Coffee, computers and collaboration (picture by @j_bednar)

This was my second year attending #EdCampChicago and it was again an inspiration for the way I continue to view staff development. One change from last year was the way we opened the day. Last year, we used half sheets of brightly colored paper to write ideas on before taping them to the portable white board. This year, we jumped to using a Google document as @dendari, @irishteach, @mrsebiology and @jmarkeyAP explained the day for new and returning EdCampers. It was great to see so many people I met last year and to feel a bit more familiar with things this year. I was even encouraged by @klhellerman to co-propose a topic, which was exciting for me. Whether it was that topic or someone else's topic, I learned so much from the conversations we had. People freely shared their experiences, their knowledge, their skills and their friendship. I tried to keep up with all of the new things people were sharing, such as the great tools shared by @mrsebiology, the great conversation about digital citizenship and related challenges with @mskbordner and @classroomsooth and the many conversations I missed in person but followed via Twitter. 

That leads me to my biggest take-away from spending a Saturday at East Leyden HS. It's not just one tool or instructional strategy that any teacher or administrator can learn that will fuel them for an entire career. The key is the continuous learning that is available in an ever-moving world. The connections made here will sustain continued sharing, conversing and collaborating. It's collaboration that allows great ideas for exciting and engaging lessons to go beyond a single classroom. It's collaboration that allows us to respond to an instantaneous news cycle where everything is so 17 seconds ago. Maybe most importantly, it's those relationships and collaboration that will allow schools to continuously adapt and respond to our students needs. I can't do it all by myself and connecting with other teachers and administrators in a self-driven learning situation strengthens each of us in ways traditional professional development never has. For that, I am thankful for all the people with whom I had conversations and shared learning on Saturday.