KATE

I really had no idea what to expect going into it as I really have not ever been to something quite like this. Was I just going to be listening to talks and lectures? Would we be interacting with the speakers and other teachers during the breakout sessions? Will this even be worth my time, or will I just be hearing the same things that I have heard from my classes? Fortunately, I did find myself picking up a few tips and gaining a bit of knowledge as the conference went along. Due to my work schedule, I was unfortunately not able to attend as much of the KATE conference as I would have liked to. However, for the majority of the sessions that I was able to listen in on, I did gain a fair amount of knowledge and did feel like I got a lot out of it.

While I was a little less than riveted when the initial chair members spoke, I did get a lot out of Brent Crawford’s talk. You could tell that he was very sincere in how grateful he was towards the teachers he had while growing up. It was clear that he had come a long way from where he was back in school to where he is now, and that even he is somewhat surprised that it was writing that put him there. His humor kept the talk lively and through that he made it very easy to see which student he was while growing up. I unfortunately was not able to catch Rachel Hawkins, so if anybody wants to let me know how her talk was comparatively I would be very appreciative.

As for the breakout sessions, I think that the one I got the most out of was “How to Survive Your First Year.” The lady giving the presentation was a fairly young teacher herself, having only taught for three years, so it was clear that her experiences were still fresh in her mind and relevant to what we may experience ourselves. It was really the little things from her talk that struck me the most, the ones that would seem so obvious that we often forget them: Make sure you allow yourself to have a life; end confrontation thoroughly and immediately; take a step back. Essentially, they were the things that would allow you to remain sane during the school year.

While I felt like I was all over the place during the conference, I did have the fortune of doing at least some amount of networking. I received some email addresses from some of the other participants. I was very thankful to see that many of the presenters offered their addresses as well in case we have any questions down the road. Over all, I was very impressed at how open of an environment it was and how willing people were to jump into discussions and ask the presenters questions if there was something that they did not understand.

Again, due to work I was only able to make four of the breakout sessions and listen to one of the keynote speakers so I do feel as though there was a fair amount that I missed out on. However, what I did attend was as much, if not more informative than I expected it to be. Having gone to the conference once certainly gives me a better idea of what to expect if I ever attend this one, or anything similar in the future. 

A Letter To Myself

Dear Scott,

This letter is being written with the hopes that you will read it fifteen years from now (sometime in the year 2027). It is difficult to say what you will be doing by the time you reread this, as I know you are currently pursuing many potential paths that you could take come the end of your five undergraduate years. I am writing this letter not to persuade you to do anything radical with the rest of your career, but rather to remind you where you came from as an undergrad.

As this letter is being written, you are currently spending your semester participating in your pre-student teaching. You have been fortunate enough to work with a classroom full of some great students, as well as cooperating teacher who has been more than willing to help you along the way. It is my understanding that you were a little bit nervous coming into this school as it hasn’t always had the best reputation. It is amazing how much an impression can change once you actually start working somewhere, isn’t it? (Pssst, remember the positive feelings you had about the first school you observed in? Yeah, it works both ways.) No matter where you are now, or where you wind up in another fifteen years, please do not forget that.

I would also like to remind you about the first week in which you had a classroom full of freshman students mostly to yourself. It is amazing what can happen when you are thrust into the fire, isn’t it? Yeah, there were a few hiccups- like when half the class left the room to listen to the band in the hallway- but hiccups happen. What is important is that rather than succumbing to a nervous fit, you actually became much more confident when you were handed the reins. Your interaction with the students increased substantially, and you had little trouble building relationships and, therefore, building respect. I hope this quality has remained with you these past few years.  If it hasn’t, get it back.

In short, these are the two most important pieces of information that I can impart to you:  1. Don’t draw conclusions about anything until you have had the chance to experience it; 2. Be confident, it goes a long way.

Sincerely,

Scott

P.S.

Come to think of it, there is one last piece I want to pass your way. If you have developed the habit of asking people, “Does that make sense to you,” after explaining something, please smack yourself upside the head.