MI Google

Earlier this month I got to spend the day at the Michigan Google Conference. It's been on hiatus for the past few years because of COVID, and I'm so glad it's back!

In general, I'm quite a PD junkie, and I love attending just about any Professional Development I can, virtual or in person. I'm grateful that I'm able to attend so many different PDs whenever I find any that catch my attention, and strongly encourage any educator to attend whenever they are given the opportunity!

MI Google is one of my favorites because it's on the smaller side (200ish attendees) vs our big MACUL Conference (3500ish attendees) vs the huge ISTE Conference (10000ish attendees). I like the size because you can connect directly with the presenters after they finish a session. I know that I love connecting with those who attend my sessions to be able to discuss a concept brought up, answer any questions, and so on.

This year, I presented a session on Google Slides, which is one of (in my humble opinion) Google's most versatile tools. I had a nice size attendance, too, with 18ish people in the session. I like being able to answer questions throughout the presentation, and this group was just the right size for that.

PD, or at least good PD is a gift for all educators. It doesn't have to be a massive conference, it doesn't have to be a conference at all, to learn and become re-inspired! (And if you have the chance to go to an EdCamp, don't miss it!) Some of the best learning I've experienced as an educator is through workshops provided by my local ISD. The bottom line is that when given the chance to go, despite the groans of writing sub plans, if there is something of interest to you, do it. You'll grow as an educator and as a person, and let's face it, that change of scenery, even for one day, is always a treat!

//