Advice for the presenter at the next workshop I attend...

For some, back to school means new school supplies, new bulletin boards, a fresh stack of student work folders, etc. But for a speech-language pathologist like myself, it also means the opportunity to attend a few workshops to learn some new skills.

Every year, I scroll through the list of offerings with excitement.  Oooh! teaching social skills to adolescents with Autism...where do I sign up? Improving the comprehension of students with severe impairments..yes, please!  I fill out the necessary paperwork to attend the workshop, wait for no fewer than 8 administrators to review and approve my request, and then, finally, I can register for the dang thing.  Once I've jumped through those hoops, the week of the workshop finally arrives.  I totally rework my schedule, providing therapy in what is usually my lunch hour and eliminate my one trip to the bathroom in order to ensure that all of my students get their therapy that week and then it's off to the workshop.

So, here I am. I've checked in, paid my $10 fee so that I can get continuing education hours, slapped on my name tag and found my seat.  But, nine times out of ten, when the presenter starts talking I quickly find myself looking for an escape hatch.  An hour in and  I'm wondering what's for lunch and if they will have those chocolate chunk cookies that I really like.  By the end, I've parked myself by the door so that I can sign out and make my escape.

If you are someone who often presents at workshops you are probably thinking that I'm being rude. You might be thinking about how hard you worked on that presentation and how dare I not be completely enthralled by what you have to say.  And, you're right, I should be focused on your information. But, if you want me to be focused, you might want to consider a few suggestions that will help me and my colleagues stay engaged.

1. Give us the abridged version of your life story.  I can't tell you how many times a presentation has started with the words, "let me tell you how I ended up here today..." This is then followed by a detailed history of this person's entire life starting at birth and ending with what they ate for lunch yesterday.  I've been to workshops where 45 minutes were devoted to the presenter's background and experience.  Once, while I was still a nursing mother and had forgotten my breast pump, I drove all the way home and back to retrieve it. When I got back to my seat, I whispered to my colleagues, "what did I miss?"  They all just rolled their eyes and said, "Nothing, they are still talking about themselves.."  Please, limit your back story to events relevant to the information being shared, and keep it to 5 minutes.

2. Spare us the history lesson. Some information about how this therapy technique or philosophy came about can be helpful.  I've been to workshops where I am thinking, why don't we use strategy X anymore?  Giving a little information about why we stopped doing strategy X and started doing whatever strategy you are sharing gives us seasoned therapists, who might be a tad resistant to change, a reason why we should change.  We just don't need you to start back in the stone age.  Limit yourself to 3 key points in the evolution of your philosophy and call it a day.  And, keep it under 15 minutes.

3. Enough with the sales pitch.  We do not need you to "sell" us on your strategies or techniques. We all signed up for this workshop because we are interested and want to learn about your topic. Some of us are desperately seeking some new approaches to use with our most challenging students.  We took a day away from school, paid money, and showed up.  In essence, you've already sold us on your topic.  We are the choir, stop preaching to us!  Just get on with sharing your information already.

4. Avoid the trash talk.  Nothing turns me off more than hearing a speaker talk about how stupid strategy X was and how she can't believe that anyone ever thought it was good therapy.  This is followed by how far superior strategy Y is and how anyone using strategy X is an idiot.  As therapists, we are all constantly evolving as we gain experience and discover new research.  None of us are perfect and we don't need to be hit over the head with it.  One of the best speakers I have ever seen was Pamela Payne.  As she was presenting her techniques, she talked about her past mistakes and how she learned from them.  She didn't show us videos of perfect therapy, she showed real therapy and pointed out things she wished she'd done better.  It made us all feel at ease and open to what she was saying.  When you trash your colleagues and treat them like they are stupid, they get defensive and stop listening.

5.  Tell us how.  So, we've heard the presenter's back story, we've gotten the entire history of the topic, we've gotten an extended sales pitch about why this is the best thing since sliced bread, and we've been shamed for not being the perfect therapist.  That leaves 10 minutes at the end of the workshop to talk about how to apply what you've just learned.  WTF?????  We all came to hear the "how to" and usually the LEAST amount of time is spent on that part of the presentation.  If you really want us engaged, spend the majority of the time telling us HOW to implement.  That is, after all, what we really want to know.  And, while we all know evaluation is important in order to know how to proceed with treatment, it doesn't help us to know how to evaluate if you are never going to get to how to do the treatment.  Try to balance out the evaluation and treatment portions of the presentation and cut out all the BS.

And so, as you put the finishing touches on your Powerpoint or Prezi or whatever you are using, put yourself in our shoes. Think about what you wanted to learn when you were sitting in the audience.  Give us a presentation that makes us excited to go to work the next day to apply what you've taught us.