Sage on the stage vs. guide on the side is a rallying point for many educators and how they run their classrooms. Their goal is to switch from being the speaker in the front with all the answers to the coach or guide working directly with students on their projects and engaging them throughout the process. It is an admirable goal with deep ramifications for our educational system.
The issue is that we often don’t apply the same thoughts to our professional development. Often the “Sage on the stage” is the default for exploring and bettering our craft as educators. Edcamps, like the recent EdcampWASO, offer a different way of sharing information and bettering ourselves as educators.
If you have never attended an Edcamp, it is an amazing experience. First off, every participant is a presenter. In each session, you are able to share your ideas with your colleagues, have side conversations, and explore some of the best practices in topics that concern you. Speaking of which, all sessions are suggested by participants to help maximize what each educator gets out of the process.
At EdcampWASO there were sessions ranging from discussions about favorite lessons to podcasting with students to working with parents and engaging students in classrooms. Each session provided teachers with opportunities to share their ideas and engage with each other in best practices. One of my favorite moments was during a discussion about our favorite lesson plans when I learned about a project in a philosophy class to change famous philosophers into superheroes. Edcamps allow teachers of all backgrounds to share their perspectives, their best ideas, and perhaps most importantly, their struggles in a way that helps to build up the larger educational community.
UCET is proud to sponsor Edcamps across Utah including EdcampWASO. If you have never been to an Edcamp there are two coming up in the first half of 2022. Join EdcampCUT in Richfield on January 8th, 2022 and EdcampUtah on June 11th, 2022. All Edcamps are free to all educators! We will see you there!
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