The SCASL Annual Conference is fast approaching–3.5 weeks away! Yeah um, I need to be working on my own preso. I’m trying to plan my trip–I get to hangout with my sister who lives in Charleston. It is so difficult to stay away from our conference as each year I am amazed at the content flowing, the networking happening, and the pride I have in our annual event. I will once again short-change my sister. I can’t help it. We have just too great a conference to stay away!
So this is an attempt to collect tips for a successful conference. Here are mine:
- Once the conference schedule and concurrent session guide is posted online, take some time to pre-plan. Read over the events, sessions, and activities, and make yourself a schedule of sorts that includes topic, time, room # and presenter. Be sure to store this in a place where you’ll be able to find it. I will probably store mine in a Google Docs, and then I’ll be able to access it from my laptop or my phone.
- Once the conference begins, I put a small slip of paper in my id badge that lists times, room #s, and speakers so with one quick glance down (through the back of my clear badge holder), I know where I am going next. It beats flipping through the book between sessions, or worse, flipping through the book planning my next session and MISSING part of the one I’m in.
- Lighten your load! When you arrive you’ll get a conference bag piled with announcements, fliers, etc. Take it all out (except what you NEED). You’ll be amazed at how rapidly your bag fill each day
- Take a brightly colored ribbon to tie around your handle. When all those bags are sitting together in rows, it can be confusing figuring out which is yours. Make yours noticeable. A cute ribbon can do the trick.
- Wear comfy shoes. As you mingle with friends or cruise through the exhibit hall, your feet will appreciate being in a comfy pair of shoes.
- Layers! While the spring temps may make us want to lose the winter attire, often times the meeting spaces vary in temperature. Wear removable jackets or sweaters so you’ll be comfortable no matter the clime.
- Create and carry business cards or stickers with your contact information. This will make signing up for drawings a quick and painless snap. Give some to your friends and new acquaintances too.
- If you are a pack horse–you just can’t say no to ‘give-aways’ in the exhibit hall, then carry an extra suitcase, box, or container. Usually I go out for dinner with friends a couple of times while at conference. Every time I’m leaving my hotel room, I try to take a pack of stuff to the car. Sometimes it’s items picked up at the conference, and sometimes it’s as simple as dirty clothes or shoes I know I won’t wear again while there. It makes packing that last morning a lot easier.
So, what are you best conference tips?
Written by Cathy Nelson
Dorman High School
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Great tips, Cathy.
I would add that along with going through the program schedule and writing a “cheat sheet” that you should choose a first, second and possibly third choice for each time slot. You never know what may come up, such as late cancellation, no heat/air in a room (which means I vacate!), or you find you already know the material and can slip out the back to go to another session. While slipping out may seem rude, my time is valuable to me and I’m there to learn something new or innovative. Also, if the presenter is READING from PowerPoint, I’ll leave in a heartbeat.
Coordinate with others from your school/district/PLN so that you cover different sessions and then share notes/resources.
Be an active audience member – ask questions and share your opinion/experiences/advice. Again, we’re there to learn from each other. Most presenters appreciate knowing someone is listening!
Just remember to respect the presenter, please!
I keep a bottle of water and a couple snacks to keep hydrated and blood sugar up! Also cheaper than paying vending or conference snack bar prices. I bring a case of water and snacks from home which also help with late night munchies, too!
Don’t take promotional materials from the vendors (ie: catalogs) unless it’s one you REALLY want. They just weigh your bag down and the vendors are more than willing to put you on their mailing list if you aren’t there already. I found that I throw almost all of the catalogs away once I get back to my hotel room, so now I only take a flier or business card – never a catalog – if I want to remember a particular product I’ll write it down on the back of the business card.