I've been out with the flu since just after the conference, so I'll just talk about EdRising. My group's "Ethical Dilemma" presentation went better than I expected, and the guest speaker on Thursday, Harvey Alston, was phenomenal. His main idea was that people have to have high expectations in order to have high results, and he believes that positivity is the key to success. Through several short demonstrations that involved the audience, he showed us how a speaker we hardly know can change our expectations for ourselves through just a simple change in vocabulary. Relating this to teaching, I think it really shows the impact a teacher has on their students' morale and ability to self-motivate. As a teacher, I will have to communicate high expectations and also positively cheer on my students throughout the year, which is actually an idea my group used in our presentation too.
Friday was great too; I always enjoy a chance to hear Nick Jackson and Danny Ciamarra speak. Not only did I go to one of their breakout sessions, but I also got to hear them give the closing speech for the conference. Nick and Danny talked even more about the teacher-student relationship and how it is the key to everything. Their discussion really delved in to the topics of student home-life and how teachers can step in to make students feel valued. As a teacher, I will always need to be patient and understanding of my students, even when their actions are seemingly destructive and senseless, because there is always a reason, and there is always a way to show that student that somebody cares about them. I took a lot away from this conference, and I intend to implement these beliefs in everything I do throughout my future career.
Friday was great too; I always enjoy a chance to hear Nick Jackson and Danny Ciamarra speak. Not only did I go to one of their breakout sessions, but I also got to hear them give the closing speech for the conference. Nick and Danny talked even more about the teacher-student relationship and how it is the key to everything. Their discussion really delved in to the topics of student home-life and how teachers can step in to make students feel valued. As a teacher, I will always need to be patient and understanding of my students, even when their actions are seemingly destructive and senseless, because there is always a reason, and there is always a way to show that student that somebody cares about them. I took a lot away from this conference, and I intend to implement these beliefs in everything I do throughout my future career.