To quote today’s title song,
“I had an epiphany
one night
Looking at the
endless star filled sky
The world is ours
Dare what you dare to
dream”
I dare to dream of a world where teacher-leaders inspire
students in the classroom, are respected as professionals, and help shape student-centered policy
decisions.
Tonight, I am headed home from a profound experience, a “teacher
convening.” They call it a “convening”
because it’s so much more than a conference.
Today at the closing ceremony, Irvin Scott from the Gates Foundation had
people stand and call out one word to describe their experience. Here are a few:
“Rejuvenated” “Elevated” “Inspired” “Empowering”
Hosted by the Gates Foundation, ECET2 stands for Elevating
and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers. The Fourth convening was held in New Orleans,
Louisiana and included over 300 teachers from 34 states and Washington
D.C. What an amazing experience it was. Here are just a few of my take-aways:
1. “Leadership is no longer optional in the teaching profession”
This quote is actually from another event I attended this
past summer, NEA’s Empowered Educators Day in Denver. However, this idea was reinforced tenfold at
ECET2. In an era where so many people
are pushing education policy in different directions, it is imperative that
teachers’ voices are not only heard, but that teacher insight helps shape the
future of education. I was fortunate to
attend a session by the Hope Street Group in which they discussed the need for
teacher advocacy at different policy levels and found myself inspired to
action. The movement has begun, we now
need to be the “First Followers” who can bring the movement to the masses.
2. Collaboration is critical for students and teachers alike.
Whether we are providing our students the skills to engage
in our interconnected world, working together to plan units or lessons, or
tackling the tough challenges facing the field of education today, it is
essential that we reach out, network, and listen to one another. There were so many wonderful opportunities to
collaborate throughout the conference, many intentional and imbedded in the
schedule, and so many more spontaneously occurring over lunch or Twitter or
bead tossing from balconies.3. There is always more to learn.
I learned so much in just 48 hours-from presenters, keynote
speakers, colleagues, Twitter, the streets of New Orleans. It can sometimes be overwhelming, but many of
us became teachers because we are passionate learners. Continuing to find new ways to learn and then
build on, and implement, that learning into our practice is critical to moving
the field of education in a positive direction.
4. Find ways to keep the fire burning.
It is so easy to leave a conference feeling inspired and
then fall back into our routine once we return home. Finding ways to stay motivated and connected
is vital to remaining a positive force for education. I found this Tweet on point.
5. Take time to breathe.
Another important lesson for me this weekend, thanks to my
colleague circle (Shout Out to Table #22!!) was to recognize that it is also
acceptable to sometimes take a break from the constant stream of knowledge and
information and breathe. Taking care of
our physical, social, and emotional needs helps us maintain the strength we
need to keep going when the obstacles seem high.6. It’s a small world.
The first person I met when I got off the plane just
happened to be a teacher who taught all three of my cousins in Louisville,
Kentucky. Then, I had an emotional (at least for
me, I’m so sappy!) reunion with one of my former students who is now, not only
a high school social studies teacher himself, but also a member of the Gates
Foundation’s Teacher Advisory Council and a presenter, teaching other teachers
how to be culturally responsive in their classrooms. Connections are so significant to maintaining
that positivity (see #4) and these personal connections are even more
inspiring.
7. The Gates Foundation knows how to make people feel special.
There seems to be a growing movement for the
professionalization of the teaching profession.
I try to model this in my own practice, even in little ways-like
ordering business cards. But WOW does
the Gates Foundation make you feel special.
Welcoming us with a live high school marching band and parade down Bourbon Street, providing
us with, not just materials, but an online community where we can continue to
share, amazing accommodations, exceptional food and beverages at every turn,
chronicling the event with photographers and videographers and providing ways
for us to stay connected and active in this movement.
Not only was I inspired this weekend, but this treatment
left me feeling empowered, I do matter.
During my college career I took a year off to travel with Up With People, an international educational, musical, and service
organization. For many reasons, (that I
should cover in another blog post) this was one of the most transformative and
inspirational experiences of my life. My
experience from a year of traveling around the world with people from 22 different
countries, staying in host families, performing a musical show every other day,
and participating in service activities, had a profound impact on the person I
am today and my choice to become a social studies teacher. Partly because of the enthusiasm and idealism
of the group, and partly because of the performance component, everything in
UWP is an event. No one just makes an
announcement, it becomes a song or comedy skit.
Some may criticize this aspect of UWP as being a bit cheesy, but you
can’t leave an UWP event without feeling inspired and more optimistic. I kept thinking all weekend that ECET2 is
like the UWP of teaching movements, and that is one of the greatest compliments
I could give.
Thank you to the Gates Foundation for investing in ECET2NOLA,
for investing in teachers, and for investing in me. I won’t let you down.
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