I work at home, so the thought of wearing something other than sweats to work isn’t something that generally gets me excited. When it comes to attending NSTA conferences, though, it’s worth the wardrobe change.
The main reason I attend the conferences is to promote my books, but there’s a lot more than that to look forward to. I connect with friends and colleagues I haven’t seen in a while, and when there are no conflicts with my own sessions, I get to learn a few new things from other presentations. Most important to me, however, is the ability to talk with teachers who use my books.
Some are new to what I have to offer and are willing to try something to shore up their content knowledge. Some, such as teachers who got thrust into a new science teaching field, thank me for keeping them sane. Some let me know about things that are wrong with my books. Some just want to talk, sometimes about science in the classroom and sometimes just cause it’s fun to get together with like-minded science geeks.
The best thing about all these conversations is that we’re all in it together. It’s a conference full of regular people trying to improve their ability to do their job. Very few people I see at NSTA conferences are full of themselves and out to impress others, something I can’t necessarily say about other professional meetings I’ve attended.
And then there’s the real reason I go to these things—I can stock up on Christmas presents with one trip through the exhibit hall.