I am not sure why every region and every school district does not have an EdCamp, but I sure love the energy, focus and tenacity of the EdCamps I have been a part of!
Thursday I returned to Kenton County School District to again help them with their annual #EdCampKCSD kickoff!
It is a great honor and privilege to be able to provide professional learning that nurtures and feeds educators’ souls and helps reignite their passion and purpose in their work and lives!
Educators choose to attend EdCamp, and they choose sessions that they want to attend and help shape the experiences as they evolve.
Here is how I plugged and help start my four breakout sessions:
EdCamp Breakouts
The Most Important Relationship is the One You Have with Yourself!
Before you can fully love and lead others, you must fully love and lead yourself.
Be challenged and supported like never before to extend more grace, compassion, forgiveness, and care for yourself, so you can better love and support others for many years to come.
“My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.” – Steve Jobs
*One takeaway was forgiveness is wonderful for those you need to forgive, but it is also an especially wonderful gift you give yourself. I recommend the book Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff, Ph. D.
All Means All!
How you teach and treat the students who challenge you the most, opens (or slams) doors that can positively (or negatively) impact lives for generations to come!
“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible’!” – Audrey Hepburn
*One takeaway was that one of the best ways to reach and support struggling students is to let them see you struggle too. We are not perfect nor are we expected to be.
Catapulting School and District Culture: Transformational Teaching and Leading Begins and Ends with Dream Chasing and Dream Enabling!
Discover how to improve attendance, increase engagement, and ignite your and your students’ brains to fire like never before.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” – Eleanore Roosevelt
*One takeaway is the best way to predict your future is to design it yourself. You have more time, autonomy and creativity than you realize that you can harness to design your school and classroom experiences to meet your and your students’ needs and interests.
How to Leave A Legacy of Love: Getting Stuck in the Heads, Hearts and Spirits of Those You Teach
Through reflection and discussion of your best and worst teachers, Joel will guide participants to build a personalized toolbox/fanny pack for ensuring their best essence shines brightly for their students, colleagues and themselves.
“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a student’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.” – Haim Ginott
*One takeaway was the realization that your legacy is less about you and more about the way you make others feel about themselves and how you help them believe in themselves more.
I want to give Dr. Carrie Holloway Principal of Taylor Mill Elementary School a special shout out for taking these pictures and thank her for the privilege of working with her staff, students, and families throughout the 2024-2025 school year!
Lastly, If I can help you build a stronger, healthier school culture, please do not hesitate to email, text or call me. I am always happy to connect with district and school leaders to talk about personalizing professional learning and student assemblies to meet specific needs.
I hope you all hang onto your precious summer moments and come back rested and ready to change lives, including your own! As difficult as this work can be at times, there really is nothing more rewarding than modeling and igniting a love of learning and living for your students, colleagues and students’ families!
***Looking for online PD opportunities for your staff or new staff co-hort? I have four one-hour professional development videos on my website at https://joelkatte.com/pd-courses/ If you are interested in purchasing school or district access for these resources, please contact me.