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| This photo cam from the MTA website |
Yesterday began with a chance to learn about social media use with a terrific group of educators in a tiny room with a great view of the surrounding land. Later I found myself rethinking the school path for the year ahead after a host of new ideas I proposed were met with less support than I hoped for. Then last night, I was fully inspired by terrific Ed Talks, MTA's version of TED Talks.
The Talks ranged from the story of an engaging and empowering social justice curriculum at second grade to an introduction to Horace Mann and his primary principles of education and the portrayal of a school that truly embraces love to uplift every student and staff member. We also heard about dynamic history projects, social networks' potential to foster optimal teaching/learning, the transformational role that relationship plays in the lives of students, and dismaying facts about our country's investment in school libraries and the fact that our most underserved schools and populations typically receive the fewest opportunities to work in good libraries with qualified librarians.
Each and every Ed Talk was passionate, inspiring, and challenging too since the talks called us to action. Past talks have been posted on this page and in time, last night's talks will be posted too. If you're looking for inspiration for the school year to come, I recommend that you listen to the many educators who have given an ED Talk at the MTA Summer Program during the past five years.
The evening culminated with an opportunity to talk to many educators who are part of my Professional Learning Network (PLN) that I don't get to talk to often in person.
Today, I'll begin the two-day professional learning event sponsored by edccamp founders Mike Ritzius and Dan Callahan. They'll present "The Art of Hosting: Conversations that Matter." I'm looking forward to this workshop as it's focused on a way to deepen the conversation and work we do to teach and collaborate well.
