Article Link: http://stage.exchangepress.com/article/energizing-our-workforce/5012976/
This summer while flying home from the annual national Worthy Wage retreat, my colleague Deb Curtis and I found ourselves filled with excited discussion. In contrast to most conferences we have attended these past years, this gathering felt extraordinary. In no session, large or small, did we see anyone yawning, thumbing through the program, or cutting out to shop or nap. People were thoroughly animated and actively engaged with each other throughout each day and evening, visibly reluctant to have the time come to an end. They were continually dialoging, humming, and inventing next steps to take the ideas and inspiration into action back home. Rarely have we seen folks leave a conference with that kind of focused energy.Our early childhood and after- school profession now has any number of conferences throughout the year. This indicates how we've come of age and are taking our professional development seriously. Putting on a conference requires enormous energy and organizational resources. Across the country I've found conference planners to be consistently remarkable - hard working and skilled at handling an amazing array of logistical details, keeping a sense of humor and good nature while trying to respond to the wide-ranging interests and needs of ...