Why We Should All Unplug

People with passion change the world - @jjash, written on a piece of tree struck by lightning at the edge, and given to me...

Having arrived back at home after a soul-stirring weekend with 39 fellow educators up at Northern Edge Algonquin for Unplug’d 12; I sit and marinate on the weekend’s experiences.  Inside, I feel calm and centered, odd adjectives to describe me, a person who is usually antsy and anxious.  No, I haven’t taken up meditation or even yoga, and no I haven’t cut out the 4 cups of coffee I enjoy a day, but I have built some pretty solid relationships and set the ground work for many others with a most inspiring set of passionate individuals.  People who care a lot about education, and who opened up to me, in extremely brave and powerful ways this past weekend.  I won’t go into great detail about each experience planned for us over the 3-day retreat, but I will try to capture some sketches of the zeitgeist of the thing for those who haven’t been (yet!)

Why you should make a point to Unplug:

• connect to nature (the locale is extraordinary - quiet, serene and peaceful), and yourself (numerous solitary retreats and activities exist to steal away and just ruminate), then connect to others in a deeper way to strengthen your practices, broaden your perspectives and go deeper into your role as a lifelong learner.

• create a written piece to help explore, question, thank, apologize or celebrate a significant person in your life as a learner

• collaborate on an e-book with individuals from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, outlooks and places through a unique peer-review process which is both frightening and mind expanding 

• hear a loon, smell some moss, see the lake ripple, see some stars twinkle and shoot across the night sky, hike a trail to a hidden lake, plant an apple tree, stretch your muscles and your mind, open your heart, eat together (food that will BLOW YOUR MIND) and sleep - dreaming of the change you’ll be sure to make now that you’ve been to The Edge.

Thank you to: Zoe, Rodd, Kelly-Ann, Ben, Jowi, Erin, James, Lisa, Brenda, Bryan, David, Lorna, Jenny, Jess, Jessica, Heidi, Kathy, Andrew, Karen, GNA, Alan, Rob, Rod, Jenny, Marci, Gail, Todd, Martha, Iain, Jackie, Giulia, Gill, Guilliaume, Wes, Betsy, Aerin, Danika, Kim, Donna and Matt, all for your earnest reflections, smiles, jokes and encouragement.

Not 'Pulling the Plug'! UNPLUG'D

Who am I other than a "new teacher"?

When I was asked by my colleague and friend to come camping with her in the summer to this thing she called Unplug’d up in Algonquin, I thought: awesome! I’m not very outdoorsy, but it sounds really cool! A whole bunch of people interested in being better educators than they already are? Sign me up.  My husband thought I was nuts for a few reasons.  First he said: You? Camping!? You’ve got to be kidding me.  Then he said, “but you JUST finished teacher’s college and you haven’t even been hired yet! Why are YOU going? Isn’t this kind of thing a retreat for teachers to recuperate over the summer?”  Yes, I suppose I am not mother-nature’s best girlfriend and the idea of pitching a tent or hiking are somewhat foreign to me, but his “new teacher” comment really got under my skin.  “You don’t think I need to recuperate after the year of school I’ve just finished!?” and also, “I don’t think that’s the main idea of this trip, honey.  Its bigger than that.  The drive for these people coming together is not solely to get together to relax.”  

After visiting the website for the Unplug’d community and speaking more about what the trip entailed, I couldn’t register fast enough.  And now its upon us.  Next Thursday I will be going to Toronto to begin this “life changing experience”. I am eagerly awaiting it.  The countdown has begun!

So what IS my motive for going other than the sunrise yoga which I hear is pretty stellar?  Well, its threefold, actually.  1.  In the face of a highly competitive job market I need to be inspired and shaken into a more positive “I can do it!” mindset.  2.  I  already know from my limited experiences with team teaching, tweetups, blog collectives and group unit planning, that I grow and flourish when I’m connected to other passionate educators - AND I can officially call myself an educator now, so why not? 3.  I truly believe that you can be a better educator if you nourish your PLN, and build relationships of support and cheerleading.  What better way than to connect IN PERSON to other teachers, administrators, parents, trustees and, well, people for education in general, to discuss what matters most?  Learning.  This year we are going to share stories about education from a variety of perspectives and addressing a broad range of pressing issues.  Maybe its risky to sign on for this trip and to come at it from a new teacher perspective.  I don’t know.  With great risk comes great reward, right? Oh, I hope so.