Learning Opportunities

Every year, special learning opportunities come up during the school year. Any time we get the chance to incorporate these opportunities, we take them. Two months ago, we created EdCamp Harmony, our student edcamp. I have attended several edcamps and know that these events are powerful days of learning. We wanted our kids to experience that same thrill of learning from their peers. We structured the day so that kids could both teach and learn from each other. The kids loved it! Read more about that experience here. Since that first edcamp, we have conducted another one and plan a few more during second semester. This type of learning must expand in schools.

Last month, we participated in Adventure 15, a global initiative to connect classrooms from around the world. Because of our time zone, we were connected with a classroom in White City, Saskatchewan, Canada. The ability to connect with same-age kids in another country was so cool because our kids got to see how their lives were similar and different from ours. The kids did a little research on that area of Canada so they would have good questions for those kiddos. What a great, authentic learning experience it was. Read more about that event here.

This week, we have the opportunity to participate in a national student edcamp, #stucamp. This first annual event incorporates classrooms from around the United States using the app Unhangout. We are going into this event not knowing how it will work out but it seems like it will be awesome. When our kids have the opportunity to learn from middle and high school students from around the country, we take that opportunity. This is real, authentic, relevant learning for our kids. These are all experiences that they will remember for the rest of their lives.