What's an #edcampLA without a #selfiewithselak? Miss you, @billselak! pic.twitter.com/IgSch3zcQh
— edcampLA (@edcampla) January 17, 2015
What could cause a group of teachers to smile brighter than the sun? The first day of summer? Nope. Try edcampLA 2015. They're smiling because they're motivated, engaged, and inspired. The individuals who show up to an edcamp can generally be classified into two categories: A, those who believe they can change the world, and B, those who believe they can change the world by the time they leave.
What triggered this newly found belief? They saw and heard for themselves the many teacher leaders around them freely sharing their knowledge. Intellectuals with no inhibitions is one way to describe it, and this was well before the "after party."
After the session boards have been finalized and attendees hurry off to their chosen meetings, imagine the scene: the session initiator Tim Monreal (Twitter handle @Tim_Monreal) speaks up, introducing the topic of discussion. From there, the conversation takes off like fireworks. Voices pop up all around the room, following seamlessly after another. Each person builds on the previous idea or tosses in a different perspective. The muffled sounds of clicking keys join in chorus with the gentle thuds of fingers drumming touchscreens with abandon, as session attendees scramble to catch rapidly flowing knowledge before it gets replaced by the next wave of discussion. Granted not every session is like this, but it was my first and it made an extraordinary impression.
There isn't enough time to tweet a fraction of what is said into the net. With that said, I did manage to get off a good number of tweets as did many other mad tweeters in attendance. To get the full experience, however, you have to be there in person. What I'm wondering how we can leverage technology, so remote participants can have a complete, immersive experience of an edcamp. Whatever remote attendees experience has to abound in equity. The mutual respect and shared ownership between strangers is palpable. It is typical to see teachers writing on the board key words that other teachers are speaking. They have never met previously, but they work as a team.
In the PBL session started by @Tim_Monreal, I witnessed on many occasions how someone seeking an answer to a question was supplied with an abundance of answers. Got a question? Just ask. No charge. No judgement. Feel the love. This is how our students should be taught, currently being modeled by teacher leaders at edcampLA and presumably at all edcamps. Within the unconference format which allows attendees to explore whatever they want, value-filled interactions take place. Those who share what is valuable to them in one moment soon find themselves learning something new the next. Teacher and student are one and the same. Not only is this the ideal model for all educational PD events, this is the model for all education. That is education which satisfies the interests and individual needs of lifelong learners, inspiring them to take ownership of their destiny while adopting a mission of service. We need young people to believe in their ability to learn as well as to teach. Through teaching each other what they know and what they learn, our students will not only benefit their own community, but many others around the world in this connected, digital age.
Hearing so many teacher leaders share their knowledge at #edcampLA, I am incredibly optimistic about the future of education in America.
— Michael To (@MichaelTo_Edu) January 17, 2015