This blog post is co-written by best friends, Nycol Didcote and Annick Rauch after attending Connect 2017 in Niagara Falls.

At the beginning of the school year, we were searching for a conference to attend which would be worthwhile… so, we decided to ask for advice from someone who knows his way around conferences: George Couros. We had certain restrictions, and with those in mind, he suggested Connect 2017. After we both got approved to attend the conference, we started planning! Last Tuesday morning, we boarded our plane and off we went! Although the falls and attractions were truly breathtaking, and spending 6 days together was so recharging, what we appreciated more than most people will ever understand was being together, exploring and expanding our passions with so many other amazing educators. Here are the treasures that we found at Connect 2017:

• Meeting educators who we’ve been following on Twitter and hearing them speak was powerful. We were actually quite giddy to connect face to face with Jennifer Casa-Todd, Tiffany Poirier, and Brian Aspinall. Although meeting these inspiring educators was nothing short of amazing, what was even more remarkable was how extremely, kind, welcoming, and down to earth they all were. What a touching experience.
  • Jennifer’s message regarding why, how, and when we should address digital citizenship in context really resonated with us. It is so important for students to become digital leaders from a young age so that their digital footprint is a positive one.
  • Tiffany’s inspiring keynote focused on the importance of big questions as well as all types of questions asked within the classroom. We cannot find the answers to our questions without first knowing them. Allow questions to lead you and your students’ growth!
  • Brian’s passion exuded while he spoke of the importance of computational thinking. His numerous examples showcased how simple and effective integrating coding in all subject areas can be. Computer programming is a new way of communicating with an audience and is a new language that is essential and relevant in today’s world.
• Attending Ignite Niagara allowed us to listen in on what other innovative educators are doing in their classrooms in a super casual and laid back setting. It was so energizing to be in the same room as so many passionate educators which proved to ignite many deep and worthwhile conversations. What a fantastic night: educators leading, learning, and laughing! In the words of Jonathan So, “Be with people who make you better”. It’s safe to say that we were definitely in good company!

Although we were attending a technology conference, we noticed that our greatest takeaways were all based on passion, people and relationships. After all, as Brian said, “Education is a Human System” and we believe that human connection is at the forefront of learning. Witnessing the passion that drives these speakers forward is contagious and directly impacts educators, which in turn impacts their students, and their colleagues.

We’ll never know to which degree we’ve influenced and inspired our students. Our hope is that they will become leaders for positive change because we’ve connected with their hearts and allowed their minds to work on problems that are important to them. As Shiza Shahid said, “The power of education is the world’s greatest equalizer”. We must first understand inequalities and see room for improvement, as well as the potential in others by connecting with each other, in order to achieve this ideal.