Conference Season: The Feedback Loop

I am in the midst of the fall teachers conference season, but tomorrow marks my first time traveling out of district this year. I will be headed to the Michigan District conference tomorrow (hashtag #PCWC14) to spend a couple days with colleagues and friends in this part of the country.

While I am used to leading sessions at conferences, I have found myself agonizing over sessions more than in the past. I believe that these are some of the reasons why I really wrestle with what to share at sessions:

• I want to make sure what I share is as valuable for each individual audience as possible.
• There is so much to share and discuss. How do I narrow down what I share at each session?
• I want to provide interactive experiences in conference sessions, but often the time frame is too short to provide the background necessary for an activity and to carry out the activity itself.
• I want to accurately portray technology as a tool for educational improvement and change, not just something to incorporate in the learning process for the sake of technology on its own.
• There are educators with a wide variety of different backgrounds and experiences that show up at my sessions. Some are ready to move forward quickly for change. Some are only ready for small steps.
• I want to stay relevant for myself in serving others, not for my sake, but for the sake of Lutheran education and opportunities for schools to share the Gospel with students and families.

It is for these reasons and others that leading sessions is a real process of wrestling for me.  For those of you attending #PCWC14, please share feedback with me as to whether I am meeting your needs. For others with whom I may have worked the past few years, continue to share your ideas with me as well. I want to be an educator that both leads and serves for the sake of Christ and His mission. Won't you help me do that?

Feel free to share feedback as a reply to this post, or email me at any time. I look forward to hearing from you!