students have real choices.
Have you ever attended an unconference before? If so, which ones?
No, but so looking forward to this one. We’re planning EdCamp Hamilton for early next year.
Are you on Twitter?
Meet Jared Wastler, Assistant Principal (he’s coming to Edcamp Leadership!)
If you’d like to be featured in our Who’s Coming? series, fill out this form!
How are you involved in education?
I am currently an Assistant Principal at Liberty High School in Eldersburg, MD.
What’s your ideal classroom or school like?
My ideal school would be one where ownership of the learning process is driven by collaboration between students and staff. Ideally, I would like classrooms where each student moves at a pace that supports his/her learning and is engaged in activities that they have worked with the teacher to develop and explore. It would be an environment of engagement and questioning.
Have you ever attended an unconference before? If so, which ones?
No. This will be my first experience.
if you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?
I would like to lead a session on transforming school-based leadership so that it lies in the hands of those most responsible for its implementation (i.e. teacher leaders truly leading school improvement).
Do you have a website or blog?
http://jaredwastler.edublogs.org/
Are you on Twitter?
Meet Brad Currie, Vice Principal (he’s coming to Edcamp Leadership!)
If you’d like to be featured in our Who’s Coming? series, fill out this form!
How are you involved in education?
Vice Principal at Readington Middle School in Whitehouse Station, NJ. Brad is also the co-moderator of #Satchat on Twitter.
What’s your ideal classroom or school like?
Brad’s ideal school would have student’s totally engaged each and every second of the school day. All students and staff would have iPads and access to whatever information and ed tech tools they needed. Staff members would meet on a weekly basis in order to expand their PLNs which in turn would allow to collaborate and share with other educators from around the world. Brad would like to have a school with state of the art facilities theat would excite students to participate in extracurricular activities.
Have you ever attended an unconference before? If so, which ones?
Brad has never attended an unconference before but is looking forward to attend Edcamp Leadership as well as Edcamp NJ in December.
if you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?
Brad would lead a session on the power of Twitter and PLNs. More importantly the weekly discussion called #Satchat with co-moderator Scott Rocco the Assistant Superintendent for the Hillsborough Township School District.
Do you have a website or blog?
Are you on Twitter?
Meet Jason Markey, High School Principal (he’s coming to Edcamp Leadership!)
If you’d like to be featured in our Who’s Coming? series, fill out this form!
How are you involved in education?
Currently I’m transitioning to my new position of Principal at East Leyden High School in the near west suburbs of Chicago. I have been the Assistant Principal at East Leyden the past two years, previously working as a Social Studies teacher and Assistant Principal at four schools including East Leyden.
What’s your ideal classroom or school like?
Quite simply a classroom where students do not even consider asking, “why do we have to know this?”. A classroom where student creation is the driving force and teachers expertly work with students navigating inquiry-driven and project-based learning.
Have you ever attended an unconference before? If so, which ones?
Yes, EdcampChicago!
if you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?
I would like to lead a conversation about increasing student voice in schools.
Do you have a website or blog?
http://jmarkeyap.blogspot.com/
Are you on Twitter?
