CAJE is back…
check out New CAJE:
http://www.newcaje.org/index.aspx?page=1
I’m excited about the potential of a national Jewish educators’ conference – what can you do to help?
CAJE 34 canceled
Possibly the saddest (at least for me) news coming out of our current economic climate… CAJE announced that they’re canceling the conference that was planned to take place this summer. What a shame for the 1500+ educators who found the conference to be the shot in the arm that they needed just before returning to the classroom. I’m so bummed – I really looked forward to the opportuntity to share and learn.
Animoto Video
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CAJE continues…
We decided to blow breakfast off this morning and sleep until 8:00 am. I’m glad we brought those Luna bars.
Well, the good news is that our presenters who were waylaid in NY are finally here… now we just have to figure out how to reschedule their presentations that they missed yesterday.
I had one of those “only at CAJE” experiences today, as Lisa Colton from Darim Online and I met (and hugged) in the elevator at Davis. It’s amazing when you’ve shared so many ideas, had conference calls, etc. with someone that you feel like you know them but you, well, have never really met. I’m excited to go to the JESNA panel discussion later this afternoon and talk tachlis about the new direction for Jewish education.
Jeff Klepper
One of our favorite people in the whole world – and how the Chicago area misses him… Jeff Klepper performing and presenting at CAJE 33. Photo by David Harris.
First night of CAJE
What a great beginning. First we have a keynote speaker who isn’t here… so Joel Hoffman steps up to the plate and give an unbelievable keynote. Then I picked Deborah Riegel’s session on Thinking Outside the Box which was entertaining and informative – she’s a great speaker. Then dinner – which was, well, dinner. I miss diet Coke (what can I say?).
Then I headed over to my assigned location for Storahtelling’s Tisha B’Av program part one. Amichai was unbelievable. Then – to the chapel for big program – and it was a great beginning for the program, and a great end of Tisha B’av.
One glitch… due to the rains in Vermont today two of our speakers, Esther and Reuven, aren’t here yet. Here’s hoping they get here shortly!
Time for CAAAAAAAAAJJJJJJJJJE!
Here we are – in our (pretty) spacious dorm room (complete with air conditioning and wifi – albeit an anemic signal). As usual we have to figure out how to put two beds together to make them into one…
So far it’s been smooth, smooth, smooth. Check-in took mere minutes; the longest part was explaining how to unload our car, park and get a shuttle ride to the dorm. Wow – we took a lot of stuff. It’s the “we’re driving, so put more in the car” mentality. We took about three times as much as when we went to Israel for two weeks last summer.
We are also really lucky to have our own bathroom. It’s nice because, as a married couple, it’s weird to share a bathroom with (like we did last year) two female college students.
First impressions of the campus are good. This seems a lot less spread out than Wash U was last year. And the Expo is so convenient to everything – rather than that long shlep we had last year.
And the weather – so far, so good. Yesterday was positively beautiful. We walked around Church Street, ate dinner outside and went to a drive-in movie. When was the last time you went to a drive-in movie!
Okay bloggers – here’s your challenge question for the day. What’s the best one line you heard from a presenter this week? Post it in a comment to my post here and be sure to link to your blog.
And don’t forget to come hang out at the Bloggers’ Café this week. You’ll find us schmoozing and blogging Monday and Wednesday in Votey 205 from 4:15 pm until 5:30 pm. Open lab follows until 6:45, so you’ll have plenty of time to create and play!
See you soon!
About
Debbie Harris is the director of educational technology at the Sager Solomon Schechter Day School in Northbrook, IL. Involved in Jewish education for over thirty years, she has an education degree from Northwestern University with a concentration in instructional media and a master’s degree in professional Jewish studies from Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. She is skilled in using and teaching desktop publishing, video editing, presentation and animation software; and consults and presents regularly on integrating technology into Judaic studies. Her students podcast, blog, edit video and create claymations. She co-chaired the technology track for CAJE 33 in Vermont, is a SMART Certified Trainer for SMART Notebook, and a 2011 recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.
When not learning, teaching or writing about technology, Debbie likes to sketchnote and craft. She likes to knit, do calligraphy, sew, watercolor, paint fabric and just generally play with fun toys like scrapbooking supplies and anything with texture. Debbie travels to California every summer to paint tallitot with high school aged campers. Finally, she is incredibly proud of her two daughters; Lori, who teaches English at a community college; and Allie, who is the director of the URJ’s Camp Newman in California.
Look for her at:
Debbie Does Desktop
Flickr
Twitter
Diigo
YouTube
Ravelry
Email Debbie here
MuseForJews 