Note: Forgive the errors in formatting... will fix soon. Promise.
It was exciting to see an increased presence of technology at ASCD last week. There were a significant amount of sessions that focused on teaching, leading and learning with technology. I was also pleasantly surprised to find the room my session was in setup with laptops for all participants. Now I know why it was a ticketed session. But that's not what this post is about. I'm writing about something I feel is much more important.
Good schools are not about taking another’s model and applying it without serious consideration to your own local environment, or about lamenting that you are not someone else. That’s irresponsible, and doesn’t honor a fine example.
The conference is about the community of people and the ideas we share. It's not a place for big speeches, it's a place for well-thought conversation. It is a place for ideas, not stuff, and there isn't much swag at all and there isn't an exhibit floor.