As part of their continuing education work, many teachers attend special conferences. Science teachers are no exception. The goal of conferences for science educators is to help teachers establish contacts, brainstorm and stay informed about the latest products, curricula, trends and teaching methods in the classroom.

There are many scientific conferences organized by various associations throughout the year throughout the United States. As a teacher preparing to attend one of these conferences, here are some tips to help you make the most of your conference experience.

Tips:

• Bring additional paper and pens. Something pocket is good for quick notes. You may want to write something during a presentation or even during a quick conversation with a colleague.

• Bring one of your ribbon tapes from home to show your name tag. The slings are also useful to keep the pens within reach.

• Bring a personal or school laptop to organize and take notes at the end of the day. The laptop can also be useful during the day, if the facilities have capacity for laptops for teachers.

• Bring an extra bottle of water and a small snack in case a presentation lasts a long time or if you stay overnight and the conference lasts more than one day.

• Review the conference agenda in advance and select the events you wish to attend. Choose presentations and workshops that benefit you the most.

• Actively participate in the conference sessions to make the most of your conference experience.

• Stay in a hotel on the conference list. This is useful in two ways. First, it will be close to all events. Second, you can connect with other teachers once the day’s activities have ended.

National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) Conference

While several different associations organize conferences for Science workshops for Primary schools, the NSTA conference is one of the best known. NSTA conferences are open to members and non-members. These conferences strive to inform teachers about teaching strategy, research and content.

What makes conferences such great resources for teachers is that they provide a forum for professional growth. In a conference, teachers can benefit from collaboration with their peers and educational leaders.

What to expect

At NSTA conferences, teachers will participate in workshops and presentations. They will hear from distinguished speakers on a variety of topics, and short courses and social events are also planned. One of the most important parts of an NSTA conference is the Science Education Materials Exhibition. As one of the largest curriculum displays, it is an incredible resource for science teachers.

Other conferences

In addition to the national and area conferences held by the NSTA, there are many associations of science teachers at the state and local level. These conferences provide similar resources and information for teachers, but generally on a smaller scale. Check with teacher groups in your area for information about these conferences and other educational resources for science teachers.