Sunday 15 December 2013

Redcamp is a little different...


Dubble Bubble Gum Mixed Flavors April 04 by stevendepolo, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  stevendepolo 

Maybe I shouldn't say because I don't know for sure, but I think RedCamp is a little different from most edcamps. At our edcamp event we intend to solicit an array of diverse perspectives on how to do education better, faster and maybe even cheaper, (but that one is for another post.) At our first annual event last year we received many comments from participants about how great it was to hear the voices of folks who didn't necessarily work in a school, but that had every reason to be invested in an effective and vibrant education system. The fact that we had undergraduate preservice teachers, active teachers, administrators (senior and school based,) school board members and other civic politicians, education specialists, parents, education assistants and others in the same rooms talking collaboratively with each other all day long was a unique and productive situation. Differing perspectives looking at the same issues led to very engaging dialog.

food for thought by jurvetson, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  jurvetson 


Of course there is a lot to be debated about how group conversations evolve, but the spirit of edcamps dictates that the answer is "in the room." We want the "answers" at RedCamp to come from rooms that represent a broad spectrum of interests, expertise, experience and opinion. At #redcamp14 we have an opportunity to represent possiblity in teaching and learning. We promote the concept that our education system has the potential to be the mirror for society instead of the reflection. We believe (like the vast majority of edcampers) that what we do in schools, while responsive to the needs of society, can also shape and form what we do in society. To that end we need to broaden the scope and make education everyone's business.



If you are perosnally invested in better teaching and learning, we need you to be at #redcamp14! Register at the EventBrite button in the sidebar... see you on May 31!

Tuesday 10 December 2013

We're back...


Redcamp13 was fun and we learned a lot together that day last May at the first Central Alberta edcamp ever. So much so in fact, that the organizers of last year's event decided to make it an annual effort... enter #redcamp14!

We are excited to be hosting our event on Saturday, May 31 2014, once again at Glendale Sciences and Technology School in Red Deer, Alberta. Registration details are found by clicking on the Eventbrite tab on this blog' homepage, or by visiting here. We're planning a full day of edcamp, unconference style sessions where the answers to our questions are found inside each room. We hosted an incredibly diverse group of redcampers last year...
School Administrators= 23
Senior Administrators= 2
Local Red Deer Teachers= 41
Out of Town Teachers= 33
External Agencies Supporting Schools= 6
Educational Assistants= 1
University Students/Recent Grads= 12
School Board Officials= 4
University Professors= 2
Seventh Grade Glendale Students= 3
Politicians= 1
Parents= 2
Speech Pathoilogists= 1
... and we have every reason to believe we will host an even more diverse group this year. We already have representation from seven different school districts in Alberta at #redcamp14... a great early indicator of the type of event it will be. Following last year's event, one of the best quotes came from Ron Eberts, Assistant Superintendent - Learning Services for Red Deer Public Schools, and fellow #redcamp organizer. His statement captured the essence of our edcamp perfectly...
Of all the Micheal Fullans, Ken Robinsons, and Rick Dufours I've seen, I would rate Redcamp '13 among the best professional learning experiences I have attended. Yes, without a doubt, "the expert is the room"! I can't wait until my next Edcamp experience, and I can say with no hesitation or doubt, Redcamp '14 will be a fixture on my professional learning calendar one year from now!
I totally agree with Ron and look forward to a repeat event this coming year. We had some really creative sessions take place, and there will be more at #redcamp14...
We even gave up some free swag...
If you are an engaged teacher, administrator, parent, student, senior administrator, politician, school board representative or community member that has something to say about best practices in education, we need you voice to make #redcamp14 an enjoyable and valuable learning opportunity for all. Why not join us?