Anyone who has taught for more than ten minutes has most likely been to an
education conference of some kind. It could be a math conference. Perhaps one for reading strategies? We’ve all been to them.
I was invited to attend “EdCampOC,” or Education Camp: Orange County 2011. Held in Costa Mesa at Davis Magnet School, I was expecting the usual conference experience. When I arrived at the beautiful school, I signed in (expected), received a name badge (expected), was pointed to the bagels (expected), and then went to some wonderful, creative sessions run by people across the education gamut. They called this an “un-conference” and encouraged us to come and go from sessions as we pleased, and that
nobody ought be offended if the session wasn’t “our thing.”
The primary focus was technology to enhance the
educational process, but some sessions weren’t about the latest toys. I spoke about teacher evaluations. Another session featured a group of eighth graders from a private middle school in La Jolla, CA. who planned their own trip to San Francisco. They were given a budget, pointed to the Internet, and told to plan away–everything from logistics to lodging to food. Quite fascinating.
The session I found most interesting was (more…)
