Edcamp Baltimore - Participants 2013

Meet Gina Powell (@TechyiGina)

11/8/2013

Website: http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/agpowell/

How are you involved in education?
I am the Instructional Technology Resource Teacher for Essex County Public Schools in Tappahannock, Virginia.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
I've attended an unconference while attending Discovery Educator Network Summer Institute in Burlington, Vermont in 2013 and in Bozeman, Montana in 2013.

How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?
I want to learn about how teachers in my division can fuse Google Doc resources into their lessons as we begin to roll out student accounts.

What are your hopes and goals to allow those you teach to be more?
I hope that everyone will recognize that technology is your friend and utilizing in your classroom is not to make your life more difficult - but to make it easier and get students more engaged.

What are some session topics you’d like to proposed or see proposed at Edcamp Baltimore?

Google Docs in the Classroom
Google Sites - how can we get students to log on?

Gina is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Lisa Rosenberg

11/7/2013

How are you involved in education?
I am a middle school teacher at Gesher JDS in Fairfax Virginia. I teach English, Math, and Social Studies in addition to being our Student Council Staff Sponsor and our Community Service Coordinator.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
Nope.

What are some session topics that you'd like to propose or see proposed at EdCamp Baltimore?

Flipped Instruction
Hands-on math
Social Action

Lisa is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet AJ Jangalapalli (@anirudh_j)

11/7/2013

Website: jangalapalli.wordpress.com

How are you involved in education?
Education Technology investor at JMI Equity.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
Nope.

How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?
I'd love to learn more about all the EdTech energy in Baltimore and hear what teachers and administrators and entrepreneurs are doing.

What are your hopes and goals to allow those you teach to be more?
It all comes down to getting kids more excited about learning - and then letting them figure out for themselves what they'd love to do.

What are some session topics you’d like to proposed or see proposed at Edcamp Baltimore?

Liberal arts studies
Adaptive learning

AJ is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Michelle Wendt (@sriettc and @meechele7)

11/1/2013

ettc.net

How are you involved in education?
I am a technology Integration Specialist with the SRI & ETTC of the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. I coach teachers in school districts all over New Jersey on the integration of technology throughout content areas. I teach workshops at our four instructional centers and by request at school districts.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey has hosted Teachmeetnj for the past two years. We have had many visitors from out of state. (http://www.teachmeetnj.com/)

How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?
I hope to gain perspective on the challenges other states are facing as well as our own.

Michelle is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Matthew Winner (@MatthewWinner)

10/31/2013

http://www.busylibrarian.com/

How are you involved in education?
I'm the full time Library Media Specialist at Ducketts Lane Elementary School in Elkridge, MD.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
Nope. This is my first unconference!

How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?
I'm looking forward to an opportunity to listen, to share, to experience, and to be inspired.

What are your hopes and goals to allow those you teach to be more?I want my students to learn to ask better questions and have confidence in themselves and their abilities to find answers to the difficult questions.

What are some session topics you’d like to proposed or see proposed at Edcamp Baltimore?

gaming (both console and tabletop)
gamification
Twitter as a PLN

Matthew is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Sarah Russo (@librelearning)

10/18/2013

How are you involved in education?
I am currently a Library Science graduate student at Florida State University in a school library media track. I am interning in Howard County at Jeffers Hill Elementary and Clarksville Middle School. I'll be graduating next month!

Have you ever attended an unconference?
I attended and had an amazing time at http://edcampmetrodc.org/. That's where I first heard about EdCamp Baltimore!

How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?
I THRIVE on meeting inspirational leaders. As I begin my first jump into School Librarianship, I hope participation with EdCamp will help me become a better resource for the teachers and students I work with (and those in my immediate future).

What are your hopes and goals to allow those you teach to be more?I hope to continue to build the skills that will help my students be successful lifelong learners, and inspire them to set and reach their own goals.

What are some session topics you’d like to proposed or see proposed at Edcamp Baltimore?

A Minecraft edu session would be awesome!
I'd also love to see a session speaking to how teachers are connecting and collaborating across disciplines, and around the world!

Sarah is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Heidi Hutchison (@HeidiHutchison)

10/18/2013

How are you involved in education?
I am a 5th grade teacher at Friends School of Baltimore. This is my first year in 5th, I taught 4th grade at Friends for 8 years. I have been teaching for about 12 years, and I have never been more motivated and excited to be in education! I am a Global Lead teacher (2012-2013) for the Global Classrooms Project and will be presenting "The #Malala Project, An Attempt at a Global PBL" at Global EdCon 2013 November 19th! I love, love, love PBL and always love to collaborate and learn more with other people.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
Oh yes, and I loved it! I cannot say I have attended that many though. I attended EdCamp Philly and EdCamp Baltimore last year. I also attempted to host my own unconference this year on project based learning. It was the first in the United States, but 3rd in the world. Project Learning Swap Meet 2013 began in Sydney, Australia and was created by Bianca and Lee Hewes, two awesome Aussie, edgy educators I met at PBL World in Napa Valley last June.

How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?
Spending time learning from and with other educators always allows and fosters motivation for me to "be more!" I would love to connect with other local and also not so local educators.

What are your hopes and goals to allow those you teach to be more?
I believe that my students have a right to be self-directed learners. I believe they have a right to learn how to learn, how to be global citizens, how to have empathy that allows them to serve others. My hopes and goals are that my beliefs about learning help create an atmosphere that respects their individuality as learners and fosters confidence in them so that they take risks with their learning. My hope is that they will share what they know and be humble enough to listen to others to learn more.

What are some session topics you’d like to proposed or see proposed at Edcamp Baltimore?

PBL - Share your experiences and ask questions to learn more
Blogging - How to incorporate writing and reading skills into blogging and what has worked best

Heidi is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Rhonda Drayton (@RDray10)

10/18/2013

How are you involved in education?
I am a 6th grade math teacher at Windsor Mill Middle School in Baltimore County.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
No.
How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?

I have been out of the classroom teaching students since June 2008. I am hoping that attending the conference will give me proven strategies that I can implement immediately and painlessly into my classroom. I want my lessons to be engaging and infused with technology to keep my young students constantly involved in the learning experience. All the new technology can be intimidating and I want to learn in an environment outside of my school building, so that I don't feel so intimidated and out of touch with today's engagement strategies.

What are your hopes and goals to allow those you teach to be more?

I want my students to be excellent problem solvers in all areas of their lives. I want them to be critical thinkers, researchers, and productive citizens by exposing them to how mathematics can allow them to be all of this and more, if they simply choose to open up to math as a tool.

What are some session topics you’d like to proposed or see proposed at Edcamp Baltimore?

Helping older teachers integrate technology into the classroom easily (even when you don't have access to a computers)

Rhonda is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Gretel Patch (@edtechdidi)

10/12/2013

Website
www.edtechdidi.com

How are you involved in education?
I have a Masters of Educational Technology and am a Technology Integration Specialist. I am also a Google Certified Teacher. Last year I worked as the Technology Integration Coordinator for an international K-12 school in Kathmandu, Nepal. We're now back in the U.S. and I am not officially working this year but have many projects I'm involved with. I have a passion for where education and technology meet, and for now I am focusing on helping my four children use technology to help meet their educational needs.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
I barely missed ISTE 2013's unconference, but I heard a lot about it and wish I could have been there. I attended the unconference day at Google Sydney offices following our Google Teacher Academy. It was powerful.

How do you hope Edcamp Baltimore will allow you to be more?
Since I'm not working this year, I'm feeling a little disconnected with other edtech professionals. I would like a day to reconnect, listen, share, and learn. There's a fusion of ideas and practice that happens in an unconference setting, and I look forward to hearing and tackling concerns and struggles. This synergy helps us all be more dedicated and empowered educators.

What are your hopes and goals to allow those you teach to be more?
For now my students are my own four children, each with diverse needs and goals. I am always trying to use best practices to help them use technology in empowering ways. I love watching them discover apps and websites that help them boost confidence in their weaker areas and build on their strengths. I also really encourage tools that foster their own creativity.

What are some session topics you’d like to proposed or see proposed at Edcamp Baltimore?

Google Apps for Education best practices and ideas;
Literacy and math support ideas for struggling students;
Successful professional development practices, especially those available from home or through social media;
Best apps and websites in a variety of subjects;
Examples of socially networked teachers, schools, and districts;
Ideas for after school student tech teams

Gretel is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.

Meet Susan Verdi (@sacchetti7)

10/6/2013

How are you involved in education?

I am a literacy specialist for almost 1,000 students at a K-5 school in Frederick County. I also teach in the graduate reading specialist program at Hood College.

Have you ever attended an unconference?
I'm excited to attend my first unconference!

Susan is coming to Edcamp Baltimore. Are you? If so, introduce yourself by filling out this form.