EDU(cational)CON(versations)

I attended the Educon 2.2  Conference at the Science Leadership Academy this past weekend. And it is not a technology conference. It is an education conference where educators come together to discuss the future of schools. Each session I attended provided a forum to talk with other educators and share ideas — from the very practical to the big dreams. This conference is always enlightening and helps me feel rejuvenated as a educator. Each time I attend a conference I realize our school truly on the cutting edge of reform, bringing new ideas to education and changing the old model. We have created a controlled chaos in our rooms,  a collaborative working environment for our students and using our laptop program to promote learning, creativity, and critical thinking.

The Panel Discussion Friday night kicked off the conference with the question "What is Smart?"
I attended conversations about SpeedGeek Learning: A platform for Disruptive Inspiration ~Ben Wilkoff  What is innovation? How are we innovative in the classroom? (this was my favorite session); in David Warlick's session the conversation  ideas for building literacy skills; Leveraging the Wisdom of the Crowd: Collaborative Action Plans ~Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach created a collaboration what technology skills are needed in school to build momentum and encourage an entire school community; On the Development of Learning Spaces~ David Jakes "There are five axioms that form the foundation of the Educon experience focus on the  characteristics of school, of the role of technology and what learning can become. This framework helps us think about what we can and should do as educators and how the space we create for learning enhances the practice of teaching and learning. This session hammered home for me the exact ideas I have put in place this year for my students"; (Re)Imagining Social Media & Technology in Teacher Education ~Dr. Alec Couros, Dean Shareski "Innovations in teacher education for developing technical skills and new literacies in preservice teachers and the role of teacher education programs for developing innovative teachers."

Attending this conference ignites a passion in me for teaching and learning. Educators like Lucy Gray, Dean Shareski, Alec Couros, Ben Wilkoff (who truly embraced the axioms of the Educon experience ) and David Jakes inspire me to be reflective, passionate and more creative in my classroom and bringing new ideas and innovative ways of thinking to my students and my PLC Team. Educon is well worth a weekend in Philly!