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Guest post from +Anne Armstrong 

So it begins...

Last Tuesday night I hopped in the car with two of my colleagues, leaving my family for eight days, to attend two conferences in education in the Chicagoland area.  Kicking myself and wondering why I had agreed to this back in March, I wasn't too fired up.  I was giving up five days of my summer vacation, missing my three boys, and leaving my husband over our 12th anniversary.  Lucky for me, there was no need to doubt my March self.  

The first conference I attended was at Leyden High School, District 212 (#lhs1to1).  What a great district.  I met educators that have embraced a challenge they feel will enhance student learning and is best for kids. The students were friendly, positive, and excited to show off their school.  In fact that was the feeling the entire 3 days.  Leyden 212 was excited to say "look at this,"  "we did this," "we are proud of this."  The enthusiasm and pride was contagious and I walked away with these thoughts:

• Twitter is key
• Their initiative was supported by those on twitter, around the country and Canada, that were doing similar initiatives
• Twitter connects you to educators that empower, question, and encourage
• Twitter can connect you to people that you never thought that you would or could meet
• Follow me @AnneBArmstrong
• Involve all stakeholders
• Leyden met with students, parents, and staff from the beginning in order to make their 1:1 initiative successful
•  Digital Identities are important
• Professionally and personally you can gain so much as an educator if you participate in a digital community
• Notice I'm blogging (first time ever!)

I'm currently in day two of my second conference, a Rick and Becky DeFour PLC Summer Institute.  I'm amazed at the amount of educators here, soaking it all in.  My own team of fellow administrators is here with me, asking questions, giving feedback, and bonding.  What I am noticing is that everything I'm gaining from this conference, I'm linking to the previous.  What I'm feeling good about is that its doable, all of it.

Take-aways from Lincolnshire to come...