For 34 years, Confratute has been a destination for educators. An experience unlike any other mere conference, Confratute 2011 presented the opportunity for educators to learn from other experts in their field; renew their excitement about teaching; and explore new, enriching experiences. This year, a mixture of familiar faces and first-time visitors came together for another uniquely unforgettable experience.
Emerging ideas
One of the chief reasons Confratute is so enduringly popular with innovative educators is its creative, instructive, collaborative atmosphere. Said Jacqueline Ronald, a first-time Confratute attendee, “I came to Confratute with college as my main reference point for learning, so I was ready the first day with pen and paper, to take notes — and I was ready to really work at concentrating. But it was so much more than college, and so engaging. It was truly a conversation, not a lecture!” A combination of intellectual salon, differentiated learning, summer camp, and social hour, Confratute creates an atmosphere from which enduring education innovation often emerges.
Daytime strands
Every day, participants attended a broad variety of in-depth, multi-hour learning strands, or sessions, on topics including using technology to differentiate learning, the psychology of giftedness, teaching behaviors that improve learning, and developing creativity.
In this high-stakes, minimum-standards educational landscape that we find ourselves, Confratute is an oasis of common sense and practical, strength-based, research-based ideas to develop the talents of our students. It is so refreshing to be surrounded with so many like-minded, passionate educators striving to make a difference in our world one child at a time.
— Michael Calder, Advanced Academic Services
Secondary Coordinator
Fort Worth ISD (Texas)
Evening enrichment
Hour-long evening forums offered further opportunities for educators to enrich their own experiences, as well as those of their students, with class subjects that included improvisational theater, cyberbullying, the Renzulli Learning System, and Common Core standards.
A great group, thinking
What truly built a feeling of unity and community, however, were the rousing keynotes that started each day for all attendees. These addresses put forth fascinating ideas that epitomized the Confratute mission and set the tone for the enthusiasm, joy, and love of learning to follow as teachers attended their separate strands.
Monday’s opening presentation by Drs. Joe Renzulli and Sally Reis explored common themes that attendees deal with daily. On Tuesday, Rachel MacAnallen, also known as Ms. Math to students nationwide advocated — with a healthy dose of humor — for playful exploration of numbers as well as adherence to correct terminology for students of all ages and abilities. On Wednesday, Drs. Reis and Renzulli joined CompassLearning CEO, Eric Loeffel, and Associate Professor (University of Great Falls), Jann Leppien, for a discussion about personalized learning. University of Connecticut’s Dr. Ronald Mallett intrigued conference goers Thursday with his presentation explaining his preoccupation with time travel, which led Dr. Mallett to “Penn State instead of the state pen.” Finally, on Friday, Susan Baum, Marcia Gentry, and Sandra Kaplan, with moderator Del Siegle, closed the week with ideas on how to bring gifted and talented educational techniques into regular classrooms to expand learning opportunities for all students.
Building community
One of the more striking aspects of Confratute was the opportunities it afforded for attendees to collaborate with one another that went beyond just learning and socializing. Aside from daily sessions and strands, Confratute offered parties for mingling and unwinding and communal mealtimes. People could enter a variety show as individuals, small groups, or as members of the ConfraChorus, which rehearsed evenings from Monday through Wednesday. Yoga classes offered a serene environment in which people could stretch their legs, arms, and backs after stretching their minds. And daily early-morning campus walks helped both energize participants for the day ahead and mitigate the effects of the cafeteria and on-site dairy bar. Such activities made it easy for all attendees — from first-timers to veterans to presenters — to mingle and share ideas. Jacqueline shares, “Everyone was so welcoming and so ready to talk about everything. They were incredibly available, after class and at social events. There was so much you could learn, so much opportunity.”
Potent takeaways
There is a reason people keep returning to Confratute. And it isn’t just the ideas, the camaraderie, or even the fresh-made ice cream. Four-time attendee Michael Calder from Fort Worth, TX, talks about why he will keep returning: “It is… renewing to attend Confratute, where the focus is on the individual strengths and interests of each student. It returns the humanity to our profession and acknowledges that students are not just widgets on an assembly line.” Jacqueline is left with the impression that “[Confratute] not just one thing, one moment. All the different aspects came together to make a complete experience, like nothing else.” Will she be going back? Absolutely.
