First, you can sign-up to attend, volunteer to help out (We need help setting up, cleaning up, and making sure everything runs smoothly.), sign-up to present, or agree to facilitate a panel discussion, round-table discussion, or a workshop.
Second, you are able to donate if you would like to and are in a position to do so.
Donations of any amount will receive the following:
- Be listed as a supporter on the wiki, this blog, and all official literature.
- Have a link to your blog or website included in all official literature.
- The satisfaction of knowing that you helped a good cause.
- An entry in a raffle to win 1 copy of Camtasia Studio, a $200 value.
Donations of $150 of more will receive the following:
- All of the previously mentioned items.
- The ability to have a table at the conference to present a product.
Third, especially if you are not local and still want to help, you can help spread the word. The Educators Royal Treatment recently ran a guest blog post about TeachMeet to help spread the word. If you have a blog, we would be honored if you would consider doing the same.
Fourth, you can email people you know who might be interested. You can write you own, but if you would like, here is one that I am sending out to many. Feel free to use or modify it.
I would like to let you know about an exciting opportunity and would ask that you share it with your staff. We are planning, organizing, and hosting a TeachMeet Conference at the Nashville Public Library on April 1 and 2. If you’re not familiar with TeachMeet, see http://teachmeet.pbworks.com. It’s a really cool idea where normal teachers host a conference for other teachers. Anyone can attend, anyone can present. It will be completely free of cost. I will be providing free lunch, some breakfast items, and refreshment throughout the day, as well as free ed tech giveaways.
I would like to ask for the participation of teachers, librarians, and technology coaches in the conference. All school districts and libraries within driving distance are being invited with some people coming from as far away as Van Meter, Iowa. If you have time, feel free to take a look at the tentative schedule of events. All conference information is listed on our public wiki, http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com. Anything listed as a full presentation consists of 4 15-minute presentations. Micro-presentations are 7 or 8 7-minute presentations on a given topic in an hour, right after another. There will also be an interactive lesson planning workshop and more spontaneous round table discussions (see the Wallwisher page we just started: http://wallwisher.com/wall/tmnashville), and 4 panel discussions. If you could, please also help spread the word to other people you think might be interested in coming or presenting, even if they can only make 1 day. The event schedule is here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AhPMGG4VfjIOdFRoWldWel9TMzlha0ZwdmlrUzFLTUE&hl=
The conference is really a good deal. It costs nothing to come (other than asking the principal to take professional leave); educators get a good time, a free lunch, and some great free prizes. We are giving away 3 database subscriptions to Soundzabound royalty free music ($200 each), 5 copies of Camtasia Studio, a Windows/Mac program to make video tutorials ($200 each), and a $900 school wide subscription to Starrmatica, a company that makes interactive content for elementary schools. I believe that we will have the funding to but a netbook or a laptop, and an iPod Touch to giveaway as well. Anyone can win, but you have to come.
I am also in need of presenters on any topic (check the wiki for a list of broad topics), participants and moderators for the panel discussions, facilitators for the round-table discussions and lesson planning workshop, and volunteers to help setup or clean up. You can sign up for anything on the wiki, or by emailing me (jason.bedell@cmcss.net) or calling me (931-320-9582).
Please invite any educators you know anywhere within driving distance. Parents, community stakeholders, and politicians are all welcome. I have some students coming on a field trip to participate as well. I think that if we are going to spend 2 days working on better ways to help students, that we should involve everyone we can.
Lastly, we have a great keynote speaker coming in from Iowa. The Van Meter school district is an amazing distict that is doing great work in using technology to spur change. Recently they have lobbied congress and spoken before a group of 90+ superintendents. They have 1:1 laptops, have social networking integrated throughout their schools, and even use virtual reality to aid teacher. What is amazing, though, is that the whole district seems to be on the same page. The superintendent, high school principal, media specialist, and at least 1 teacher are all coming down to deliver a collaborative keynote.
As always, if you have anyone questions, please contact me. Make sure you sign-up on the wiki to come, or email me. That way, we know how much food to buy. Again, the public wiki with full expectations and a tentative schedule of events is posted at http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com. There is a brochure that you can distribute to teachers you know here: http://drop.io/TeachMeet (just click TeachMeet.pdf). My personal and work phones are below if you would like to contact me. This should be a fun, dynamic, and participatory conference unlike what many of us are used to. Everyone who wants to will be able to share and network. If you’re able, come out and have a good time.
Lastly, I know that there are many people out there much smarter than I am. So, if you have any ideas for things we can do to help spread the word, please let me know in the comments.
