LitBlog
Just a LIT-tle bit about everything... education, travel, books... and whatever else strikes my interests.
Are you tired? Do you feel burnout coming on strong. Do you wake up in the morning thinking its Friday, only to realize it's only Tuesday? I do. It's ok, lots of teachers do. I want to share with you the way I recharge. It's called Edcamp, and it's the best professional development I've ever attended. Edcamp is not a sit and get conference. This is the most unconference-y conference you've ever been to! What's an Unconference? Edcamp is an unconference, but what is an unconference? The sessions of this conference are held by the teachers who are attending. The Edcamps I've attended are put on by Palmetto State Teachers Association (PSTA) and Mr. Jed Dearybury, the director of professional development for PSTA. These conferences allow teachers to use their own expertise to help those around them and everyone learns from one another. If you want to learn more about what to expect at Edcamps, check out Edcamp.org/Attend. Here are some things to expect at Edcamps
Here are a few things you won't get at Edcamp
Can I REALLY use the things I learn? Unlike some professional development seminars and conferences that sound great and propose strategies that look great on paper. Everything you learn at Edcamp is used by real teachers in real schools, usually in your area. There are lots of Edcamps nationwide and so you should be able to find one within a few hours (tops) of your location. PSTA holds 4 Edcamps around the state a year. Personally I can't afford to travel all over, but I make it a point to travel to the Charleston Edcamp every year. Luckily for me, PSTA held an Edcamp at Francis Marion University this February and I was able to go (Yay, 10 minutes from my house!) If you can take away one, really useful strategy or tip from a conference, you're lucky. When you attend Edcamp, I usually come away with at least 5-10 things I learned and want to incorporate in my room. PSTA does a great job of connecting with educators and bringing in things we can use. After an Edcamp I have to rest and recharge because the whole day is so supercharged with energy and excitement it can be draining. Supercharge your PLN If you're not on Twitter, you need to be. I joined Twitter after my first Edcamp in 2018. Since then I've been communicating with people I met at Edcamp via Twitter, learning from them on a continual basis, and making lifelong friends. The people you meet at Edcamp are passionate teachers who want to help you be better and want to learn from you. You never realize how much and how little you know about teaching and education until Edcamp. This past weekend at Edcamp Florence, I had the chance to meet up with some Social Studies teachers who shared the same struggles with US history as I was having . We had a chance to collaborate and learn from one another. There was no session for US history teachers. It just happened. This is the beauty of Edcamp. One of those teachers I met at Edcamp Florence, is a US History teacher I've been communicating with via Twitter for months! It was great to finally meet her and have a chance to talk and learn from her face to face! But I'm Tired... I know, you're waiting for me to tell you how this is going to help you recharge. You're tired, you just want to spend the day on your couch watching Netflix. Some days Netflix is the answer, but remember back to when you were a first year teacher and you were so excited to be in a classroom, helping shape young lives. This conference allows you to surround yourself with teachers, new and old, who share this passion. It's infectious. You feed of each others passion and it grows and grows. EdCampPaL - EdCampPalmetto If you're in South Carolina, this section is for you. I've only attended EdCamps in South Carolina and so I can only speak to what PSTA does for our EdCamps, and they're awesome. When you arrive, you get your name tag and have some breakfast. This past Edcamp, Bojangles sponsored breakfast. You're day starts in the opening session, where Jed hypes you up, tells you how the day is going to work and Matt(in the Hat) shares the session board with you. The session board is compiled in the week before by using a Google Forms interest survey. Teachers fill it out and then the PSTA team puts it together based on what teachers want to talk about. It is literally PD for teachers, by teachers. During the opening session, participants get to search through their swag bag, which is always filled with goodies from sponsors. After the opening session, everyone breaks off into sessions, or not. You can just hang out in the cardboard room, or game room, or color. At our last Edcamp we even had Jed's Library (filled with lots of books) and a STEAM Lab! If you're not feeling a session, feel free to get up and join another! Lunch was sponsored by Chick-fil-a and we had an awesome guest speak, Adom Appiah, a 15 year old young man who has published 2 books, and started a non-profit, Fall4Good, to help raise money in his community! Afternoon sessions commence and all the while, you can Goosechase! If you don't know Goose Chase, go check it out! It's like a scavenger hunt! The day ends in a wrap-up session where Jed gives away lots of door prizes! SO MANY AWESOME prizes! I can't even begin to explain the prizes. 3D printers, VR goggles, laminators, books, gift cards, Google minis, and so much more! If you're interested in checking out more about EdcampPalmetto, the next even is April 27 in Charleston! Get more information here. If you've never been to Edcamp I strongly encourage you to check on out, either here in South Carolina, or where ever is closest to you. If you have questions or want to know more, feel free to contact me! If nothing else, remember, there are teachers out there who are just as tired as you, just as stressed as you. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! We can do this! You have a support system. Let's do the best we can for our students, they deserve it. Happy Learning! Mrs. Lit 🔥
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AuthorJust a nerdy history teacher trying to share history and education with the world. #historynerd #edutechnerd #iloveSumterSCschools #ChangingLivesOneStudentAtATime Archives
July 2019
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