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Let Flexibility Lead To Alignment

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  In my previous school district, I was the only teacher teaching a physics course with set, district-wide learning outcomes. These same outcomes were also taught in physics classrooms at the other high school in our district. But at our school, I was one of the 2 physics teachers. The other teacher taught the AP-level physics courses. So, in many ways, I had opportunities to incorporate strategies I believed were best for learners and that I found worked best for them without being seen as out of alignment with anyone in our building. My amazing friend and one of my teaching philosophy goddesses, Katie Novak, stated the following misconception about alignment: All teachers must deliver instruction in the exact same way. True alignment, she says, is about shared goals, rigor, and outcomes. Thank you, Katie! Katie has taught me to truly believe that learner variability is the rule, not the exception. I encourage you to take 10 minutes to listen to Katie Novak explain it in the ...
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EdCamp Elmbrook 2019

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Yesterday we held EdCamp Elmbrook 2019. It was our 3rd time putting on this event in our district. While last year we had around 120 attendees, this year we broke 200 in attendance.
If you are not sure what an EdCamp is, it is an UnConference model. Attendees come to the event and propose the topics for the sessions they want. While these sessions are being pitched, the schedule for the day is being built.



For each session a communal notes document is created for sharing thoughts and ideas for those in the sessions but also for those who are in other sessions or those who can't be in attendance.



Below, you will find our schedule for the day along with session notes documents linked



The variety of the sessions was incredible. This is due to the fact that EdCamps aren't geared to one specific population. It is not a tech conference, it is not a literacy conference, it is not an administrator's conference. It is a conference that is shaped by the needs, interests, and expertise of its attendees.

It is a fantastic model for professional development and learning. As I reflect more, I could write even more. I'll save that for a later post and ask you to simply go to the session board, click on a session of interest to you and 1) check out the conversation 2) follow some of the educators listed in the session docs.

For more about the learning at EdCamp Elmbrook, check out the hashtag #EdCampELM!


A big thank you to all of our sponsors for EdCamp Elmbrook, all of our amazing attendees, and our EdCamp planning team of Amy Digman, Andelee Espinosa, Bethany Swenson, Brandon Buchman, Callyann Meulemans, Danielle Shyrock, Jake Probst, Jen Townsend, John Wilkinson, Kayla Moffatt, Lisa Caponeschi, Mary Beth Bartels, Pragati Bansal, Trish St. George, Dana Monogue, Brett Gruetzmacher, and Tom Juran!



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