So what do teachers do during the “Off Season”? Some of us go to “camp.” Today I went to #edcampindy. My second edcamp or “unconference.” Yes, this is a lot of quotes. Let’s start with the bigger idea- the unconference. An unconference is a conference that doesn’t have a set agenda. The sessions are determined by what people want to learn and what people want to teach. So you get a room full of people, in this case educators, and someone says I’d like to learn about… whatever- is there anyone willing to lead a discussion about whatever? Or someone who is a proponent for lima beans in the classroom gets up says they will present about lima beans. As long as there is room in the schedule you present. Attendees vote with their feet. I presented about Comics in the classroom… (it’s my schtick) but got a lot of great ideas about nerdy books, and video production on the iPad. The final session was interesting and I look forward to trying it with my class next year , I just won’t call it “Things that suck.” 🙂 Thanks to my dear friend @shighley for putting #edcampindy on today. I’m looking forward to going through the notes of the sessions I missed- because it’s all held together by the interweb.
When I was a kid I went to Acorn Camp and then in Boy Scouts, Camp Emerald Bay. My one big memory of Scout camp (besides almost cutting off my finger and my brother getting beaten up) was getting a “suicide” each night (Suicide=a mix of everything available from the soft drink fountain). Fortunately at edcamp I wasn’t asked to use a knife, my brother was in another state, and while doughnuts and bagels were available- only water was the only free option.