As a professional educator, it is vital to participate in ongoing professional development. One way to do this is by attending professional conferences. Conferences not only allow you to learn about the newest research-based strategies, they also provide the opportunity to network with fellow educators. Below are reflections on two of my most recently attended conferences.
TESOL International Conference 2008 in Seattle, WA
During my time at TESOL International in Seattle, I was able to network with many graduate school colleagues as well as other public school educators. I attended several sessions on incorporating corpus linguistics as a tool for instruction, developing listening skills for language learners, and reading in the content areas. There were sessions on immigration, school reform in light of immigration, and the Dream Act. One of the highlights of this conference was being able to present a poster presentation and speak to nearly one hundred people about utilizing environmental print as a resource for language instruction. During this time, I also had the opportunity to volunteer in the Job Market Place as well as learn about the policy making portion of TESOL International. In terms of educational leadership, this conference most directly relates to Standard 2 in developing a positive school culture by utilizing research-based strategies to drive instruction effectively. Click for pictures.
National Dropout Prevention Network Conference 2009 in Atlanta, GA
The National Dropout Prevention Network Conference in Atlanta was a fantastic experience. Not only did I have the privilege to present two presentations with other Graduation Coaches from my county, I was also able to learn more about preventing at-risk students from choosing to dropout of high school. This conference was centered on assisting professionals in developing programs or methods to reach all students who might be at-risk for not completing school. Sessions dealt with homework recovery programs, involving parents, engaging faculty in meaningful conversations about instruction, and finding ways to meet students where they are currently. One of the highlights of this conference was discovering the multitude of resources such as the Mattie C. Stewart Foundation and their Choice Bus presentation. In terms of educational leadership, this conference most directly relates to Standard 4 and Standard 6 in developing meaningful ways to foster collaborative relationships with the community while advocating to positively influence the larger cultural context to provide students with better educational opportunities. Click for pictures.
