Why Attend a Conference?
Sheila Amato
I just returned from attending (and presenting at)
my 100th conference. Ah, not really... I didn't actually keep count of how many conferences I
have attended during my almost 40-year teaching
career, but it sure FEELS like I've attended and
presented at 100. Maybe I've attended more than
100. Why do I do this? Let me explain.
I love to learn new things about my field, meet
new colleagues, and reconnect with those who I
don't see very often. And I always come home
from a conference happily exhausted, but also refreshed, rejuvenated, and full of enthusiasm for
the potentials that await me.
There are local conferences in my community,
conferences within my home state, conferences
in other states in our country (that's a great way
to reach my goal of stepping foot in all 50 states;
I'm almost there!), conferences in the continent of
North America, across the oceans, and on islands. No, there are no conferences in outer
space yet - not to my knowledge, anyway. While
attending conferences, I have also had the opportunity to experience great things like visiting historical sites such as Ground Zero and the Gettysburg Battlefields, walking over the Golden Gate
Bridge, eating Kansas Bar-B-Que, almost getting
smacked in the head by a flying fish at the Pike
St. Fish Market in Seattle, walking the crooked
street in San Francisco, and sharing a hurricane
with some good friends in New Orleans.
Conferences come in all sizes and shapes and
attract a variety of professionals, consumers, parents, and entrepreneurs. What a wonderful opportunity to listen to the thoughts and needs of
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