This year's AERO Conference, held in Albany in late June, was one of the most exciting events ever!  There was a dazzling number of workshops and presentations.  Vendors displayed newly invented and created items, alongside a selection of books you won't see anywhere else (except in the AERO catalog).  It was easy to strike up a conversation with another browser or listener, since everyone loved to talk about education.  Meals were in the same hotel, with some tables marked for specific discussions.  You would meet your colleagues over lunch, perhaps to talk about a fascinating new book, or idea, or educator.  I met inspirational speakers, authors and artists, problem solvers, alternative teachers, students, and parents, from states and countries far and wide - all educational revolutionaries. 
 
One of the many highlights was the keynote speech by John Taylor Gatto, award-winning teacher and author of Dumbing Us Down and Weapons of Mass Instruction.  Mr. Gatto is a gifted wordsmith with a rare sense of humor.  His talk made light of his many experiences and tussles with traditional institutions.  This is a man who broke the rules and dared to confront the boredom in his stifling NYC classroom!  One of his students confessed that all he wanted to do was act.  Writing out a pass for him, Mr. Gatto gave him an assignment: he was to go on as many auditions as possible that year.  The Dept. of Ed. finally caught up with this student at the end of the year, only to find that he had landed a role on General Hospital.  Through all of John Taylor Gatto's outrageous stories, he makes you think. 

Other conference highlights included special presentations of several documentary films, which were sometimes inspiring and sometimes disturbing, including Race to Nowhere, and The War Against Kids.  These were followed by focused Q and A or panel discussions.  DVDs can be purchased through AERO of the panel discussions and keynote speeches including the wisdom of Herbert Kohl, the energy of Matthew Davis, the wit of John Taylor Gatto, and the international awareness of Shilpa Jain who spoke about community-based education.
 
My own presentation, on child-led learning techniques in the classroom, was very well received.  I predict that many teachers will be adding board games to their stock of learning tools.  At the end of the conference my four days were a blur of information, new contacts and friends, and renewed inspiration. There is talk of moving the conference to the west coast next year.  Wherever AERO puts up its tent, you can expect to find something electrifying going on!