Jerry Haddock, Ed.D.,
serves as the director of ACSI’s Southern California Region. Dr. Haddock coordinates the Association’s largest teacher convention, attended by approximately 10,000 annually.
Today’s knowledge-oriented society requires effective professionals to be lifelong learners. To first acquire this mind-set and then to instill it in students is the duty of educators. Students learn a great deal from the behaviors modeled by their teacher. Teachers who show enthusiasm for learning and take an active role in bringing fresh ideas and creative teaching approaches to the classroom will impart to students an excitement for learning. Conversely, teachers who are negative about learning quench children’s thirst for knowledge. Students notice when their teacher grumbles and complains about having to read a book, take a course, or attend a seminar. It is not surprising that we are warned in the book of James: “[L]et not many of you become teachers.”
Teachers have responsibility for imparting both knowledge and the love of knowledge. An effective way to help reach these goals is to participate with enthusiasm in professional development through annual conventions and conferences. Regardless of the level of experience, teachers should try not to grow weary of coming together with fellow educators and professionals. Such experiences help prevent stagnation and lackluster teaching. The existence of new knowledge, changing skills, and advancing technology is only one of the reasons that concepts such as continuing education and lifelong learning have become so familiar. Because of their position, teachers must be role models of learning and must demonstrate they are responding to the call of such a worthy profession. Staying abreast of trends, issues, and advanced thought is an important part of that responsibility.
Continuing education is essential for professionals who want to stay current in their fields. With rare exceptions, professionals, including those in education, must invest time each year in further education and training. Most of the requirements can be met by attending training courses that qualify for continuing education units (CEUs). ACSI-certified teachers and administrators must fulfill specific biblical and professional studies requirements in order to renew their certificates, and often CEUs will suffice.
For Christian school educators, a practical way to fulfill continuing education requirements is to attend annual ACSI regional teacher conventions. The conventions allow Christian school personnel not only to come together and glean from experts but also to share ideas, techniques, and strategies with others.
Each convention has unique opportunities for discovery, and to receive the greatest benefit, delegates should plan ahead. Preconvention materials vary, but most convention planners provide delegates with some selection information in advance. Carefully studying the available offerings and making selections beforehand saves valuable convention time, resulting in a more productive experience. Note: Smaller conventions do not have the same necessity for extensive preconvention reports, so the provision of these materials varies.
The seminar category report provides a seminar list organized by categories. Convention attendees should determine ahead of time which of the general categories would best serve their needs and interests, for example, discipline, special services, secondary history, counseling, and chapel. The seminar session report has the dates and times of the seminars listed, enabling convention delegates to choose specific seminars. Discussing options among teachers, deciding who will attend each seminar, and creating tentative personal schedules before arriving at the convention will maximize the benefits to your school.
While the majority of seminars are one hour in length, you will likely find seminars that are longer. These are commonly referred to as extended seminars, which include two 2-hour sessions with a break in between (total of four hours), special focus seminars (three to five hours), and CEU seminars (six hours). Many of the extended seminars require preregistration. Often delegates arrive at the convention to find that the extended seminar they selected is already full, so be sure to ask your administrator for preregistration materials.
The complaint of overcrowdedness is commonly heard among convention delegates. Selecting a seminar that you really want to attend and then being met at the door with “I’m sorry, the room is full” can be frustrating. The frustration intensifies when half of the session is wasted selecting another seminar. A simple solution is to preselect three seminars for each session of the convention. Then if you find your seminar of choice already filled, you can quickly proceed to your second or third choice.
Most ACSI conventions feature a two-track system. Generally this approach provides for an hourly rotation between the preschool/elementary track and the junior/senior high track. Many delegates fill their schedule to the brim by attending seminars from both tracks. While limited crossover can be beneficial, delegates should reserve time to take full advantage of the convention. Reserve time for the exhibition hall and the myriad of networking opportunities.
Each ACSI convention features an exhibition that showcases products and services for the Christian school. When planning your personal schedule, you can allow time for examining the educational resources on display. At most ACSI conventions, teachers need to reserve several hours for this experience. Browsing the exhibits is educationally beneficial to both delegates and their schools.
Conventions are great places to meet and then share ideas with colleagues from other schools. Take time to meet new friends, to network with others. Often discussions over coffee or lunch result in rich exchanges of information. A simple “How do you” gets the conversation rolling toward meaningful dialogue.
When you return from the convention with copious notes and useful handouts, you are ready to make some decisions. You can file your notes in a cabinet where you will most likely never refer to them again. Or you can respond to the following three simple questions, possibly making a significant difference in the way you do your work:
- What did I learn from the convention?
- Considering what I learned, what can I do to improve my classroom instruction?
- What did I learn that might be useful to other staff members?
The school will receive the greatest impact from the convention if its delegates lead a debriefing session, sharing their responses to these three questions. The format could be to have those with similar job assignments meet for small-group discussions, each led by a convention delegate. In this way, the entire faculty learns from the convention experience. After all, the ebb and flow of new ideas helps the learning process stay fresh and exciting.
Most veteran teachers are naturals at planning and leading seminars. However, teachers are often reluctant to lead seminars because they feel inadequate as public speakers. It may be helpful to know that teachers often indicate on their evaluation forms that the best seminars they attended were those taught by other teachers. Teachers are eager to learn from peers who face similar issues and challenges. Your practical ideas and suggestions may be more beneficial than polished presentations from professional speakers who do not spend time daily in the classroom. If the idea of being a presenter appeals to you, make it a matter of prayer. It may be that God is planting a seed for a whole new realm of opportunity for you!
Attending the Annual ACSI Conventions 6.1