Spring Teacher Blogger Retreat -- Weekend in Review LINKY!

Spring Teacher Blogger Retreat -- Weekend In Review Linky!

Passion.

We all had it when we started.  You remember… fresh out of student teaching, getting the call that “you got the job!”  WOAH!! Talk about excited!  You were ready to change the world!  YOU were going to be the best teacher ever and bring joy and excitement to every single moment in your new classroom.  You remember being excited to create a new bulletin board…and how much you looked forward to bonding with your supportive and encouraging colleagues at the next staff meeting!

… Hmmm.

While I certainly hope you still feel that way…I’m guessing that it is not the reality of most teachers reading this post.  The fact is… Teaching is HARD… and what we do is often very under-appreciated.  By spring, most of us are feeling worn down… in need of some help in re-discovering the passion that we had when we started this crazy adventure!

Well… re-discovering and/or re-igniting that PASSION for teaching was what the Spring Teacher Blogger Retreat was all about!

Here’s a little recap of MY experience…

I arrived on Friday night with my girly-girls, Heather (Smack Dab in the Middle) and Brittany (Nifty in First Grade).  

These girls are my positive peeps, who keep me uplifted and encouraged on a daily basis at our school. We unpacked, settled into our room at West Baden, and then met up with dozens of other teacher bloggers at the West Baden dome for teacher-chat!

French Lick Resort is a BEAUTIFUL place, my friends.  As in, breathtaking!

In case you don’t know, the resort has two main buildings…

The French Lick Springs Hotel…

 

…and the West Baden Springs Hotel.

 

Check out the dome lobby at West Baden!!!

 This is a picture from the balcony in our room!  AWESOME!

If you are looking for a unique vacation experience,

checking out the French Lick Resort is a MUST!

This place has an AMAZING history!
(Favorite vaca spot of Al Capone, where the Bloody Mary drink was invented, home of multiple "medicinal" springs and more!)

The French Lick staff treat us like royalty…and let’s face it…

usually teachers are NOT treated like royalty!  LOL

We all LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this place!

As the director of this event, I spent Saturday morning with the most amazing group of friends and HARD WORKERS on the planet in preparation!

Here a pic of Brittany Banister (Mrs. Banister's Kindergarten) and I welcoming the crowd!  

I couldn't have pulled this event off without her help! We make a good team. 

Finally, it was time for the luncheon meet-up event to begin! 

We started the day off by introducing our retreat theme “Take Your Passion… And Make it Happen!”   The brilliant and talented Chad Boender (Male Kindergarten Teacher) created and shared this awesome video to get us all thinking about our own teaching PASSION.  Take a peek…

Amy Borrell Berner, the one and only TPT Director of Happiness, also inspired us all with a wonderfully uplifting keynote.

Since our hearts were full…it was time to fill our bellies!  LOL

A delicious lunch was served by the French Lick staff, and then we moved right into a fun & creative "Get-To-Know-You" activity where each table decorated a giant letter with words that told all about each teacher.  The letters were colorful, cute and creative...and packed with info about each teacher (blog name, describing word, favorite subject to teach, and of course, included the passion of each teacher.)  Every table group then came up and shared their letter to introduce everyone. When complete, it came together to spell…

After that we hopped right into our Teacher Tool Swap activity!  This is one of my fav parts of the meet up!  Basically, every teacher brings his/her favorite “teacher tool” and then we do a fun exchange activity in which everyone opens a gift…and the “giver” explains why they love that “tool” so much! It's fun to see "tool trends" every year!

This was followed by a series of "Round Table Discussions!"  Eeks!  Another highlight of the event, in my opinion!  :)  Teachers were invited to choose from dozens of different topics for 15 minute round table discussions, led by the best of the best!  We had four different rotations, and over 60 sessions in all! I wish I could have gone to them ALL!

Finally came the

BIG Teacher SWAG Give-Away!

Our AMAZINGLY GENEROUS sponsors donated over $15,000 in prizes and giveaways!

The following sponsors LOVE to support educators!

 
   

  
   

     
   

After the swag giveaways, everyone's arms were literally OVERFLOWING with teacher swag...so we broke up for dinner on our own, and came back together at 9:00pm for...

THE MOST EPIC 
80’s Party
IN HISTORY!!!

Thanks to the GENEROUS support of GoNoodle and TPT,

this night was like none other! 

Seriously, my friends... when it comes to TRULY supporting educators, GoNoodle  and TPT rock! We came to them with this crazy idea...and they believed in our vision and helped us make it happen!

 #GoNoodleRocks  #everyteacherlovesTPT

We were spoiled with dozens of varieties of cookies and brownies, pizzas, beverages and some 80's gear sunglasses, friendship pins and neon buttons!

And... did I mention the EPIC full blown professional photo booth??!! 

Oh-yah! GoNoodle provided the booth for us!  
Talk about incredible!!! 

Check out just a few of the hundreds of pics from our Saturday night social event...

The night was SO MUCH FUN!
I can't even begin to put it into words!

I CAN tell you that about a dozen of us prepared a flash mob to the song Footloose and we surprised the crowd!  It was a blast!

Thanks Amanda Pauley (Mrs. Pauley's Kindergarten) for choreographing this!

Have YOU ever been to a teacher blogger meet-up?
If you have been considering attending one, just do it!

Check out this awesome little video that All Y'all Need and the Male Kindergarten Teacher put together to tell you why you need to attend a meet-up!

Wanna' read more about this amazing weekend???  

Check out the other posts in our linky below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Jealous of all the giveaway goodies that attendees took home from the retreat?   Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win an awesome prize package of your own, including a HUE document camera and a year's FREE subscription to ESGI....plus much, much more!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you coming to the 2016 Spring Teacher Blogger Retreat?

Passion.

As a teacher, what are you passionate about?  

Is it the challenge of meeting your rigorous standards in ways that are engaging and fun for your students?  

Perhaps your passion lies in creating content-rich units for your students that better meet your students' needs than the teacher textbooks...and then sharing them with others on TPT!  

Perhaps, somehow you've lost your passion for teaching...
and you are seeking to discover it again.

One thing I know for sure, is that YOU need to join us for the 

3rd Annual Spring Teacher 
Blogger Meet-Up/Retreat

 Imagine a giant ballroom filled with educators from around the country who chose to be there on their own dime and own time.   Educators who are so devoted to being the best teachers they can be, that they spend their “free time” collaborating with other top educators through blogging and professional development events.  Teachers overflowing with creativity.  Educators who create their own incredible teaching resources and share them with others in order to make a difference for kids across the world. 

THIS is what this retreat weekend is all about! 

Take a peek at just a few pics from our event last year!

 

French Lick Resort is a BEAUTIFUL place, my friends.  As in, breathtaking!  (The picture above, bottom left, is the ceiling of the West Baden atrium lobby!) 

The resort has two main buildings...

  

The French Lick Springs Hotel….

And the West Baden Hotel.

This place has an AMAZING history!

The French Lick staff treat us like royalty! 
We all LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this place!

And folks, this event would not be possible without the help of our sponsors! 
Some of the most amazing companies in the country team up with us to give back to YOU...simply because they know how hard y'all work and want to support educators!

Here are some of our 
AMAZING SPONSORS...

  

  

  

 Look for goodies from these companies as well:

The Pencil Grip, Scentsy, Origami Owl, Younique, Silly McGilly, Stella and Dot, DoTerra Oils, Coker Mugs, Doodle Bugs Paper, Twinkle Twinkle Little Jar, Udderly Smooth and more!

Sound like fun? 

Want to re-energize your teaching?

Then join us!

Here are the details...

WHO:  YOU are invited!

WHAT:  Spring Teacher/Blogger Meet-Up Retreat!

WHEN: March 11, 12 & 13, 2016

WHERE:  French Lick Resort & Casino - French Lick, IN

WHY:   To meet new friends, share teaching, blogging & TPT tricks & tips, and just have fun! {LOTS and LOTS of FUN!}

Below is the basic agenda for the weekend. 

Join us for the whole weekend, or just a day!

(Please note that if you are interested, there is a link at the bottom of this post you can follow to tentatively register.  Once you submit your info,  we will add you to our private Facebook group so that you can receive detailed event details, including hotel discount code...and payment submission info.  Sometimes it's better not to post "too" much info on-line!)    

Friday, March 11th

IF YOU CHOOSE... You may check in on Friday night and check out the resort on your own...or meet up with those of us who check in early!   Rooms will be offered at the French Lick Springs Hotel in the "blogger block"  for a discounted rate.  (Hotel rates are $169/per night.) Regular rooms have two queen beds and sleep 4...but you may choose to add a roll-away and pack in even more co-workers or blogging friends!  The room rate doesn't change...you just have one person book the room and then split the cost! Also, please note that during registration you can indicate that if you are willing to share a room with another teacher(s) and I can help match you up with other teachers to save some money!  Many attendees meet up on Friday night for dinner or simply to gather and socialize at the beautiful West Baden Hotel (connected to French Lick Springs by trolley and free shuttles!) Come early and join us! 

Saturday, March 12th 

12:30 pm - Blogger Meet-Up Luncheon

(Private Meeting Room at the French Lick Springs Hotel)

Join us for a get-to-know-you luncheon event filled with TONS of prizes and product give-aways! We guarantee some epic teacher-swag giveaways, my friends!  We had over $10,000 in the BEST teacher product giveaways last year...and we are working on surpassing that this year!  We will also be playing some seriously fun get to know ya' games, which will result in forming friendships for life!  Oh! And I can't forget to mention our annual "Teacher Tool" gift swap game! #funandfunctional 

The cost for attending this luncheon event will be $40, which includes your lunch and beverages, as well as a portion of the room reservation/technology fees.  This is the ONLY required fee for the entire weekend!  The rest of the event (hotel fees, if you choose to stay on site, and the remainder of the meal fees will be on your own, based on your choices!).  If you live close, you may choose to drive in for the day.  This fee needs to be paid by Feb. 11 to guarantee your registration.  Also, note that due to the increasing popularity of this event, registration may have to be limited due to size.  (More details for payment will be posted on our private FB meet-up/retreat group page.)

2:00 pm - Teacher Tips & Tricks for Blogging, TPT and more!

After the luncheon and meet-up fun, we will be having a sharing session about teacher technology, blogging and creating TPT products.  Bring some of your best ideas and a list of your favorite resources to share with others!  You might want to bring your laptop for this too!  This session is totally optional...but is a fun way to share ideas and set up networks for blogging, Pinterest, "linky" parties, etc.  Last year's workshop session was INCREDIBLE...and this year's will be even better!  We will be sending out an email survey to everyone who registers, asking for topics of interest. Then, we will be recruiting topic discussion leaders with experience/expertise on the hottest teacher topics to help facilitate our group sharing. Oh! And look forward to lots and lots of informal pop-up presentations, as our questions lead us! We will also be doing some round-table sessions with special topic/grade-level break outs.  We believe everyone has an area of expertise and something to share!  

5:30 pm - Dinner Reservations at Resort Restaurant/s

We will meet up for dinner at one of the resort's casual, but classy restaurants!  This event is not required (just in case you plan to bring your spouse and would prefer a romantic dinner!?), but we will be offering group reservations for dinner that will offer an incredible meal at reasonable prices! (We are teachers, ya' know!)  

9 pm - Saturday Night Social Event:  Epic 80's Party!!!

Teachers Just Wanna’ Have Fun, right?  <-- (That’s a Cyndi Lauper 80’s reference, if ya didn’t get it! LOL) We had SO much fun last year at our Teacher PJ Party that we knew we had to bring back the Saturday night social event!  We have a team of incredibly fun teacher-bloggers who are working hard brainstorming ideas on how to make this event super fun and incredibly inspiring!  Stay tuned for more details…but get your leg-warmers, neon gloves and parachute pants ready!  

(The optional Saturday Social Event will have a cost of $10/attendee to cover room/service fees, party favors, food, photo booth, and much, much more!)

Sunday, March 15th

9:30 am - Sunday Breakfast/Brunch

We will meet at the resort's famous breakfast buffet for our last gathering!  

Good food, good conversations, and goodbyes!

After brunch, you are free to explore the resort or head home, 

re-energized to be the best teacher-blogger you can be! 

 Fun Options for Your Free Time!

If you arrive early, or find some time between sessions or after dinner (or anytime!), attendees may go their own ways, or travel in groups via complimentary shuttle, to any of the resort's entertainment hot spots!  Suggested activities include visiting the West Baden Hotel's spectacular dome, where you can enjoy drinks at Ballard's Bar while watching the dome's colored "light show," or visiting the French Lick Casino for some gaming fun! Other options include visiting the Xanadu Coffee & Creamery for dessert or gathering with new friends in one of the resort's grand lobbies to share blogging tips and tricks!

Wondering if this event is something you might be interested in?  Check out what some of last year's attendees have to say...

Deanna J. "This meet up is like no other! I had so much fun meeting and learning from bloggers from all over the country. The day was packed full of networking opportunities and fun engaging activities. You don't want to miss it!!!"

Lupe R. "I loved the circle when we picked a business card of a teacher we would uplift during the year. That's so important for us to do that for one another because there are enough people putting us or our profession down."

Heidi N. "It was so refreshing to be surrounded by like minded teachers! I left the weekend with new perspective, new ideas, and a lot of new friends!"

Lindsey C. "As a two year attendee, I have always enjoyed the meet up to network with other bloggers and rejuvenate my passion and love for teaching. It is something I have come to look forward to, and I am so grateful for the experience and forever friendships I have gained from the meet ups."

Maja A. "Last year's meet up inspired me to do so many new things, I finished out the school year strong with the things I learned from the other teacher/bloggers there! I am so excited for this years meet up!"

Megan W. "I went to French Lick by myself and was really pushed outside my comfort zone. I had no idea what to expect. It was great meeting friends that I've connected with online over the past 5 years. I loved how informal and stress-free the weekend was. I'm glad I took the plunge and went!"

A few more quotes from our 2014 event attendees...

Annie W.  "Spending time with fellow teachers who share my passion for teaching and blogging was SOOOO invigorating and exactly what I needed last year. Heck this meet up is one of the big reasons I decided to become a TPT seller. Loved seeing and meeting new blogging buddies while exploring the gorgeous resort. Between the tips and tricks from experienced bloggers and the fun experiences we shared, I will definitely be going again. "

Kelsey B. "This meet-up was so inspiring! I left ready to teach and excited about what I do. It is so fun to meet other teachers that share the same passion as you and are willing to share their ideas with you. I had never created anything on TpT, and I learned so much. I met new teachers that I've stayed in close contact with and have learned so much from. It was definitely a weekend I remember and look forward to!"

Simply click HERE to get more information about this event and pre-register!

Don't delay to register!  The registration deadline is February 11th!

We hope to see you there!