Dear EdCamp,
I know you've seen a lot of people and don't remember who I am, but I wanted to let you know the impact you've had on me.
A lot of my friends had been telling me to check you out for a long time. But between grad school and a newborn at home, it just wasn't the right time for us. Last fall though, I finally decided to give you a try.
I wasn't sure what to wear so I went with typical school day clothes. Once I got there, I realized I was overdressed, but the environment was so welcoming that I quickly stopped caring about my clothes.
The vibe was unlike any other conference or professional development I'd ever attended. People were excited to be there, and it was 8:30 on a Saturday morning! There were a lot of differences between you and other PD I'd attended. People had Twitter handles on their name tags, they wore shirts with QR codes linking to their websites, and...the session board was blank. As I watched people request different topics, I watched the board fill up, including a session I found myself collaborating on with another teacher I'd just met!
You started off pretty flashy. Some free breakfast, good opening remarks, and a quick recording for a lip dub and we were on our way. My new colleague and I shared the impact of Twitter on our teaching and practice and got new teachers signed up and tweeting!
The rest of the day was a whirlwind of learning! I attended sessions everything from Visible Thinking, to maker spaces, to one inspired by speed dating that had us all sharing our favorite websites, apps, and technology with each other in 60 second bursts! You were even thoughtful enough to buy lunch.
I've seen you several times since then. Every meeting has left me with new inspiration and ideas. After seeing so many other teacher sharing their learning and experiences, I gained the confidence to start sharing my own learning with colleagues.
Next weekend, I'll be returning to the site of our first encounter. I can't wait to see the new things I'll learn, discover, and grow from!
Looking forward to seeing you again soon!
Amy
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