The Presenter’s Guide to Engaging, Fantastic Sessions National Charter Schools Conference June 29 – July 2, 2014 Las Vegas, Nevada Mandalay Bay Hotel & Resort

Charter schools are so creative– why aren ’ t conferences? flipped classroom project-based learning college preparatory imaginative learning montessori style core knowledge character education service learning

un- conferenc e Let’s make the conference feel as cool as our schools: fishbowls ted talks experienti al learning quiz bowl tournamen t attendee -led discussio n pecha- kucha rants flipped classroom fishbowls Don’t recognize one of these? Look it up!

Sales-Free Sessions Every attendee will be asked on the survey “Was a sales pitch included in this presentation?” If over 25% respond “Yes”, you will not be invited back. Our attendees complain every year about sales pitches.

Presentation Goals Our goals for you

Our Experienced Attendees Years Attending the ConferenceAge of School, Years

WHAT MAKES YOU an expert? GO DEEP INTO THE complexities Stay within your strengths, talk about what you know really well. Don’t just skim the surface of your topic. Dive deep into the nitty-gritty and get to the tough questions fast.

How to dive deep: Use your handouts, not your powerpoint, to provide the background information. They can read that as they come in if they don’t know it already. Jump in to the meatiest part--start with the challenge.

Goal of this Presentation Set a clear goal for your presentation: What should attendees know going out that they didn’t going in? Use your goal to drive your content.

Attendees want to be ENGAGED Engaged with: you each other National Charter Schools Conference 2012

Ideas for Engagement This takes planning. You won’t magically wake up and feel engaging on the day of your presentation. Icebreakers: Introduce yourself to your neighbor Tell your table why you’re here Ask: have you ever dealt with this problem before? Stop every ten minutes to ask your attendees a question: Show of hands, have you ever met a student like this? Questions break up the act of listening and turns attendee’s minds to something else for a second--that helps make them better listeners too.

EYE contact There are people out there. When you look up from your notes, you engage them! Boston Collegiate

Don’t Read the Powerpoint Many presenters like to read their slides out loud and put lots of text on them. This is not engaging for three reasons: Your attendees read along You look at screens, not at them If they can just read it at home, why did they fly to DC?

Keep Powerpoints as free of text as possible.

The Great Presenter Setup in front of the head table with a hand mic hide your things! screen with crucial info Let the attendee focus on you You can use an app to advance slides

Content strategies

Plan Your Content Brevity: Keep on-screen words brief. Outline: Outline your presentation before designing Test: Ask a colleague to listen to you rehearse Practice: makes perfect! Handouts: Use a handout instead of a slide deck (See presenter website for our handout)

Supplementary Materials More engagement suggestions Design tips Gadgets and Gizmos Session format suggestions...and more! Available on the presenter website:

Before you leave for Vegas:  Register for the conference  Book your travel and hotel room  Confirm your session timing and the presenters that will be joining you  Order any additional AV that you’ll need  Upload your handouts through the speaker management system  Put your presentation on a thumb drive and it to yourself and fellow presenters  Have a call with fellow presenters  Call or us with any questions!

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Your Questions