Getting Started as a Presenter at Conferences

Have you ever attended a session at a conference and wondered if you could be a presenter too? If so, what’s holding you back? Perhaps it’s nerves—although educators are professional public speakers, it can be nerve-racking to speak to a room full of adults. Or maybe you’re not sure how to get started or what to say. There are so many creative strategies, methods, lessons, and ideas happening in classrooms everywhere—consider getting out there and sharing your expertise.

I first presented at a small math conference as a new teacher as part of a summer professional development (PD) course. Obviously, I was nervous, but the nerves turned to excitement as my subsequent presentation submissions began to be accepted at larger and more renowned conferences. My excitement comes from sharing strategies and activities that worked in my classroom with fellow teachers. Now, I am eager to submit a proposal for any conference my school’s PD budget can fund (typically I am approved to attend one conference every couple of years).

At the latest conference that I attended, I presented about thinking tasks in a math classroom and asked several educators who also present at conferences to share their advice for those who may want to start on their presenter journey. No matter your title, years of experience, or previous speaking experience, you have valuable knowledge and ideas to share with other educators.

Take Baby Steps

“Start small,” says Elliot Beck, a high school math teacher in Tucson, Arizona. “What is one thing you are excited or passionate about in your practice that you’d like to share? Team up with a buddy. The presenting experience is so much more fun when you are with a trusted colleague, and the workload is shared.”

Additionally, I asked educators who present to share the advantages of being a presenter.

• “The opportunity to network with people outside your school or district is great. I think teachers need to share their knowledge more often. Many conferences give presenters free registration [or discounts].”—Laura Huntington, high school math teacher in Bakersfield, California
• “The collective sharing of resources, information, and techniques is what pushes educators to know and do better. Having even a small part of that be because of something that I said or a technique that I shared is a major advantage of presenting. There is also the aspect that not all teachers want to advance up the ‘corporate’ ladder of education into coaching roles or administration, but opportunities are often limited for teachers to grow professionally. The ability to present at conferences can fill that role for teachers, and I implore all educational leaders to empower, allow, and support your teachers if that is something they want to pursue.”—Ian Boze, calculus teacher at Q.I. Roberts Jr.-Sr. High School in Florahome, Florida

• “Presenting at a conference is an opportunity to humbly share your expertise even though you might not think your topic or content is mind-blowing. What might seem ordinary to you is most likely amazing to someone else. Sharing will not only inspire others to integrate what you’re doing into their own spaces; you might also give another educator the courage to share their expertise as well. It’s a gift that keeps on giving in a million different ways.”—Tammy McMorrow, first-grade teacher in Kuna, Idaho

While there are advantages to being a presenter, there are also some disadvantages.

“Our district does not always have funding, so we have had to pay out of pocket for some conferences,” says Devan Smith, a math coach in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “The cost can sometimes be difficult for public educators to fund themselves. Being away from my family for short periods of time is difficult for me, so those seeking to present will want to consider the impact on their personal lives as well.”

Try Out a Roundtable or Short Session

If you think you’re ready to step up and be a presenter, you may be wondering how to get started. Think back to a conference that you have attended and enjoyed. If you’d consider attending again, check the organization’s website for a “call for submissions.” This call usually goes out several months before the event.

Often you can present for a variety of different session types. I suggest starting with a short session in the beginning. One of my first presentations was at a roundtable discussion in which five to 10 participants gathered to hear my presentation in 15-minute rotations. It was an ideal setup for me as a new presenter.

More educators share their tips on getting started:

• “I never thought I’d want to stand in front of a room of adults; I am very shy and wanted to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone. I started small by presenting to math teachers in my district on Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) after finding huge success using it in my classroom. I received positive feedback, and teachers began implementing what they learned. When we hosted the BTC Workshop in February, I submitted a proposal to share my knowledge with more people interested in learning about BTC and have now presented at three different conferences.”—Felissa Dixon, instructional coach in Tempe, Arizona
• “I have been asked to share at professional development opportunities my entire career. It usually happens because I get so excited about whatever I have recently learned or experienced and I want to share it with my colleagues. That has progressed to sharing at staff meetings, district PD, and now to national conferences. I find that people will ask you to present when they see the energy and enthusiasm you earnestly have for your craft.”—Lauren Kulczycki, sixth-grade social studies teacher in Plymouth-Canton, Michigan

The next time you are thinking about attending a conference, check out the call for submissions section of their website. It takes only a small amount of time to submit a proposal. You don’t have anything to lose by submitting. You might be a bit nervous at first, but consider the impact you can make for educators and students far and wide.