Attending Conferences: A Pep-rally for Professionals

This past Monday I had the luxury of attending my first conference for professional development. It was sponsored by the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) and was held at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA (beautiful campus btw...).  The theme of this conference was teaching students with Down Syndrome, and more specifically, teaching them using the Common Core Standards.

Upon arrival I felt like a kid in a candy shop - teacher resources (BOOKS!) and two exhibit spaces with agencies and specialists promoting techniques and strategies and answering questions about how to be better at the job we've been charged to do.  And all of this was before the first speaker took the stage.

There is nothing more empowering for a teacher than hearing the success story of a student - from the student herself.  One of the keynote addresses was from a successful, 28 year old woman who has Down Syndrome.  She passed all of her MCAS exams, graduated high school, and is is one class away from finishing an associates degree.  She works, has a social life, and does everything a typical young woman would hope to do!  She described how her parents pushed her to be successful and did everything they could to educate her teachers so that THEY could push her to succeed.  In high school she gave her teachers an annual PowerPoint presentation of her strengths and weaknesses, goals and fears. (could our typical students even accomplish this?!) Listening to her speak was a message of never underestimate your students and always strive to make them achieve high expectations.

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So, it's 10:30am (on an average school day I'm already reaching for that 3rd cup of coffee!) and I'm amped up, ready to learn, and excited to engage with my peers in some real professional development.  The rest of the day was a whirl of great teaching strategies, research-based methods of instruction / behavior modification, and decades of insight that, as a new teacher, I only scratched the surface of.

By 2:30pm the Conference is over and I find myself disappointed that it has to end (even though it's 40mins past the last bell of the school day...).  So many unanswered questions, but too many new ideas to keep track of.  I again feel that same feeling of anticipation and excitement I felt the first time I stepped into a classroom.

I hope I'm able to attend at least one conference each year for the rest of my career.  Thus far, there has been no better refueler for me than this.  My recommendation to you would be, if you haven't attended a professional conference recently - go to one; you may well find that extra boost you've been searching for.

-MB