Fifty educators came out to Georgia Southern’s Armstrong campus on Saturday, November 1, for Unconference, a burnout-busting day dedicated to recognizing teachers as their whole selves and exploring learning and teaching environments where everyone feels engaged, valued, and set up for success.
What happened at Unconference?
- Creative Exploration: Hands-on “art class” activities to ignite imagination, including “There I Fixed It” blackout poetry and mindful macrame. (pictured below)
- Workshops: Instructional activities led by the Deep Writing Project 2025 cohort of educators and leaders, from pickling for food justice to recycling Olympics!
- Lunch-n-Learn: Insider conversations on navigating the education system.
- Relationship Building: Opportunities (both structured and organic) to connect and build relationships with local educators across hierarchies and silos. We had district leaders, pre-service educators from GSU, community-based educators, and teachers from 18 schools and all different content areas.
- Mindfulness and Restorative Practices: Guided tools for well-being and resilience, including singing bowls, journaling, and resting our bodies in the ways we felt led.
- Instructional Resources: Model visuals that create a welcoming and engaging environment, cool-down corner strategies, and relationship-building activities.
Memorable moments
In one session, the discussion of students being leveled up in grade but not in literacy ability or skill turned into a conversation about creating learning opportunities outside the traditional school system. The session ended with participants dreaming together about what that could look like, and educators exchanged contact information to keep the dialogue going.
In another workshop, participants grappled with how teachers could advocate for their students who may be targeted for dress code violations, especially if it’s not really a violation (e.g., hair beads). Diverse viewpoints were shared, and participants dug into complex questions, like, “Who was the dress code made for, anyway?”
From Unconference attendees
“This gathering was honestly life-changing for me. The speakers were unique and fantastic, the folks attending were delightful, and I feel a renewed confidence about my role in helping professions in Savannah.”
“I am eager to deepen the partnership with Deep (pun intended). We know the work with students and teachers is powerful, but how do we build the case for expansion? I also think about the adult learning practices I picked up today and how we can use these with senior leaders and principals.”
“This conference rejuvenated me, and it was so good to network and find people with similar mindsets and passions. My goal is to get more staff from my building to attend next year and see the great work that is happening in our community.”
Join us Next Year
The Unconference is one component of Deep Center’s programs for educators who share our commitment to fostering educational experiences where each person, including teachers, young people, and family members, is valued in their full and complex humanity.
If you’re an educator and you’d like to join our email list for upcoming events, please reach out to Megan Ave’Lallemant at megan@deepcenter.org.