Reflections on MACUL 2010

Some random thoughts about last week's MACUL conference:

Most mind-blowing: Learning how Holland Christian schools had made their Macbook webcams a ubiquitous part of their curriculum across disciplines.

Best choice -- Choosing Cool Cat Teacher's presentation as my first. She is a true powerhouse of ideas and energy. Got me psyched. Enjoyed getting to check out her Kindle too.

So Odd -- Realized sometime Thursday morning that in another life I had attended a basketball clinic at the Pantlind Hotel (Now Amway Center). Big name speakers like John Wooden ran plays in the Civic Center (now Devos Center).

So Sad -- Having presented at both Cobo Center / and Amway-Devos this school year, it is depressing to note how inferior Detroit's facility was in nearly every way. Why do we set the bar so low?

Worst Exhibitors -- Gale Cengage had two booths and three persons attending. Not one of them could answer a simple, important question about ebooks.

Happiest Exhibitor -- The C-Span rep was ecstatic to have an American Government teacher stop by. I signed her email list (only the second name, though I visited shortly before closing). She urged me to take extra pencils and confided to me that I was privileged to be getting at C-Span pen because I was a Gov. guy. Woo-hoo!

I Surrender -- Apple's Helen Hoffenberg vehemently recommended Tony Wagner's The Global Achievement Gap two days after Will Gervais had done so, I ordered it on the spot with my iTouch.

Swimming in Ideas -- The drive home went very quickly as I reflected on engaging conversations with such interesting folks as:

Dan (Traverse City West) -- Using Challenge Based Learning for A.P. English.

Andy (Calhoun Co. Intermediate) -- Finding "Big Ideas" for Challenge Based Learning

Jane (Apple), -- An amazing Alaskan human interest story involving collaboration.

Calvin (Apple) -- The wonders of the new QuickTime and Apple's aggressive buy-back program for schools who choose duddy P.C.s. Hope we get together for coffee to continue that conversation.

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"Day Dream" Flickr Creative Commons photo by perfect day dream