This set of pictures popped up as a six year memory today and is quite worthy of attention.
The year 2015.
The location: Broadway and Millbank Chapel
A day of learning at the Saturday Reunion at #TCRWP.
My first post about the day is here.
What is a Saturday Reunion?
Approximately 4,000 educators from around the world
Descending on TCRWP
For hundreds of free sessions
From some of the smartest educators in the world!
Friends traveling miles.
The picture above includes
Friends from New Jersey, California and me, Iowa.
Friends learning together.
Checking the schedule and attending sessions together.
Friends chatting,
Meeting each other in real life.
Friends exchanging ideas,
And double checking our notes
As well as the ubiquitous “turn and talks.”
Friends meeting for dinner after,
Lingering for another word
Another minute of like-minded company!
What is a Saturday Reunion?
- Challenging
- Collaborative
- Future-focused
- Goal-oriented
- Grounded in practice
- Relevant
- Sustained
And above all . . . A “choose your own pathway for learning and fun for the day.”
Saturdays . . .
Not just a day off
Not just a day to reflect
Because Saturday Reunions are endless days of possibilities!
When have you chosen to spend Saturdays learning with friends? What were the convincing arguments? What were the benefits?
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Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum during the month of March. Check out the writers and readers here.
I see teachers I love learning from in these photos! I’ve never been to a Saturday reunion but always follow the tweets and blog posts with interest (and a little envy!). Learning with friends is the best.
Elisabeth,
A side benefit of TC or NCTE was always a Slicer meet up. Seeing Slicers in person . . . A TREAT!
Can’t wait until we can meet at the next in-person retreat – well really the next in-person anything!!! Miss you.
Clare,
Yes, yes, yes!
In-person is so in need of attention!
Soon!
Great photo! We loved our weekend stay and Sunday breakfast at a place on Broadway where we would share all the thinking we had gathered on Saturday. We loved this reflection time and of course, we continued to talk about our experiences all the way down the turnpike to our homes in Pennsylvania. Captivating, influencing, fascinating! Thanks, Fran!
Captivating for sure! Look forward to seeing you soon, Lynne!
You capture the spirit of a Saturday Reunion SO well in this slice. I am glad the photo popped up so you could reflect and define. So much FUN!!! Thanks for giving me the chance to revisit it with you here today. Miss seeing you in person….some day again, I hope.
Sally,
In person, at TC or NCTE for sure!!!
I have never attended in person, but loved the virtual option. Soooooooo many benefits to learning with friends on a Saturday!
Erika,
Learning wirh friends is the BEST!
Oh to be at Riverside Chapel again! Thank you for sharing this moment!!❤️
So miss the conversations …. the subway rides !
Missing these people! I never did Saturday reunion because I’m not a TC person, but am wishing for NCTE again. Will we ever be back to normal?
Margaret,
So miss the in person learning, but willing to settle for “in the box” learning!
Soon!
Just goes to show that conferences are informative and full of useful ideas from top names in the field, but it is the personal interaction with friends and informal get togethers for sharing ideas that really make conferences so beneficial.
Relationships and the time to process together! YES!
This sounds like an AMAZING experience. Colleagues…like-minded humans…friends. What a way to spend a Saturday learning and growing. As for me, my Saturday group has been with a Just Schools Cohort that I joined last year. Together, we work to promote equity and justice within the school and community setting. They’re also some pretty good people. =)
Powerful opportunities when like-minded individuals work collaboratively!
It all sounds so exciting and worthwhile and memorable and totally beyond my reach as I’m not in the US!
The ladt two have been totally online so face to face has been box to box in zoom!