As I reflect on the kind of leader I strive to be, I know that in order to lead effectively and efficiently, I have to to be a learner first and foremost. Fortunately, I have developed a few habits that help me to be a continuous learner who reflects on my current practice while trying to grow from "good to great." I'm thankful that I have a great PLN that keeps me on my professional toes both via Twitter and Voxer (shout out to my #MiddleLeader friends) and within my district. Of course reading is fundamental, and right now I'm enjoying Uncommon Learning by Eric Sheninger and Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen. But sometimes you have the opportunity for a professional learning experience that is out of the ordinary. This past vacation week, I had the opportunity to swim in the waters of professional learning with 400 plus educators as I participated in #EdCampVoxer coordinated by Sarah Thomas, Nicol Howard, Rachelle Wooten, Carla Jefferson, and Shana White.
The opportunity to have asynchronous conversations about Authentic Leadership, Personalized Learning, Subversive Education, Rethinking Discipline, and the Best Apps of 2015 (just a fraction of the sessions) was so #AWESOME! Don't worry, I spent time with my family and visited with friends for dinners, parties and brunches. However, during those down times (walking the aisle of the store, baking cookies, wrapping presents, and moments of me time), I participated and learned from educational all stars. As I prepare for school tomorrow, I feel refreshed and excited about starting my professional new year. So this is a post to say thank you to all of the #EdCampVoxer coordinators and participants. Thanks for jumping in the professional learning pool last week. I can't wait to share the fruit of those conversations.
