I'm going to a conference in a few weeks. It's one of those things that one does in academia--go to conferences.
I'm anxious to see what I think, because the whole process seems a bit odd to me. I know it is supposed to be a forum in which different scholars can share information about shared fields of interest; but, I bet it is also a little bit like kids' recitals.
Everyone knows that they are supposed to enjoy the entire experience of many children collectively involved in an arts-enriched event/exploration/journey. Each child has contributed to a unique aspect of the whole. Your child's exposure to others' efforts in the same project should further engage his/her learning experience.
BUT
What I have found is that most parents just want to see their kid, and only their kid perform. The other kids' performances are just stumbling blocks and obstacles in the labrynthian eternity that is the recital. The goal is to get the best photo and video footage of little Johnnie or Susie so that all of the grandparents can recieve audio/visual evidence of their sweet munchkin's fulfilling childhood experience. (Notice no one ever sends Grannie the entire three hour video of the recital--just the three minutes of her munchkin in a pilgrim costume.)
I wonder how like this scenario is the academic conference proper. Is everyone simply out to tout his/her own, or department's own, research? Does everyone bear through the other panels just to be polite? Or is there a real discourse happening?
Is it empty ritual or meaningful exchange?
Bottomline:
My reflections will be circumspect as I will be two weeks from my due date at that point and cannot bear through sitting anywhere for stretches of 90 minutes. I am currently having trouble sitting through my 75 minute class because my inutero daughter seems to want to kick her way out of me. I find that I have to stand up and move around every 30 minutes or so. (Yep. Even at night. Not getting much sleep.)
This could turn out to be the grand adventure, the sparkling centerpiece of this blog:
Will she or will she not give birth at the Eighteenth-Century Studies conference?
Dum. Dum. DUM.
Tune in for upcoming scandals including, (but not limited to):
*the gathering of the medical records in the case of surprise conference delivery
*the seating situation: will she be able to get that covetted seat by the door for mid-panel pee breaks?
*hey! there's also a birthday coming up: my 8yr-old is soon to be a 9yr-old! THE SAME WEEKEND AS THE CONFERENCE Yippeee
Thanks for listening.
3 comments:
Mandee,
I have the same skepticism about conferences. I'm sure that there are golden moments at conferences where everyone is in search of "the answer", but there also seems like there would be a lot of, "well, my research shows that...blah..blah...I'm so smart...Did I mention I went to a fancy school....blah...blah..blah.
Please let me (us) know how it goes.
I'm concerned! Where IS this conference? Will you be across the country and at only 2 weeks away from due date? You are very brave!
I've yet to attend an academic conference. I need to start going for the ol' vita thing. From what I've heard they are like a big social event with a bunch of one upmanship. THe upside is that they are excellent opportunities for networking. Many prospective employers have been found at a conference!
I think your blog was very accurate. I think that the only exception to your rule that parents are only interested in watching their child perform is if there is a child with very special talent. Besides that parents indeed await for their child’s entrance and I am sure if they had there choice they would come in, drop their kid off when it is time for them to perform, and leave after. But the fact is regardless of how parents feel about attending children’s events, it is the children who benefit. They build their self-esteem, public speaking skills, and leadership skills. Even for children who will not be public speakers or leaders, the self-esteem builder is helpful in avoiding drug use as they age. As far as you having to sit through the conference and watch kids you don’t know I do feel for you.
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