A CréaCamp is good, but four is better!

The CréaCamp formula allows me to seek continuing training in a specific way and to take a step back and then come back to the classroom energized, inspired and even more competent.

By Vicky Veilleux, Sacré-Coeur School of Gracefield

In our community, we have a problem of dropping out of school from the 2^e year of high school. To overcome this challenge, the team of teachers decided to do otherwise by freeing up space in the timetable for a creative laboratory. One afternoon a week to bring great successes to the cutting edge of technology to our young people. But everything had to be built ... and that's when the CréaCamp arrived in my life as a teacher. 

To give us an idea of what a creative laboratory could be, I participated on behalf of my team in my first CréaCamp in Ottawa in February 2019. I participated in a thematic on the gamification of teaching and I I was able to benefit from an educational advisor in creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for more than an hour. He helped me build what the new course could look like at my school. I reported to my team and we went ahead with these ideas. 

Subsequently, I participated in my second CréaCamp, choosing the theme on the flexible class. Indeed, my team had decided to set up this type of class in our new creative laboratory. The CréaCamp in Saint-Lambert therefore allowed me, for a day, to seek out enough information and resources to make this project a reality with full knowledge of the facts and with good, well-founded educational intentions. 

My third and fourth CréaCamps allowed me to get the basic notions and knowledge for the use of digital technology, more specifically on robots. With the Digital Education Action Plan, a large fleet of robots has arrived in our establishment. In two days, I was able to familiarize myself with most of them and even, with the help of a pedagogical advisor from RÉCIT, to make an outline of medium-term planning.

What I like about CréaCamp is that the day goes a bit as I see it. I'll get what I need. Participants also have time for themselves, to exercise their creativity as a teacher, something which is quite rare in other types of training. It is also a great opportunity to discuss practices and equipment with colleagues. In addition, we are greeted in a festive way, it gives the taste to be there (and to return)! 

In short, the CréaCamp formula is effective, it provides relevant and personalized learning and in addition, it is very pleasant. I recommend it to anyone who wants to have an out of the ordinary training!