TL;DR:
- Attending conferences promotes continuous learning, empowering educators to bring fresh insights and skills back to their classrooms.
- Conferences provide a platform to connect with like-minded educators, fostering collaborations and creating a supportive professional community.
- Investing time in professional development rejuvenates teachers, offering self-care and reigniting their enthusiasm for education, ultimately benefiting both educators and students.
Building Bridges to Success with Professional Development
Picture this: A teacher walking into a professional development session with a frown and a sense of negativity. It’s a common sight, but let me tell you…attending professional conferences could be a total game-changer! It is all about your mindset, right? Sure, some folks might be skeptical about being forced to sit through lectures and workshops but trust me, there’s a whole world of professional development out there that’s worth exploring.
And the best part? You get to choose! I want to encourage you to attend professional conferences. There are a ton of good ones to choose from. In my educational experience, some of the best ones have been at the regional and national level. There are both free and paid events, such as at NSTA (National Science Teachers Association), Google Summit, the Ohio Educational Technology Conference, and most recently, PowerSchool Edge.
I have also heard wonderful things about the OMLA conference if you teach middle school. There are also some great virtual events. Check out Schoology Connect Ohio and Matt Miller’s #DitchSummit as well as the plethora of options offered by the Teach Better Academy.
Why should you take valuable time away from your student to attend one of these learning opportunities? I have three reasons for you…
We want to encourage our students to be life-long learners and what better way than to model that for them with professional development? Click To Tweet
1.You will learn something new!
We want to encourage our students to be life-long learners and what better way than to model that for them with professional development?
Share with your students your excitement to attend a professional conference where you will meet with and learn alongside like-minded educators. Let your students be a part of your learning and show them how you are investing in being a better teacher. I guarantee if you go into a professional conference with an open mind and willingness to learn, you will bring back something new. When you get home, you will be able to share that knowledge with colleagues and teach others about your new tech skill or class management procedure.
2. Network with like-minded educators.
While attending a conference, put yourself out there and meet new people. I have met so many amazing educators and those connections make me a better teacher. I am amazed at the skills and talents of colleagues all over the United States. Recently, I have connected with a teacher in Texas for some accountability. We are both working towards the same goal and I really needed a kick in the butt to keep going.
Because of my conference networking connections, I knew just who to contact and it made me so happy to reconnect. I was also able to reach out to some teachers throughout Ohio to help with some local professional development. I was in awe at the willingness of educators to give up their time to share their knowledge and help others. My excitement and love of education is because of my students and the people I work with—both locally and across many states.
[scroll down to keep reading]
3. Renew your passion and reignite your career.
Rounding out my top three reasons to attend professional opportunities is that it will rejuvenate you and renew your passion for teaching. We all need some self-care and spending a day focused on your own learning can be just that. It is even better when it includes an overnight stay where you can sprawl across your hotel bed, enjoy a good, undisturbed meal, and allow yourself a moment to relax. That actually sounds like a great night and something I would pay to do 😉
Are you wondering how to make this happen?
Believe it or not, sometimes it is as simple as asking your administration if they would support you. Give them detailed information about which conference you want to attend and why. Many districts set aside money for professional learning and you just have to ask to use it.
If that doesn’t work, there are numerous grant opportunities for teachers. You can research these and find funding that enables you to attend. If you are covering the cost of the conference, many school districts will allow you to use professional days to attend. If that doesn’t work, submit a conference proposal yourself and share your knowledge and expertise with other educators.
Everyone has something to share and others can learn from you. Not all conferences waive the fees for presenters, but most of them give a discount at the very least.
If you are not sure about presenting, a lot of conferences are looking for volunteers to help with registration and room check ins. You can give up a few hours of your time, get involved with the professional learning community, and participate in learning sessions. Again, not every conference has this opportunity, but it is worth checking out.
If you are in a rut with teaching or want to reignite your spark, a professional conference is just what you need. Set some educational goals for 2024 and make room for professional development.
About Susan Jones
Susan Jones has been in education for seventeen years. She spent the first sixteen years of her career as a high school science teacher. This past year, Susan has taken on a new role as the Alternative Learning Coordinator at Ottawa-Glandorf High School. Since 2015, Susan has been presenting at educational conferences such as Ohio Google Summit, SPARCC, and OETC. She also runs district-wide professional development for local school districts. She is a member of the Ohio Blended Collaborative and Powerschool Circle of Champions.
