Student investment in your conference session choices

On the first day with a new student I tell them that I expect them to come to class and they can expect me to be there also. If they are absent it better be for a good reason, not ‘I just didn’t want to come’. They can expect the same from me, I will be there unless I’m too sick to get out of bed or maybe something has happened in the facility (Jail)  which doesn’t allow them to come, otherwise I’ll be there.  I take attendance seriously, I expect it from them and they can expect it from me.  I don’t schedule doctor/dentist appointments or personal days on Tuesdays or Thursdays.  Those are class days.  So when I am gone on a class day, it better be important. Vacations are an exception– the pull of grandchildren is strong! Conferences are also an exception. Vacations they understand but they often don’t understand conferences. “Why are you going there? ” is often asked.

Well, if they are going to ask a question that opens a door wide open, I am going to step through it.  “Conferences teach me,” I tell them, “so I can better teach you.”   “What are they going to teach you?” is usually the follow up question.  That great big open door opens even further. I take a deep breath and I start to tell them about all the exciting sessions that COABE or IAACE has to offer. You see, like you, I’ve already spent a couple of months preparing myself for the conference.  I look over the early preview of sessions and I start to pull any session that sounds interesting. Subject sessions like math, writing or reading are always on my radar, as are anything having specifically to do with correctional settings. Trauma based learning has risen to the top recently along with engagement and retention sessions.  Sometimes I want  sessions on how I can grow in my skills as a teacher and sometimes what hits me is how I can help my students grow.  I try to take an honest look at my teaching skills: where are my holes and how can a session fill or at least start to fill those holes. Sometimes I’m looking for the pot holes in my program. How can I make those less deep?   Occasionally,  I want something random, something new to light a spark to an idea that I didn’t even know needed a match to set it afire.  I try not to be random too often, but spice does add a nice variety to life.

Presently I’m pouring over the COABE sessions list.  I started with at least fifty topics for twelve sessions. I  copied and pasted them  into another document for a closer look later.  I reviewed my list and started adding stars to ones I thought were the can’t miss ones, ones that if there was a conflict it was the one I had to go to.  I shifted them into categories by topic: math or trauma (sometimes math is the trauma!), empowerment, enrichment, or test prep.  Then I agonizingly wait until the official times are released, when each session will be offered.  Back to my master list I go and sort by day and hour. My list is now about thirty-six sessions long.  I edit again, until I have ones that are the absolute must– the best out of all the great choices. Now comes the hard work of choosing the final twelve. This time I had seven spots where I had multiple choices: all good, all necessary, and all important to me or my program. What to choose?

This is when I involve my students. Remember that question, “why are you going to be gone?” I’m going to be gone for these sessions.  I lay out my choices, showing them why each is important, why each will add either to my knowledge base or to theirs and I let them help me decide which is the best use of my time. They read the descriptions, I help with the problem solving  between good and better (after all who doesn’t struggle with that concept?).  I want them invested in my choices. I want them to see that my time away is for their benefit as well as mine.

“These three seem the same, so you don’t need to go to this or that one, so you can choose this one instead,”  one student said, flipping my pages back and forth. This is ownership, investment, and a voice in a world that gives them little choices.

When I return, I’ll need to go through what I learned. Remember, I’ll say, you thought I should go to this session. Here’s what I learned, here’s how it will help me teach you, or here’s how it can help you learn. This is not random, but purposeful. X=Y, this session-x,  equaled  this knowledge-y. (Did I just make a math analogy?)

Will I take every suggestion they make? Maybe not, but I will take it into consideration when I make my final list. Presently there is one session where there is a conflict with my number one choice and theirs. There is still time for some debate still ahead.  Will every student want a say? No. But some will and for those that want to give input, I want to give them a chance to have that opportunity. Offering the chance of an opinion is risky, they might suggest something that you think you’re good at. Don’t ask if you are not willing to be surprised.

The COABE conference will be the second time I have opened up myself to see what they think I should learn. I plan to do it again for the fall IAACE Conference as well. For me, their investment in the program is worth at least a session or two of my time.

See you at COABE in Indianapolis!

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