Blogging from Paris! After a great couple of days at TESOL France, helping demo English360 and enjoying a wonderful range of International presenters and participants, I realize once again that conferences are an excellent springboard for ideas.
As we refocus on Monday, the week ahead and the next venue for our meet up (Rome TESOL?, Posnan BESIG?, Harrogate IATEFL?) I feel elated to have shared time and energy with some dear Twitterers and TESOL members.
On Saturday, Lindsay Clandfield gave a super presentation on Blogging Your Way to Being A Better Teacher – showcasing his http://sixthings.net/ blog roll and describing how blogging helps
![Paris 360° view of Paris and TESOL](https://lifelonglearning.edublogs.org/files/2009/11/Paris-300x214.jpg)
360° view of Paris and TESOL
I’d like to steal the “Six Things” idea to add my Six Reasons I Love Conferences.
I love conferences because…
- they are welcome break from everyday teaching, training or consulting.
- the names on books, blogs or tweets are brought to life in a smile, by tiny gestures or a glass of wine 😉
- their sum is greater than the parts. The many inspiring individuals, conversations and presentations generate a sum total which totally exceeds all quantification!
- Pecha Kuchas are fun, lively and democratic ways of thinking in 20 seconds about the impact of words, images and content.
- you realize how wonderfully skilled and varied educators are. Meeting up with global friends and colleagues to exchange insights and news is healthy.
- the buzz is energizing, refreshing and helps build a learning continuum that stretches from prior knowledge to future adventures.
Thanks TESOL France! Thanks @burcuakyol , @cleve360 , @ShellTerrell , @dudeneyge , @kenwilsonlondon, @cheimi10 , @lclanfield, and @paulmaglione, @Britsmiles , @arthurmckeown and all the other outstanding minds.
November 9, 2009 at 3:49 am
Valentina,
It was wonderful meeting you face to face! I love your six reasons for loving conferences. The presentations were really dynamic and helped me self reflect on my own practices. I am really excited about the 360 site! I already signed up for the preview!
November 9, 2009 at 9:14 am
Hi there
Good to see you, and to find this blog! I had looked for your blog but could only find the 360 stuff. Very nice template! And I agree with you about you six things re: conferences.
I’m off to add your blog to my blogroll and presentation now!
L
November 9, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Hi Valentina
Thanks for your passionate description of the buzz of a F2F conference. I also like them for the same reasons!
I attended a lot of fantastic live webinars this past weekend (avealmec) and I think these live sessions have a certain exciting element about them, especially when they are interactive and involve participants.
I can’t wait for TESOL-Italy and look forward to points 1-6 above. Hopefully we can meet each other f2f 🙂
All the best
Janet
November 10, 2009 at 12:10 am
@ShellTerrell – super meeting you and thanks for inspiring my point 5!
@lclanfield – sorry to pinch your SIX things, I’ll stay off that 😉 it was just sparked by your gr8 talk and reminded me that I should blog a bit more often – probably about 1000 things. I’m really a Wiki woman… indeed my talk at TESOL Italy nect week will be “W i k i = What I Know is Wikis… work”
@janetbianchini – see next Friday!
Lovely to read your awesome comments, still at St Charles after long productive day,
V