mazakaal Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I'm hoping to go to the March homeschool conference in Greenville, but I'm becoming overwhelmed with all they have to offer. There are so many speakers and vendors. Where do I start? I've only been to a conference once - in Charlotte in 2003 - so I don't really know how to 'work' a conference, and I don't want to be so overwhelmed by it all that the whole thing is a collossal waste of time and money. High on the priority list is seeing SWB and Jessie Wise, and I'd like to hear MCT and Andrew Pudewa. I don't even know who most of the other speakers are, but I'd hate to miss any great ones. I really need to research options for high school, but I've never heard of most of the vendors either. So how do you organize yourself when you go to a conference? Do I just need to spend hours looking up all these speakers and vendors to determine which will be valuable for me? Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I expect it will be overwhelming. Hopefully in some really good ways! (I'm excited!) I'm waiting for the workshop list with times to come out. I'm going to pick the sessions I want to see and do my best to get to them. I know the subjects I need to buy for for next year and I'm keeping a list with questions I want to find out/curriculum I want to look at, so I know what my priorities are in the exhibit hall. I'm sure there'll be other things I want to look at and that I'll miss some stuff that's nifty, but this is how I'm prioritizing. I think we'll be getting a hotel... just need to figure out which one now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 When the speaker schedule comes out (if it hasn't already,) just print it out. Then go through and highlight whenver those four are speaking on something that sounds interesting. That will give you a framework. As you skim through, highlight anything else you might want to see. Wherever you have blocks of unhighlighted time slots, that can be your shopping time. I find it better to make several "shopping blocks" in a row, rather than trying to run back and forth between the vendor hall and the speakers, losing myplace and my frame of mind. So I find the half day or so in which there aren't as many speakers (or things I would like on tape to listen to again) and make that shopping time. I try to plan them with meals as part of them. I don't go to every vendor. I did at my first conference or two, but now I don't need to. There are so many "hey, I decided to write a curriculum and publish it myself, even though I have no qualifications" places that just aren't worth the time, as well as non-homeschool-related vendors. I go through the vendor list and figure out who I really need to visit, based on what I need to look for for the following year. I find it more productive to spend an amount of time in fewer booths, talking to the authors/speakers there and really looking, than to skim everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaMa2005 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I've been to many a convention - being it HS, educational, technology, etc. This is how I work a convention/conference. Vendor Hall - Start on one side or the other. Have in mind what you are looking for. Ask a vendor if they have such a product. They are there to make sales so most are very helpful. Do have a list of vendors that you know you want to visit or you might miss something really good. Take a break every once in a while because it can get overwhelming. Take notes along the way. I don't ever buy anything until I have worked an entire vendor hall. Then you can go back and take a second look at what has peaked your interest. Speakers - Write down the ones you want to see in order of importance. Then see where they fall on the schedule. Fill in with others that you think are interesting. Hopefully they will publish the speaking agenda on the web before the conference. You do have to do your homework on the speakers or you will be sitting in something that you have no interest in. Most of all - have fun. BTW, I'm going to Greenville, too :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaMa2005 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I expect it will be overwhelming. Hopefully in some really good ways! (I'm excited!) I'm waiting for the workshop list with times to come out. I'm going to pick the sessions I want to see and do my best to get to them. I know the subjects I need to buy for for next year and I'm keeping a list with questions I want to find out/curriculum I want to look at, so I know what my priorities are in the exhibit hall. I'm sure there'll be other things I want to look at and that I'll miss some stuff that's nifty, but this is how I'm prioritizing. I think we'll be getting a hotel... just need to figure out which one now... We found a great rate (under $50) at the LaQuinta Haywood location. Just three miles from the convention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Thanks, everyone. I'll start doing more research on who the speakers and vendors are so I know which ones to devote my time to when I'm there. And I'll bring a great big notebook! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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