Conference of Elementary-Secondary Teaching & Learning

Friday, March 19, 2010

6th CESTL Program

How did I feel about the CESTL conference? I felt nervous, anxious, honored, excited, acknowledged, and supported. One thing I learned from CESTL is that trust in a student/faculty relationship is most vital in creating an ideal learning environment. I was very prepared for the CESTL conference after working on my research paper and slide show. I worked incredibly hard because I knew I would be presenting in front of a large group of people. I wanted my knowledge on my topic to be supreme. I learned so many new ideas from my classmates and Dr. Forestell yesterday at the CESTL conference. I do not feel like I am the only one with questions about teaching. I feel confident, empowered, and more knowledgeable. The CESTL learning experience is incredibly rewarding. I hope Dr. Boyanton will continue this conference for her EDI 15A students for many years to come. I will absolutely recommend the CESTL conference to other LIU students. It is a great way to acknowledge oneself and build confidence. I feel very accomplished and proud to have participated. I would have loved to see some of the graduate students also participate. I think students should encourage their past inspiring teachers to attend as well. My advice for future students are: work very diligently and know your material! The questions at the end of your show are challenging and require a student to be very aware of their presentation. (Hailey Feldman)

I was very excited for the CESTL conference. I was not nervous at all to present my research. I learned that there are many different techniques to use in a classroom if you are experiencing behavior management with your children. I have worked very hard for the CESTL conference. I wanted my powerpoint to look professional and well down, so I worked a lot to make it complete. This course experience helped me a great deal with my confidence of becoming an effective educator in the future. I was able to speak in front of the whole audience and I am now prepared to speak in front of my classroom. I learned a great amount of information from the CESTL conference. I would recommend this conference to other LIU students. I learned a lot of information by coming to the conference, especially if you are in the field of becoming a teacher. I really enjoyed going to the CESTL conference. Although I was only there for three hours, I learned a great amount of information. The presentation that really struck me as interesting was the girl who did it on teen pregnancies. This was very interesting because she admitted that she was a pregnant teen and was so open about it. I do not think I would have been as open as she was, especially in front of a group of strangers.

I’m glad I worked so hard for this class because it really showed off in my presentation. I am very sad that this semester is ending. I have enjoyed this class very much, especially because of your professor Boyanton. You were a great teacher and a great inspiration for me. I hope to make my classroom just as great as yours is. You are one of the best teachers I have ever experience thus far in college. You really care about your students and want them to strive to their fullest potential. Thank you for making this class so much fun and so enjoyable. I will miss your class a lot next semester.

(Brooke Melzer)

One thing that I learned from the conference was always be prepared. There were a couple of people that I felt weren’t necessarily ready for their presentation or just very nervous. If a person is prepared then their nerves will calm and they’ll seem more knowledgeable.

I was very prepared for the conference. I had looked over my slides many times, practiced my presentation. I made sure I knew all of the information, timing, sequence etc. so I was confident and seemed more knowledgeable about my presentation. I didn’t want to look like a fool presenting in front of a group of well educated men and women.

I worked really hard on my presentation this semester, editing my slides and paper. I did this because I am very motivated by getting good grades but also by showing people that I am capable of doing a great project. I worked hard on my research so I’d be able to spread the information I learned to other teachers.

I was very satisfied with my performance. I felt like I knew my information very well, used my time efficiently and sounded very confident. One of the viewers asked me “if I could teach them how to do that” (present) after I had finished.

The course has helped me by boosting my confidence in public speaking as well as helped me learn about misbehavior. I also learned that if I want to do something with my class I should research the topic so I know exactly what it is that I’m talking about.

The conference was really great and I had a lot of fun. I think it was a really unique experience to learn from prospective teachers, present teachers and students. I would definitely recommend CESTL to other education majors I think the conference was a great way to learn more about different teaching topics and experiences. I wouldn’t recommend the conference to other majors simply because it is not something that many other majors would be interested in. Some suggestions I may have about the conference is to give professors more time to have discussion and the high school students less. I only say this because I thought the professors had a lot of information and a lot to say about each subject and questions while the high school students gave the shortest answers they could. A suggestion that I can give students for the future is to not stress the conference. It is a great learning opportunity and a way to practice your professionalism and public speaking. If you do your research correctly you should be prepared for the presentation. (Laura Powell)

First off, I’m sad to say that this is my last class with Professor Boyanton. She is the best. She may be a hard teacher but she is very sweet and sincere about her students. She encourages and inspires them to become teachers. Her passion for teaching is unbelievable, and I am/was proud to have her as a teacher. When Professor Boyanton told the class about the CESTL conference, I was a little skeptical because I’m not a big fan of public speaking. However, when I got there all the butterflies I initially had went away because I was surrounded by my peers. The conference was exactly like how Professor Boyanton described it to be, helpful and a learning experience. I was very prepared for the CESTL conference, because my Professor put a lot of pressure on the class to be well organized and professional. So I had to do what was right to make her and myself look good. I worked hard. I put a lot of effort into my work, because had to make my project a reflection of me.

The most interesting part was when the teachers’ panel was talking. The advice they gave to us future teachers was very helpful. It was a reality check, for most of us though. They gave us pointers on how to conduct a class when there are children who swear or curse. For instance, Dr. Yen Yen said to make up a word like “hamburger.” This word would deal with the students’ frustrations towards something. Overall, though, this conference was good. Students were able to see the teaching view from two different perspectives; the teachers view and the student view, and shockingly enough the students’ view on how teachers teach was sad because they were always able to give a negative feedback on a teacher before giving the positive. And it showed that teachers seem less enthusiastic about teaching materials and that’s not good. A teacher is always supposed to keep her students engaged, because if she/he doesn’t they become bored and unmotivated.

(Tisje Pediford)

I was extremely prepared for the CESTL conference. I felt that it was necessary for me to be prepared to my fullest potential so that I could perform my best. I worked immensely for the CESTL conference, It was necessary to work this hard to do a great job. At some points it was overwhelming because this is not the only class I need to do work for but once it was finished I felt accomplished. In the end, I was fully satisfied with my performance at the CESTL conference. I am very proud of myself. This experience defiantly helped give me confidence, it shows you when you do not think you can do something, you can as long as you put your mind to it. The CESTL learning experience was helpful to see many different points of views. This is great way to learn. I will absolutely recommend it to all LIU students, the CESTL conference helped me grow as a person, in both knowledge and confidence. My advice for future students is: Do not wait until the last minute, if you have Professor Boyanton follow her lead, when you should do assignments. It is not as overwhelming as it seems. (Erin Sorger)

I was excited to gain knowledge from the conference from other students and teachers. That all students and teachers have a different outlook at situations, not one is right or wrong. But you have to approach every situation with an open mind and form your own opinions on it after gaining knowledge about it.

I worked very hard. I worked hard to get a good grade and to please myself and my teacher. I am a perfectionist and do everything the best that I can.

This experience has helped me to open up more in a classroom and participate more. I am more comfortable with public speaking now then I was before. I will need this skill later on in life as an educator. Although I was only able to attend the conference for a limited period of time, I thought that it was a great experience to be a part of. I thought that everyone had something great to say and everyone was very passionate about what they were presenting. Both of the panels that I listened to were very intelligent and answered every question truthfully.

However I do have some critiques on the conference, nothing terrible, just some comments. First off, I noticed that the conference was not advertised much. When I walked into the elevator a girl asked me if I was going to the conference, I said yes. She then explained to me that she had been driving around the campus for an hour looking for where it was being held. When she asked public safety they had no idea where it was and that it was even going on. I also noticed that there were very few signs around campus and that it was not advertised in the paper or online much. I think with more advertisement it would be better attended by both current teachers and students. The one major comment I have on the conference is about the posters. I think it is a great idea to allow students to present their research on a poster instead of a power point presentation. However, with that said, I do not think it is fair that they receive the same grade as someone who presented a power point presentation. A power point presentation contains a lot more information than a poster and requires much more work; it is also more stressful to present to a room full of people than to a few people one on one who stop at your poster. Truthfully, if I had known that doing a poster and presenting it to a few people at a time was an option, I would have chosen to do that. However, after spending four hours creating my power point presentation I was not going to throw that away to do a poster. I do agree that making a poster and presenting it to a few people still takes work and is still stressful, but not the same amount of work required when putting together a power point presentation. I think that posters should still be an option in the future but I think that something else has to be added to that assignment. For example, maybe they have to create a short power point to present in front of the class in addition to showing their poster at the conference. Or maybe they have to present their poster in front of the class, not only to practice, but to show their peers and teacher what they worked on and what they learned. (Kristen Zimmermann)

I was feeling nervous in the beginning, but felt excited and rewarding. It’s might be kind of hard for me to present in English with others. However, the truth was not hard like I thought before. After I finished I feel really happy and glad for my works. I felt a little bit more confident in myself. I felt great during my presentation. When people came to my poster. At first, I really nervous, and did not present so well. After I repeated again and again, I became less nervous. And when I felt people were interested in my work, I wound like to talk more about it. At that time I felt like a more confident person who was eager to show off her work with others. I have to say that I learned a lot and got many useful experiences in this course. The knowledge with very great experiences with this course give me more confidence and led me more close to a effective educator in the future. I would. Especially the students who major are education. They can benefit a lot in this CESTL. (Luchun Chiu)

I was very nervous about the CESTL Conference, but it went better than I had expected it to. I worked very hard for the conference because I didn’t want to let Professor Dengting or myself down. For some reason I felt like my poster looked like a fifth grader did it, but everyone who came to look at it complimented me on it saying that it was well organized and neat and that the color made it stand out. I was very pleased hearing all the positive feedback. I’m glad it came out the way it did considering I was up late the night before making sure it was correct. Having my classmates near me helped a lot as well especially with being supportive. At the end of the day I was glad that I did a poster and presented at the CESTL. I think that CESTL is a great way to get your students out there and more involved with their learning. Although I only did a poster presentation not a slide show I still feel that being there and seeing all the other presentations was an awesome experience. To be honest I thought this class was going to be the worst with the amount of work that we had to complete but it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be which I was very happy about. I think that this course experience helped me with my confidence of becoming an effective educator a lot. I learned so much from my peers and from Professor Dengting that I will definitely use in the future. I am definitely going to miss Professor Dengting and my classmates because I honestly think that they are the reason that the class ended up turning out the way it did. Hearing what everyone else had to say and their opinion made the class into what it was and I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher or class. (Nicole Okeefe)

I was a little nervous about the conference but I was mostly excited to show off my poster presentation. I learned how many experienced people there are out there in the world who we can utilize if we have questions about anything when it comes to teaching. I was very prepared for the conference because I knew the topic in and out. I was able to explain my project and answer any questions that the people had. I have worked very hard because it takes a lot of time to prepare a poster presentation and have it come out successful and look good. This experience has helped me with my confidence because I realize that I am knowledgeable when it concerns educating others. I also got a lot of good advice from listening to others who are experienced. I think CESTL was a great experience and I was very happy that I decided to go. I would definitely recommend the conference to other LIU education students because you definitely learn a lot by listening to others as they explain their views. tactics, and experiences. (Patricia Ury)

I was very nervous before the presentation but once I got there I felt more relaxed because I knew I was well prepared and that it was irrational to feel nervous or fearful. I went around to all the poster-boards and was surprised to see how much information everyone had come up with. Sonias poster was especially great because she talked about students with disabilities and I want to be a Special Education teacher, so hearing about her observations were very beneficial to me. I was very prepared. I made sure to have all the necessary information that I would need for my poster-board. I made handouts that explained all the graphs and charts I had found and also talked about my observations on the handout as well. I didn’t want to look foolish so I made sure I knew everything relevant to my topic. I worked very hard. I have to say it was stressful at times getting everything together, stressing about questions people were going to ask me, but I think I did a great job and I believe I worked my hardest. I worked very hard. I have to say it was stressful at times getting everything together, stressing about questions people were going to ask me, but I think I did a great job and I believe I worked my hardest. I’m very satisfied. I think I gave 100% with my project. My board looked very professional; it was simple, everything was laminated, and I even made handouts. I was able to explain to the guests about my topic and made it easier for them to understand my points and facts I had come across while researching. It definitely helped me. I feel much more confident in my abilities and know that I am capable of anything and that there is never anything to fear. CESTL was organized great and that there actually wasn’t much to be improved. Everyone did a wonderful job! (Sara Hijazi)

This past weekend was the sixth conference of Elementary-Secondary Teaching and Learning that we all worked so hard for. The morning of the conference I didn’t know what to expect. I slept fourteen hours the night before and was so ready with excitement but still a little bit nervous to go to the conference. As I got there around 8:30 am and saw a few of my classmates, I wasn’t so nervous. I think that this conference was prepared very well and the turn-up was great. Everyone in our class presented so well and looked very knowledgeable. Also when it was time to present my poster board, I wasn’t nervous at all and in fact I was pretty confident in the knowledge that I obtained on my research. I was able to answer all question that people were asking me. I had a really great time and I’m defiantly looking forward to attending next year’s conference (only if I’m invited)!…ϑ I know this semester was crazy for me with web ct not working almost all through the whole semester and with the loss of two close relatives, but I wanted to let you know it was a great pleasure having you as a teacher. You always made me smile and though my 2 years at post I’ve never had a teacher like you. I would always look forward to go to your class that’s why I never missed it( only when I had the funerals to go to) but I hope to have you again as a teacher because I know I probably won’t have a teacher ever like you. (Jennifer Sanmartin)

I thought that once I got to the conference, I was at ease. Whereas before hand I was extremely nervous. I learned a lot about teaching and certain situations that every teacher is going to go through. I thought I was very well prepared with my poster. I knew all the information and once I was standing next to my poster I felt very comfortable. I worked very hard on my poster, it took me long hours and days to get down all the information and pictures and spent a lot of money on my poster board. The CESTL was a great experience that I think maybe Dr. Boyanton should make it mandatory in the future so that all students can benefit from it. (Calliope Giannopoulos)

I felt extremely prepared for the conference and presenting. I feel that I have worked very hard on my project. It was like my baby and I was very proud of it and I researched it to an extreme. I wanted to make sure everything I said was true and I did not want to look dumb. I researched a lot of things and I actually ended up having too much information. It was hard for me to pick what to include in the conference because I felt that everything was so important and such great information that I did not want to have to cut anything from my slides. By eliminating bulkiness in my slides I was able to go through them easily and share all of my opinions and personal experiences with the audience. The only challenges I faced were getting rid of a few slides. If there was anything I could change about my presentation I would say it would to be able to add all of my slides and to be able to have an entire class period to talk about my topic. I felt that my topic was very important to every teacher no matter what grade or subject. Without motivation everything else does not matter. I wanted to stress that upon my audience but it was very difficult to make them understand how important it is for teachers to be able to motivate students. I showed way to motivate and de-motivate students which I feel will only help me in the future as an educator because now I know some of the techniques I should and shouldn’t use to help me be the best teacher I can be. I was very surprised and satisfied with my performance. It gave me more confidence for the next time I have to present, and let me know that I am capable of presenting without being nervous. The CESTL was a great experience. I wish more people and more administration could be there, and that was the only downside in my opinion. I wish there was more administration from other schools and more from our school.

(Morgan Milleisen)

The conference was awesome, I really had a good time. My peers posters were really informative and helpful. I like the topics that were presented. Overall the conference build my confidence. Also I met two special education teacher who help me. I got a chance to ask them question and their experiences. Both of them stated that it is a challenging job but so rewarding as a well. Also they stated that I had good information and they wished me luck. Thank you so much for this opportunity, I am so happy that I went and also did a poster as well. In a way it build my conference and ensure my passion for teaching.

I felt very nervous and exited about the conference. This conference taught me that if work hard for something then it really pays off. This course taught me that I do have a voice and my opinions are valued. I think the conference was a very good learning experience because it builds confidence. I would recommend this to every student, especially education major. I would recommend future presenters to do a lot of research, be prepared and try not to let your nerves get to you. (Sonia Zaidi)

6th CESTL Evaluations by Faculty Members

Dear Dengting,

First, please let me apologize for taking so long to respond to your kind note. Things move so quickly this time of year!

I want to tell you how delighted I was to be asked to speak at the CESTL event. You provide such an amazing venue for students to interact with each other, and with accomplished professionals, in a positive and informative way. Your invitation to speak allowed me to reflect a great deal on my own experiences, and the various elements that have become important to me as a framework for trying to understand the teaching profession better.

Dengting, your energy, enthusiasm and intelligence are great assets to our campus – it is clear our students appreciate the many ways you challenge them to grow, and the excellent feedback and encouragement you provide with such skill and sensitivity. Good luck with future CESTL conferences – I hope to be able to drop in on future events.

Have a great summer.

Warm regards,

Paul

Paul Forestell, Ph.D.
Provost
C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University
=============
Dear Dengting:

Once again, thank you for inviting me to make some remarks at today's CESTL conference. On behalf of the TLI and Office of Academic Affairs,I very much appreciate the opportunity to support you in such a worthy endeavor, and seeing the work of your students is truly inspiring. They are very fortunate to have an instructor with such dedication and commitment to their learning and success as teachers! Beyond that, it is very obvious to me, and I'm sure to everyone who participated, that you care deeply about these students not only as learners and professionals-in-training, but as human beings that have so much potential to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Thank you for the travel mug (which I love!) as it will be a great reminder to me of the wonderful work that you do with our students at Long Island University.

All the best,

Liz Ciabocchi
Associate Vice President for Instructional
Technology and Faculty Development, Office of Academic Affairs

===========

That was wonderful, Dengting!!!
So sorry that I couldn’t spend the day.
Congratulations!
Bette

Bette Schneiderman
Professor of Educational Technology
College of Education
==================

Dengting,

It was my pleasure to participate at the CESTL conference.
You did such wonderful work organizing the conference.
Your students' work were impressive!

On behalf of Joshua, thank you for the invitation.

Warmly,
Efleda
Efleda Tolentino
Assistant Professor
Early Childhood Education
Curriculum & Instruction
=====
Dengting,

CESTL is a very enjoyable event, and I appreciate all of your hard work in putting it together, even with assistance from student helpers.

Andrea Mcloughlin
Associate Professor of Education
Curriculum & Instruction Department
College of Education

===========
Hello Dengting,

I will be delighted to participate in the 7th CESTL conference.

Regards,

Roberta

Dr. Roberta Levitt
Assistant Professor
Department of Special Education & Literacy
School of Education
C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University
720 Northern Blvd. Brookville, New York 11548-1300
Phone: 516-299-3128
roberta.levitt@liu.edu

===========

Dear Dr. Boyanton,

Excellent work on the CESTL, once again!

Sadly, this is my last year as a committee member for CESTL; I will miss working with you and the students. But I've enjoyed being a part of the event for the past few semesters, and thank you for the opportunity. This year, among my favorite segments were hearing about the Provost's unique experiences, all the panel discussions, and Dr. Tolentino's presentation about early childhood education.

You have been a source of inspiration for me since my first semester at CW Post, as I've experienced your wonderful teaching skills firsthand. For me, the best way to learn is by watching and listening to others; a great role model is so valuable to know...and you have provided that opportunity for me to learn some great teaching skills from day one.

Your commitment, passion, professionalism, and hard work in the field of education are things that I will remember, along with the name-game on our first day of class and the various other ways you motivated us...such as, responding to our work, displaying and sharing our work in class, building student/teacher trust with a humanistic approach to teaching, and reflective journals, to name a few.

The CESTL provides an important avenue for students to share their voice with the teaching community - it is an empowering activity that most of us really need as we enter the important career of teaching. I hope the event continues for many years to come, and keeps evolving as it has the past few semesters. I look forward to staying in touch with you and to visit your future CESTLs in the future.

Also - fantastic mug! Great gifts! Thank you for those, as well.

All the very best,

Evi
Evi Gounelas
CESTL Program Coordinator

6th CESTL Evaluations by EDI 15A Psychological Perspective of Teaching & Learning

How did I feel about the CESTL? I felt nervous, anxious, honored, excited, acknowledged, and supported. One thing I learned from CESTL is that trust in a student/faculty relationship is most vital in creating an ideal learning environment. I was very prepared for the CESTL conference after working on my research paper and slide show. I worked incredibly hard because I knew I would be presenting in front of a large group of people. I wanted my knowledge on my topic to be supreme. I learned so many new ideas from my classmates and Dr. Forestell yesterday at the CESTL conference. I do not feel like I am the only one with questions about teaching. I feel confident, empowered, and more knowledgeable.

The CESTL learning experience is incredibly rewarding. I hope Dr. Boyanton will continue this conference for her EDI 15A students for many years to come. I will absolutely recommend the CESTL conference to other LIU students. It is a great way to acknowledge oneself and build confidence. I feel very accomplished and proud to have participated. I would have loved to see some of the graduate students also participate. I think students should encourage their past inspiring teachers to attend as well. My advice for future students are: work very diligently and know your material! The questions at the end of your show are challenging and require a student to be very aware of their presentation.

(Hailey Feldman)

I learned a great amount of information from the CESTL conference. I would recommend this conference to other LIU students. I learned a lot of information by coming to the conference, especially if you are in the field of becoming a teacher. I really enjoyed going to the CESTL conference. Although I was only there for three hours, I learned a great amount of information. The presentation that really struck me as interesting was the girl who did it on teen pregnancies. This was very interesting because she admitted that she was a pregnant teen and was so open about it. I do not think I would have been as open as she was, especially in front of a group of strangers.

(Brooke Melzer)

At first when I knew it was getting close to my turn I was nervous. However when I got to the front of the room I was more excited and confident about the presentation. As I started speaking I realized I knew the information and had a great time presenting. One thing that I learned from the conference was always be prepared. There were a couple of people that I felt weren’t necessarily ready for their presentation or just very nervous. If a person is prepared then their nerves will calm and they’ll seem more knowledgeable.

This course has helped me by boosting my confidence in public speaking as well as helped me learn about misbehavior. I also learned that if I want to do something with my class I should research the topic so I know exactly what it is that I’m talking about. The CESTL conference was really great and I had a lot of fun. I think it was a really unique experience to learn from prospective teachers, present teachers and students. I would definitely recommend CESTL to other education majors I think the conference was a great way to learn more about different teaching topics and experiences. I wouldn’t recommend the conference to other majors simply because it is not something that many other majors would be interested in. Some suggestions I may have about the conference is to give professors more time to have discussion and the high school students less. I only say this because I thought the professors had a lot of information and a lot to say about each subject and questions while the high school students gave the shortest answers they could. A suggestion that I can give students for the future is to not stress the conference. It is a great learning opportunity and a way to practice your professionalism and public speaking. If you do your research correctly you should be prepared for the presentation.

(Laura Powell)

When Professor Boyanton told the class about the CESTL conference, I was a little skeptical because I’m not a big fan of public speaking. However, when I got there all the butterflies I initially had went away because I was surrounded by my peers. The conference was exactly like how Professor Boyanton described it to be, helpful and a learning experience. I was very prepared for the CESTL conference, because my Professor put a lot of pressure on the class to be well organized and professional. So I had to do what was right to make her and myself look good. I worked hard. I put a lot of effort into my work, because had to make my project a reflection of me.

The most interesting part of the CESTL was when the professors’ panel was talking. The advice they gave to us future teachers was very helpful. It was a reality check, for most of us though. They gave us pointers on how to conduct a class when there are children who swear or curse. For instance, Dr. Yen Yen said to make up a word like “hamburger.” This word would deal with the students’ frustrations towards something. Overall, though, this conference was good. Students were able to see the teaching view from two different perspectives; the teachers view and the student view, and shockingly enough the students’ view on how teachers teach was sad because they were always able to give a negative feedback on a teacher before giving the positive. And it showed that teachers seem less enthusiastic about teaching materials and that’s not good. A teacher is always supposed to keep her students engaged, because if she/he doesn’t they become bored and unmotivated.

(Tisje Pediford)

(Erin Sorger)

I worked very hard. I worked hard to get a good grade and to please myself and my teacher. I am a perfectionist and do everything the best that I can.

The CESTL experience has helped me to open up more in a classroom and participate more. I am more comfortable with public speaking now then I was before. I will need this skill later on in life as an educator. Although I was only able to attend the conference for a limited period of time, I thought that it was a great experience to be a part of. I thought that everyone had something great to say and everyone was very passionate about what they were presenting. Both of the panels that I listened to were very intelligent and answered every question truthfully.

(Kristen Zimmermann)

I think that CESTL is a great way to get your students out there and more involved with their learning. Although I only did a poster presentation not a slide show I still feel that being there and seeing all the other presentations was an awesome experience. To be honest I thought this class was going to be the worst with the amount of work that we had to complete but it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be which I was very happy about. I think that this course experience helped me with my confidence of becoming an effective educator a lot. I learned so much from my peers and from Professor Dengting that I will definitely use in the future. I am definitely going to miss Professor Dengting and my classmates because I honestly think that they are the reason that the class ended up turning out the way it did. Hearing what everyone else had to say and their opinion made the class into what it was and I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher or class.

(Nicole Okeefe)

I think CESTL was a great experience and I was very happy that I decided to go. I would definitely recommend the conference to other LIU education students because you definitely learn a lot by listening to others as they explain their views. tactics, and experiences.

(Patricia Ury)

I worked very hard. I have to say it was stressful at times getting everything together, stressing about questions people were going to ask me, but I think I did a great job and I believe I worked my hardest. I worked very hard. I have to say it was stressful at times getting everything together, stressing about questions people were going to ask me, but I think I did a great job and I believe I worked my hardest. I’m very satisfied. I think I gave 100% with my project. My board looked very professional; it was simple, everything was laminated, and I even made handouts. I was able to explain to the guests about my topic and made it easier for them to understand my points and facts I had come across while researching. It definitely helped me. I feel much more confident in my abilities and know that I am capable of anything and that there is never anything to fear. CESTL was organized great and that there actually wasn’t much to be improved. Everyone did a wonderful job!

(Sara Hijazi)

As I got there around 8:30 am and saw a few of my classmates, I wasn’t so nervous. I think that this conference was prepared very well and the turn-up was great. Everyone in our class presented so well and looked very knowledgeable. Also when it was time to present my poster board, I wasn’t nervous at all and in fact I was pretty confident in the knowledge that I obtained on my research. I was able to answer all question that people were asking me. I had a really great time and I’m defiantly looking forward to attending next year’s conference (only if I’m invited)!…

I know this semester was crazy for me with web ct not working almost all through the whole semester and with the loss of two close relatives, but I wanted to let you know it was a great pleasure having you as a teacher. You always made me smile and though my 2 years at post I’ve never had a teacher like you. I would always look forward to go to your class that’s why I never missed it( only when I had the funerals to go to) but I hope to have you again as a teacher because I know I probably won’t have a teacher ever like you.

(Jennifer Sanmartin)

(Calliope Giannopoulos)

The only challenges I faced were getting rid of a few slides. If there was anything I could change about my presentation I would say it would to be able to add all of my slides and to be able to have an entire class period to talk about my topic. I felt that my topic was very important to every teacher no matter what grade or subject. Without motivation everything else does not matter. I wanted to stress that upon my audience but it was very difficult to make them understand how important it is for teachers to be able to motivate students. I showed way to motivate and de-motivate students which I feel will only help me in the future as an educator because now I know some of the techniques I should and shouldn’t use to help me be the best teacher I can be.

I was very surprised and satisfied with my performance. It gave me more confidence for the next time I have to present, and let me know that I am capable of presenting without being nervous. The CESTL was a great experience. I wish more people and more administration could be there, and that was the only downside in my opinion. I wish there was more administration from other schools and more from our school.

(Morgan Milleisen)

(Sonia Zaidi)

6th CESTL Evaluations by EDI 17

Hello Professor Boyanton,

its Meghan McKillop from EDI 17. Congratulations on a wonderful CESTL conference! I had a really great experience and enjoyed attending and participating. You must feel so relieved that it was such a success and all of your hard work in planning and organizing paid off!

I truly enjoyed the conference and I gained valuable knowledge about adolescent and the education system. Although I enjoyed myself, I do not feel comfortable with my video and photos being uploaded to the internet. Thank you very much for creating this experience for me.
(Tarissa Pickens)

One more thing about the CESTL conference. I have to admire Dr. Boyanton's hard work to put the CESTL conference together. She deserves a lot of credit because she is hard worker and all of her had work will pay off when the CESTL runs smooth and the way she planned it. Good job, Dr. Boyanton!
(Jerry Franchino)

Before I presented at the conference, I was feeling very nervous. However, after practicing in front of the class I felt much better. My nervousness turned to excitement. I was looking forward to presenting my findings in front of other people at the conference. Listening to the International panel was very beneficial for me. I think as a prospective educator, it is important to know about the culture of the students and to have a better understanding of what high school was like for the Asian students I feel will really help me in my future. I was very prepared for the conference. I had gone over my slides several times and I was very confident with the material. I felt good about presenting the material to the audience and I was definitely prepared for any questions that might have been asked of me. This conference really made me feel like I can do it.

As a student, it is scary to think that in a few short years we will be teachers. It is a strange concept. Going from high school straight to college, the lifestyle doesn’t change; we are students. It is a scary thought to think of ourselves as teachers. The conference really gave us the experience of being a teacher. I think the CESTL conference is a great way for all of the students and teachers to be together and learn from each other. I think it also gives the students a great opportunity to present his/her findings and feel accomplished. I would definitely recommend the CESTL to other LIU students. I think that all of the teachers in the education department should promote the conference to his/her students. It is a wonderful learning experience. I would advise all students to present at the CESTL conference. I was very scared at first and didn’t feel like I could do it. Looking back now, I am so glad that I did! It was one of the best experiences I’ve had as a prospective teacher.
(Andrea Wapnick)

I was excited for the CESTL conference because I had a lot of fun working on my presentation. I was also looking forward to the student panel. I learned that if teachers listen to their students and teach classes that are different and exciting they can have a lasting impact on their students’ lives. I felt prepared for the CESTL conference because I had done the practice run through in class. If I hadn’t done that I probably would have been much more nervous. I worked very hard for the CESTL conference because I wanted my presentation to be something I could be proud of. I

was satisfied with my performance at the CESTL but I will always feel that I can do better. Being a perfectionist, there are always notes I make to myself about how I can improve in the future. I always feel more comfortable participating in this class than any other. This is one of those rare classes that allows you to think and rewards you for it. Consequently, I feel that I learn more and feel better prepared to be an educator because the class discussions were meaningful and thoughtful.

CESTL was an interesting and fun experience. The power point presentations and posters were interesting, as were the guest speakers, and the panel discussion with the middle school/high school students was great. I would definitely recommend the CESTL conference to other education majors because there is a wealth of information that can be helpful to them as future teachers. I have no complaints about the CESTL at all. I think having it in the Top of the Commons was a really great idea though. It was a great atmosphere for the conference: light and positive but also professional. For future students, I would suggest thinking seriously about which research topic to choose. If the whole semester is going to be spent researching and learning about that topic it should be one that the student has interest in and is passionate about. It should also be one that can be studied through classroom observations. (Jessica Murphy)

I was extremely nervous prior to my presentation. However, after I presented I was extremely relieved and pretty confident that I did well. I learned that there is a large demographic of learners within the classroom and it is our job as teachers to appeal to each kind. One set of curriculum does not fulfill all students’ needs. I was prepared for the CESTL conference because I felt confident with my PowerPoint and I practiced not only in class but I few times at home. I was very satisfied with my performance because not only did I receive positive feedback but I felt confident that my presentation went smoothly. Everything seemed to flow nicely, and I thankfully didn’t stutter on any words.

This course experience has helped me because not only has the research provided me with effective and essential information, but it has given confidence in relation to public speaking and my ability to share my own beliefs about education. I think overall it was a very effective learning experience because not only did I grow confidence in myself, the entire conference brought to my attention such essential and interesting issues and was extremely informative. I really liked the panel of high school students and hearing the perspectives about their educational experiences. However, I wish there were more students participating to obtain some more information. (Jammianne Kruse)

I was nervous yet excited to present my work to everyone who would be at the conference. I learned a little bit from each person at the conference. However I think I learned the most from Jessica Murphy’s presentation on how two faced adolescent students are. I feel I was really prepared for the conference mainly because of the workshop we did as a class the week before hearing everyone’s positive and negative feedback gave me all the confidence I needed. I worked extremely hard for this conference because it is not only important for me but for all the students and Dr. Boyanton as well. I feel quite satisfied with my performance at the conference. I think everyone benefited from my presentation.

The CESTL conference gave me the confidence that I can do relate and help students to become more motivated in the future. I think the CESTL is a great experience for all new teachers as well as seasoned teachers because we as teachers should always try to become better and learn whatever we can. However, I think that the CESTL should be more advertised to people outside the university to provide a place where all teachers can come and learn from each other. The only advice I will give to future students is to take this very seriously because we can learn so much from it. (Matthew Musumeci)

When I got there I was excited to hear other student’s presentations. However, when it was time for the poster presentations I was nervous because I didn’t know what questions people were going to ask me. One thing I learned from the CESTL was that when I become a teacher it is going to be very hard the first few years. I was very prepared for the CESTL conference. I knew topic very well and had practice a few times the night before with my mom. I worked really hard to become prepared for the CESTL conference. I finished my entire paper during spring break. I had various people read my paper and went to the writing center 3 times to make sure it was good. A week before the CESTL conference I started making my posters and goody bags.

I was pretty satisfied with my performance at the CESTL conference. My poster looked really good and the people loved the goody bags of candy. However, not a lot of people were coming to see my poster. Since I was off to the corner and it was during lunch break I couldn’t really grab a lot of people’s attention. The CESTL conference has made me to feel more confident with public speaking. The learning experience was very helpful and insightful. I learned a lot of new information to help me become the best teacher I can be. I would tell education majors that the CESTL conference is one thing they must see before graduating or student teaching. The reason being, that they can learn a lot of valuable information that will help them when they are teaching. As for Suggestions? I do not have any suggestions because it was perfect.☺ My advice for future students are: Make sure they know their topic inside and out. Also, to be confident when presenting whether it’s a PowerPoint or poster presentation. (Sara Walden)

I did feel a bit nervous about presenting in the conference because I wanted to come across as professional and knowledgeable. I learned that people could observe a classroom and see things from many different perspectives. It is important to view your own classroom through the eyes of others. This course experience helped me realized that I have important things to say and I have useful strategies for teachers to use in the classroom. I do think it is a great idea that students get a chance to research and present their findings to their peers and members of the college. I think again that it is a rough time of the semester and it is also a long day with many presenters. I would recommend the CESTL conference to other LIU students, but I would also recommend that they do have a real passion for their topic and their findings. My advice for future students is: Be passionate and prepared. Get to the point and do not talk endlessly!! People want to see conclusion and research, not a bunch of endless talking. (Jaclyn Mastro)

In the time leading up to the CESTL conference, I felt nervous, but excited. What I felt most anxious about was being able to remember enough of my information, including specific details and examples, to share my research and learning with others. I didn’t want to forget anything important or become flustered and unprofessional during my presentation. However, while at the conference, I felt proud and confident. I spent so much time and effort researching, organizing, writing, and editing my paper and creating my poster, that I felt I could share a great presentation with others.

The LIU professors panel was very interesting and enlightening. I learned that establishing a classroom environment that advocates trust and respect is crucial for successful teaching and learning. Teaching is a two-way street and teachers must foster trust and respect in their own attitude if they hope to receive these from for their students. I was very prepared for the CESTL conference. I thought that the preparation for the CESTL conference was planned out very well for our class. It was wonderful to complete the research project in stages over the course of the semester. Completing the different requirements/sections of the project over time allowed me to keep on-track and up-to-date as well as to strategically plan the time and effort I would devote to the research, organization, and creation of my project. In the week before the CESTL, my paper was mostly complete (I just needed to put the finishing touches on it) so I was able to use the research and observation information that I organized, compiled, and described in my paper and put it onto a poster board. After creating/decorating my poster, I felt completely ready to go. I knew all of the information I would present, my poster was complete and visually appealing, and I felt confident and proud of my work. I have worked so hard for the CESTL conference. Although I put all of my hard work and effort into everything I do, I wanted to be able to proudly and confidently showcase my hard work at the conference. Therefore, throughout the project, I knew that because I was working so hard, I wanted to make my project the best it could be.

The CESTL was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our hard work and our learning, and I wanted to live up to Professor Boyanton’s high expectations. I was very satisfied with my performance at the CESTL. During the poster presentation, I relished the opportunity to share my project with others. Wherever someone visited me and my poster, I felt that I was able to explain the main facts, my research findings, and answer any of their questions confidently and thoroughly. In my opinion, the poster presentation was enjoyable and could not have gone better. This course experience has allowed me to experience what it feels like to become confident in my knowledge on a chosen topic and also to convey that knowledge to others in an interactive and interesting way. I believe that these are skills a successful teacher must possess and utilize to reach their students and foster an environment where their students can learn and can appreciate their learning.

The CESTL learning experience was interesting and worthwhile. I really enjoyed hearing the presentations and looking at the posters of other students. There was such a wide variety of topics presented and it was enjoyable to gain different perspectives of the many aspects, issues, and concerns of teaching. In addition, it was beneficial to hear how other students connected their research with their classroom observations. The examples helped me to gain a deeper, more comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the topics and how they can be applied/addressed in real classrooms. I will definitely recommend the CESTL to other LIU students. I had an enjoyable experience and I believe the CESTL can be a valuable learning experience for other students as well. It was comforting to organize and present with other students who are in the same position as me, pre-service teachers about to embark on our teaching careers. In addition, hearing the perspectives of experienced professors provided wise information that I can consider as I complete my undergraduate education and embark on my teaching career.

In the future, I would suggest allotting time for the poster presentation that does not occur during the lunch break. Although I was able to share my presentation and interact with several people, I wish I could have shared my work with even more people. My advice for future students is to keep up-to-date with field observations and independent research. Complete field observations early in the semester, don’t wait; this way, students will not feel pressured and rushed to complete the observations quickly. If students take their time, I think they will find the field observations to be more beneficial to their learning and they will have more time to connect their observations to the information in their research projects. If students take the conference seriously and work hard to prepare their projects and presentations throughout the semester, they will have nothing to worry about during the CESTL. (Meghan McKillop)

I felt very nervous and excited about the CESTL at the same time. One thing that I Learned at CESTL was from the teacher panel is that one should not be upset if things don’t go the way one has planned it. And that instead of giving up one should get motivated to do better next time. I have worked very hard preparing for the conference. I practiced as much as I could so that I would do a great job presenting. I also kept reviewing the information that I had found. It has helped me with my confidence because it has expanded my knowledge about situations that teacher will face during their teaching career, allowing me to understand and know how to respond to adolescents. I think that the CESTL overall was a great experience, and it allows us to practice public speaking. I would definitely recommend the CESTL to other LIU students because people can learn a lot from hearing presentations about topics that might not be covered in class. (Nubia Renderos)

This past weekend was the CESTL conference at C.W. Post. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the meeting. However, I heard that everyone did an excellent job and the conference was a huge success. I would like to congratulate Dr. Boyanton for working very hard to create the CESTL conference and my classmates for presenting their research there. I am very fortunate that I am in Dr. Boyanton’s EDI 17 class because it has been an awesome experience. I have truly learned a lot about the development of an adolescent. I loved doing my research project on adolescent personalities and I hope that everyone enjoyed my presentation last Thursday. I was happy that I was asked very interesting questions by my professor and classmates about my research. I was happy to answer them truthfully and I felt like I did an excellent job with answering them. I look forward to doing more research as I have done for my EDI 17 class. I have one more comment, and that is that I did not feel on bit nervous about going up in front of the class and presenting. This is a result because of the strategies Dr. Boyanton had used throughout the semester to get our class comfortable with each other. I must thank Dr. Boyanton for doing all of those activities to “break the ice” between the students. (Jerry Franchino)

At first I was nervous but then I settled down after a couple hours of sitting there watching all the presentations. I learned that I was able to speak in front of a large group of people without being as nervous as I usually am. I felt comfortable to speak in front of people from a different culture that I was. I was very prepared for the conference because I reviewed my slides and what I was going to present several times before I arrived. I worked the whole semester on the research that I presented at the conference. I knew that in order to come up with solid conclusions on my research topic I would have to be a lot of time and effort in. I was very satisfied with my presentation because I was able to speak clearly and get my point across without shuddering.

Overall, I feel that every future teacher should experience at least one conference in their lives because you learn so much about education. I would encourage other LIU students to watch and present at the conference. I would suggest that future students pick a topic that they have a lot of interest in because this is something they will be spending a lot of time researching. The more interested you are in a topic, the better performance there is to come. (John Leggio)

Excited, I really enjoyed the experience. I got a lot out of the student panel. Especially the part on technology in the classroom. I was very prepared for the CESTL. I took a long time working on my poster and I’ve been prepairing for it for a week now. I also worked very hard at it. I wanted to show not only how much work I put into my research but also show people how interested I was with my own research. I like doing well in general. I was very satisfied with my poster.

I had a lot of people visit my poster and I got a lot of positive feedback from others on my poster and presentation. I feel I really am becoming an expert in the education field and this just helped me realize it further. I learned a lot by being a part of it and going to it and I believe that not only was it a learning experience but it looks so great on your resume that we as students were allowed to partake in this experience. (Katherine Gutkes)

Before the CESTL conference I was a little bit nervous about my own presentation but I was also excited about it and I was also excited to see all of my classmates present, and also to see what the people from the other classes would be presenting. I learned a lot from the CESTL! Everyone’s presentations were on something different and interesting and I enjoyed all of them. In general, I learned about how much goes into teaching and how many aspects of teaching have to be considered such as motivation, students identity and personalities, the environment and the behavior of students. I think that one of my favorite parts was the professor panel. I really enjoyed what the professors had to say. I was very prepared for the CESTL. I spent a lot of time researching my topic and I put a lot of time and effort into creating my poster board. I knew my information and I felt completely prepared coming into the CESTL. I feel that I have worked very hard. I put a lot of time in creating my poster because I wanted to make sure it had the most valuable and interesting information about my topic on the board as well as it looking nice and also professional. Before I did this I spent a lot of time working on my paper and collecting information to incorporate into both my paper and my poster presentation.

I was very satisfied with my performance. I felt that the people who I was able to speak to during the poster presentations really understood and enjoyed my poster and what I had to say on my topic. I think it has helped with my confidence in many ways. The course in general has helped with my confidence because I felt that throughout the course I was becoming more and more comfortable expressing my thoughts and opinions and sharing with the class. At the CESTL the presentation aspect helped with my confidence because I had to speak to people and tell them about my research as well as make sure I knew my research so that I sounded educated and knew what I was talking about. But also just being at the CESTL and hearing what everyone was presenting and speaking about I feel that I learned so much that I am going to be able to bring into my classroom. I feel that I gained so much important knowledge today that is so important for my future.

CESTL was a really great experience and I really enjoyed all aspects of it. I would definitely recommend the CESTL to all LIU students! I will especially recommend the class EDI 17 with Dr. Boyanton. I feel that all semester our discussions were a preparation for the CESTL. Even though the CESTL was intimidating in the beginning when you first hear about it, I feel like it was such a positive experience. I am not sure that I have an advice or suggestions. I can’t really think about anything that I would have changed about the conference. For future students I would tell them not to let the CESTL conference intimidate them. Both of the times that I took a class with Dr. Boyanton I was very nervous upon first hearing about the CESTL, but in the end it was much more enjoyable then it was nerve-wracking. I would tell them to relax about the conference but to put a lot of hard work into creating a great and informative presentation. (Lauren Vonili?)

Unfortunately I was unable to be apart of the CESTL experience; what I can reflect on is the excellent journey of preparing for the conference and how my time in EDI 17 helped me become more confident as a public speaker and more knowledgeable as a prospective teacher. In the beginning of the semester I was very nervous and overwhelmed about my research project, I knew that this project required a lot of work, investigation, and in the end a presentation of my findings. I did not know where to begin, I have never written a research paper before. What I liked and respected about Dr. Boyanton, was that she guided us through the process, she did not just assign the project and throw it into our hands (which what most instructors do); throughout the semester, EDI 17 was the foundation of our research, we learned about: theories and how they were applied, development of adolescents, and the challenges and rewards of being an instructor of adolescent students. In addition to the instruction and guidance of Dr. Boyanton, the workshops were extremely helpful and deeply appreciated; they helped me become more confident about my project, as well as my presentation (learning how to apply the correct font, sequence and background). I had the time to properly prepare and do research for my project, which made me more confident and excited about presenting it. Though my research was an individual endeavor, I was able to experience it with my peers during class discussions, journals, and workshops. I really feel that everyone put a lot of effort into their research projects – what made me to even want to work harder was the respect and encouragement of Dr. Botanton, she help me believe in myself and my abilities to become a more effective public speaker. (Jessica)

I was nervous about the CESTL conference because I am not usually outgoing and definitely not a good public speaker. Other than that, I thought the CESTL was an excellent way for me to meet new people and gain new perspectives in the educational forum. I learned that education is a common theme throughout the world. Regardless of where someone was born or raised, we all share in that passion to uplift ourselves by educating ourselves and giving that opportunity to others. Preparing my PowerPoint and poster was a struggle because I was constantly changing my topic based on my observations. It took me 2 weeks to do the poster because I was very meticulous and it took me even longer to do the PowerPoint because I wanted to make sure my observations were convincing in answering my research questions. It was unfortunate that one person ruined my chances of sharing my poster. I worked this hard because I wanted to prove that I am capable of mastering the material and that even though I struggled I finally was able to grasp it. CESTL was a great experience. I would recommend it to other LIU students because it is an excellent way to network and meet new people. The different panels allow you to gain insight that you might not have ever been exposed to before attending. I hope the CESTL should partner with other institutions like SUNY Old Westbury to expand the student base and perspectives. Maybe offer workshops that will help education students build on their teaching skills or methods. Even have a motivational speaker that can address new teachers and prospective speakers. CESTL was a long conference. Possibly breaking it up into a two day session on Saturday and Sunday or 2 day session covering two weekends so that all students can participate and not fall off in the end.
(Tarissa Pickens)

6th CESTL Evaluations by EDI 600

I was very inspired by everything. I was impressed with my peers, but mostly I was impressed by the production. I had a hard time adjusting to being away from my family and friends for the first time this semester, but I feel acclimated now and I really hope to be involved in future CESTL conferences. I stayed for the entire conference and I did not get bored. That is amazing to me. I have been to several conferences in the past and have always felt myself drifting a little.. not able to focus 100%, especially towards the end. However, CESTL was not like that. Perhaps it was because I was in a room of my peers and I felt a connection to them. I am so happy that there is a student focused professional conference. It makes me feel worthy and that in turn motivates me. So thank you for being the mastermind and putting it on!

I learned a lot from this class and I will absolutely sign up for another class with you if I get the chance.

Thank you,
Amanda Graves

“I did it, and I am still alive! That’s all how I feel in the CESTL. CESTL is a professional conference of elementary school and secondary education. I met many experienced professors today, I heard their experience of teaching and thoughts of education. The day before CESTL, I cannot sleep well even I already lie on my bed so early because I was too anxious of the upcoming presentation. The most difficult thing for this presentation is not the contents that I am going to speech, instead, the main point is on the fluency of my English speaking. I am an international student, and I have Chinese accent in my English speaking, I was afraid nobody understand what I am talking about.

One of the interesting thing for me is I will made-up some new English words when I got nervous, and then I start to speak non-English style English. That will be a terrible problem for me, and I try to overcome this problem but it’s too difficult. During the CESTL presentation, I found many classmates have the same and similar topic as mine, and at that time I was afraid my speech contents would be repeated. However, I didn’t delete those same information, I condensed those similar sources. Finally, I think CESTL is a worth experience in my life.
(Chieh Yue Ma)

This was my first time to give such a professional presentation since I came to Unites States, and I just came here for three months. I was thinking about should I need to drink something before the presentation? It sounds crazy but I really need some energy drinks when the CESTL was going on. Undoubtedly, I was so nervous to this presentation. I was afraid of making some silly mistakes and not well-prepared even if I know lots of information about my presentation topic, I still so anxious of that. I learned how to organize the CESTL slides of Power Point, and the contents. I also practiced the speech in front of the friends, and in front of the mirror! As professor said in the class, my IQ will decrease almost 25% when I in the conference. I think I prepare almost 90% but I only have 60% when I was in the presentation. It told me my prepared work is not enough, I still need to improve myself. I was happy I spoke much better English on the stage than practiced at home. I had never thought I can do well and speak in a foreign language in the public. CESTL was my first experience that speech in the public. Yes, I will recommend the CESTL to other LIU student because it can learn a lot of education knowledge that you never know before. In CESTL, everyone is a good speaker and also a good listener. Students will completely understand how to be a good lecturer and a good audience.
(Chieh Yue Ma)

I felt very nervous the day before the CESTL conference but the day of I felt confident and satisfied with the work I have done. I was excited to see other people’s presentations and seeing them made me more confident with my own. One thing I learned at the CESTL conference was that pregnant teens are segregated and often sent to another school. I never had any experience seeing a pregnant student when I was in high school, but hearing that they are taken out of normal school was a bit disheartening. I feel like they can make the girl feel worse about herself and further damage occurs due the student being taken away from their friends and support. I was prepared for the conference because I didn’t feel nervous when I was there.

I have never participated in something like the CESTL before so I tried my best to work out everything I was going to say and how I would say it. I have worked very hard for the conference because I wanted to make myself and my professor proud. I felt that if I did well, presented in the allotted amount of time and kept the viewers interested that I would help myself overcome my fears and fight my anxiety. I was very satisfied with how my presentation went because I knew my topic well, practiced to keep it within ten minutes, and learned enough of my subject to answer any questions any students might ask me. The one girl who asked me two questions; I was able to answer with ease and without having to stall for time to think or look at my notes.

This experience has helped me with my public speaking very much so. I have never spoken in from of complete strangers with such confidence and drive. I wanted to teach people something they may not already know. I wanted to help my fellow classmates and guests to see what I have been doing all semester and how I have grown in knowledge of my topic. I have become better with time management and I learned valuable information about emotions and learning and how to deal with students in the classroom environment which will help me tremendously as a teacher in the future. I think the CESTL conference was a great idea. I feel like it was helpful and interesting and I was entertained the entire duration of time I was there. More students should participate in this conference in my opinion. I will totally recommend this conference to any LIU students who ask because I took so much from it. The CESTL was a great way to gain experience in public speaking and help prepare future teachers for speaking in front of strangers and have confidence in doing so. I do not have any suggestions for the CESTL. None. I believe the day went by smoothly and everything was set up nicely. I was impressed at how professional the conference actually was. My advice for future students is: Research your topics well and have the confidence in yourselves that you will do well and that it’s a great experience to have and you will learn a lot while you are there.
(Daniel Price)

Attending the CESTL conference was definitely a great experience in my eyes.
The conference was great for many reasons: For one, it showed the unity of my fellow classmates and fellow professors. It was great to see how many people were able to take the time out on a weekend to attend. It was interesting to hear the keynote speaker, the dean and the students speak. I truly enjoyed hearing my fellow classmates present their power point presentations. I learned a lot by hearing them talk about their fieldwork experiences. I also was intrigued to hear the panel of high school students who I thought were great! They were very mature and I was impressed with their behavior and their answers to the many questions that were asked. I also enjoyed looking at the poster that I and my fellow classmates made.

The conference on a whole proved to me that with hard work and dedication anything is possible. I was also motivated by the keynote speaker’s speech. I found it to be extremely interesting. There isn’t much I can say in terms of making the event better. The only constructive criticism I have would be to shorten the event. I think from 9-8 is a long day for anyone. I also wished that more students would have participated. I think it should be a requirement. In order to get students to attend they need a little push to get there. Overall I think the conference was a huge success!
(Tania De Simone)

I was so nervous about my poster presentation at first but once I got my presentation up and saw familiar faces I started to somewhat relax. It was interesting to see so many presentations on topics that could possible help me in my future teaching! I also learned that there are so many passionate students in the same path as I am. Although I was over whelmed and felt at one point not having enough time to finish my presentation, once it was done I was eager to present my research findings. I worked extremely hard for my presentation. Although I had some time constraints next time I will spread my time more efficiently to have better preparation. I believe that I did pretty well considering it was my first research (on my own) and had very little time to put it all together! This course has made me think a bit differently on how I can motivate myself even if I doubt myself. With the many personal experiences and personal stories, I have learned that you really don't need anyone or anything to motivate you, other than yourself.

Overall, CESTL was a great experience! It is such a wonderful way to not only practice public speaking but the experience of meeting other presenters and spectators interested in these various research. It felt great to talk about my research to people whom had no idea but that were interested in my research topic. I would highly recommend the CESTL to other LIU students simply because it is an experience that helps you become familiar with how to speak with interesting people in a conference setting and it teaches you how to research a topic that will ultimately inform others but also teach you how to put all the valuable information together to have a good research. I would tell the future students to work on the project as soon as you can. It was very hard for me because of my busy schedule and because it was my first research project on my own, but now that I experienced the CESTL , my advice would be to get as much help as possible from any source that you can get!
(Idel Rivas)

As a presenter I of course feel very nervous and in the meantime I feel excited, too! I learnt to believe myself. I built confidence and I think this is the most important lesson I learnt this semester. I think I am very well prepared. Because I spent lots of time on it and improved my presentation several times. In CESTL, I not only built my confidence but also learnt a lot. I learnt both from the professors and my peers, as well. Yes I will. CESTL is not only a place for students of education major to learn and express themselves. For the students of other majors, they can also know how to do researches, how to express yourself to others. To attend for the whole day is a little bit too long and at the end of the CESTL, there are not many audiences. So if possible can it be separated into 2 days, so that more people can have chance to attend it.
(Jieyin Zhou)

I have to say, I found the CESTL conference to be surprisingly rewarding. The topic I had chosen is something I feel very strongly about. Creating a “balanced” classroom is extremely important. I know what it feels like to be a girl in a math class and to think I’m not good at math, even when I really am. That being said, I felt that my topic was something teachers don’t really consider very often.

Teachers don’t always realize that they way they conduct their classroom is biased, and yet before CESTL, I was worried that people weren’t going to find my topic nearly as interesting as I did. However, once my group began to speak, I realized that people do care. This group of new/preservice teachers really does care about having perfectly balanced classrooms. The longer I spent in front of the crowd, the more proud I was of my research, my project, my group, and myself. It also meant a lot to me that you stayed to watch my group present. I’m sure you were busy running the conference, but I really appreciate that you sat and watched my entire presentation.

All in all, I found CESTL to be highly rewarding, but at the same time – having been through it once, I think that’s all the experience I need! The weeks leading up to the conference were extraordinarily stressful! Thanks again!
(Michelle Kim)

Initially I did not know what to expect because this was my first conference I attended but I was nervous for my fellow classmates. Because I knew they were anxious about presenting. Overall I thought it was a wonderful experience and I learned so much not only from my fellow classmates but from the other teachers. The most important tool I learned from the CESTL conference was that not only students feel anxiety or nervousness.

But teachers do as well. It was so courageous for the teachers to speak of their real feeling and how they would worry if they completed the day as plan or if the students learned from them that day. This course helped me to no longer be shy and understand there is no such thing as a stupid question but also most important becoming an effective listener and educator. The learning experience overall was a great experience not only for the students but I think for the teachers as well. There was so much information I learned from my fellow classmates. I will recommend the CESTL to other LIU students because it is an educational conference and very knowledgeable. I think the teachers should acknowledge the students in their class who attend the conference even if they do not present.
(Mincey Holness)

I enjoyed and learned alot at the CESTL conference. I have been to conferences in the past in my career as a financial analyst for JP Morgan Chase. Conferences can be boring and sometimes overwhelming because there are so many groups of people brought together for many reasons and for many presentations and topics. However, I really enjoyed this conference because it was relatively small, initmate and everyone was there for the same purpose which was to increase our knowledge and understanding of education. My favorite part about a conference is the wide variety of people that you get to meet. It's an experience for sharing, meeting, and learning from other people in your same field or with your same interests. It's an interesting day to spend if you approach it the right way.

I enjoyed myself very much and while I was there for 5 hours, it didn't feel that long and I would have stayed longer if I didn't have other obligations. It was a nice way to end the semester and see my classmates in a more informal setting where we could socialize more than in class. I learned a lot. Probably what will stick out to me the most is the speech by the Provost (I forgot his name) and some of the presentations were very good and thought provoking especially the ones on motivation since this was my topic as well. I look forward to the last class because it will be a bit of a celebration and a goodbye for now to many people I hope to continue seeing around campus until I finish my degree.
(Pilar Cueberio)

I felt very comfortable and excited to be there because I did a poster presentation and didn’t feel the same stress I would have felt if I were presenting a powerpoint presentation. I am nervous about public speaking so the poster presentation made me more comfortable. I learned so much at the conference. There was so much information to appreciate from all the different speakers. I especially loved the key note address by the provost. It was just an unrehearsed sincere recollection of some of his experiences which are so unique and interesting. I loved how he pulled out so many lessons on teaching from his experience with dolphins in Hawaii. It was brilliant and inspiring. I was very, very impressed by the student presenters and absolutely enjoyed the student panel. They showed so much poise and self-confidence for their age…I am sure that they will continue to be successful adults in whatever field they pursue.

I felt prepared because I was happy with the way my poster came out. When I saw the samples in class, I thought I could never make a poster like that but I was pleased with how mine turned out. I was eager to share my findings with people who came up to my poster. I felt comfortable with the knowledge I had accumulated on the topic of motivation. I worked very hard for the research paper. The poster presentation was not as hard as I thought it would be. If I had more artistic creativity and a good imagination, the poster could have come out even better but I’m pleased with the results from the work I put into it. I think I worked very hard for the research paper. The poster presentation was not as hard as I thought it would be. If I had more artistic creativity and a good imagination, the poster could have come out even better but I’m pleased with the results from the work I put into it.

when the conference began, I became to feel excited and nervous. I was satisfied with my own performances at the CESTL. Because I prepared for it very hard and I tried my best to do all my own things during the conference. I would recommend CESTL to all other LIU students because I would like to publicize the CESTL event, I hope it could become more and more successful in the future. As an international student, I wonder if CESTL could give some time to let the international students communicate with these local teachers and students, so they can share their own experience about the education with each other.
(Ben Zhao)

Both nervous and excited, because this was the first time to attend conference things and the poster presentation was also the first time to me. Furthermore, the research of my topic was excited to me because I really wanted to research my topic before. First, I could see the passion of teachers for their job: education from guest forums. They try to develop the educational achievement. Therefore, I learned the teachers’ passion for their students.

Second, I learned my main educational consideration. It was the same with my research topic: effective teaching and learning method. I had a good time to find out from many teachers and students. I chose the Poster presentation because I wanted to challenge a new experience. I have never done before the poster presentation was new challenge for me. I already did the Power Point Presentation in other class, so I think that the poster presentation could be my new presentation challenge. The new challenge is the reason why I came to America to study. The study in America is also big challenge to me. I really want to challenge the new experience in America. My topic was comparing effective teaching and learning methods from teachers’ needs and students’ needs. I have always wanted to research my topic since I was an elementary student. Finally, I could catch the main point of effective teaching methods and learning methods by using my research. I am sure that the catching the main point can be helpful to my future. Educator and teacher should develop themselves and their research continuously.

Education is kind of science like how to deal the students well and reasonably. The science should be researched by professional researchers continuously. Also, the result of education research should be shared to every teacher. Therefore, every teacher must investigate their educational specialties continuously for the better educational environment. I want to recommend other students. However, just some students who have interest in education will be likely to attend to the CESTL. I already wrote down upper question. The more attractive marketing and advertisement are needed to the CESTL. Other things were perfect: setting of the conference, progress of schedule, the contents of presentations, and quality of guests. Everything was great except marketing promotion. Even the educational major students, they did not know the CESTL. The future students, they should have their own interest part in education and then they should research the part by using the specific way. Even if the CESTL will be hard to prepare, they have to think about that it will be useful research to them especially being teacher in the future.

Anyone who doesn’t get nervous before speaking in any sort of unfamiliar public setting is lying. That being said, I constantly claimed that I wasn’t nervous at all because if I say it enough, I will eventually believe it. It is a defense mechanism. One girl, Nubia Renderos according to the program, did the presentation on teen pregnancy. I had no idea that schools ever took an active role in moving a pregnant girl out of the school and into a less visible spot, like BOCES. That is really horrible.

Also, she had her entire family there, they must be super-supportive. My mother wasn’t even awake by 9 and my father preferred to do yard work over see me speak. YARD WORK! I have always considered them extremely supportive parents in whatever I do (And I did 4 years in art school, have to have supportive parents for that). I had to wake up really early and iron a shirt, for an artist this is an incredible amount of work! Seriously though, I went over my presentation a couple times in private. I reworked my power point a handful of times as well. This is all the same process I do for any presentation though. Which is why I felt like I was under prepared at first, because this was a shorter presentation than the others. The keynote speaker (the provost) shook my hand during the break after the block of presenters that I was in. I didn’t think much of this at first but after the break I noticed that he had not returned. He is probably a busy guy and it was a beautiful Saturday so he probably had other things to do today, but he stayed for the first block of presenters and watched mine and then congratulated me. That definitely made it feel more successful. It has given me more experience with speaking to an unfamiliar crowd. Any teacher I have spoken too has said that there is no replacement for experience in speaking and teaching students. So this counts towards experience and I am sure it will come in handy in the future.

CESTL was worth it to participate. I ended up staying much longer than I expected I would (I am generally a “leave when your done” kind of guy) but I ended up staying for around 5 hours. I am glad I participated though. I would definitely tell future students who are in a class that gives them the opportunity to present at CESTL to consider it. I think the atmosphere during the conference is better than the classroom presentations.
(Travis Wingate)

I was looking forward to the experience of being involved in CESTL but was a little anxious as I did not know what to expect. The special invited panel was so inspiring. It was fascinating to hear stories of their “journey” and the trials and tribulations along the way. I learned that I will make plenty of mistakes along my journey, experience frustration and at times get little feedback from the students that you try to reach. But teaching is an ongoing learning experience and I will learn from my mistakes. I just need to have confidence in myself and push forward.

I felt I was very prepared for the conference because I had remembered your instructions to get rest, dress professionally and be proud of your work. I felt I worked hard for this conference as it consumed my evenings. As this was the first time that I was involved in this, I wanted to make certain my poster was correctly laid out and that it was easy to read and with a font that would look acceptable. I wanted my information to be understandable and I wanted to “pass the test”! I was satisfied with my poster performance. The students around me were wonderful and we each spoke to one another describing our research. The other people who visited were friendly and pleased to hear about my project. I loved meeting new people! The more practice I get, the more comfortable I become.

I thought that CESTL was a wonderful learning experience. I enjoyed the slide presenters and it was very interesting to learn about so many different topics. They panel of high school students was great but my favorite was the special invited professors’ panel. They were open, engaging and so helpful. I would definitely recommend the CESTL to other LIU students because it is a wonderful learning experience! My advice for improving the conference is: Bring back Dr. Paul Forestall!! He was wonderful. I can only aspire to be as comfortable and engaging speaker as Dr. Forestall! My advice for future students is: Give yourself plenty of time to prepare. There will be little glitches that occur that you have not planned on – my printer was not working properly for two days which sent me into a panic!!
(Vicky Vincenti-Gill)

Dear Dr. Dengting Boyanton:
CONGRATULATIONS.
The 6th CESTL was real successful, and I want to thank you for giving me such a great opportunity to. You let me know that I can succeed if I hold me dream in my heart, and I can do it. I'd like to be involved either as a presenter or a volunteer for the next CESTL!

My mind was full of CESTL memories the whole day after the CESTL. I can still remember how tired but how excited I was when I was in CESTL, and thank you Dr. Boyanton for allowing me to present.
CESTL is my first professional conference in my life, and I learnt a lot not only from the experts and the professors but also from my peers and even the high school students who attended to CESTL. I also noticed that motivation is a very popular research topic very much, and I also want to do some research on that in the future.

Dr. Boyanton, you inspired me so much, especially when I was in the CESTL conference, and when I saw so many people were there. I came to America to study how to be a great teacher, and I think I already found the answer.
CESTL is a milestone in my entire career. Thank you again.

Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Wendy Wu

CESTL was great. I’m so glad to benefit a lot from everyone’s performance, and I also could be a little nervous to do it. In addition, I really enjoy participating in this conference. This is my first time to so such a formal presentation in this kind of professional meeting, therefore I do a lot of research and spent a lot of time and energy to prepare, including making PPT, practicing the whole presentation, and polishing my work to be more engaging . The process is kind of tough and long-lasting; still I think it is a golden opportunity for me to learn and grow. From doing observation, interview and the related literature review, my final work was published after 4 times being revised. I am so grateful for Professor Dengting’s feedback and my friend’s help, which helped my presentation to go more smoothly.

I felt that I was so engrossed in the presentation that I almost forgot the time. Even though everyone provided very good feedback to my performance, still I thought I was a little nervous and speak a bit fast. Generally speaking, I am satisfied with my work because I have tried my best to do it. Being calm, organized, relaxed, and providing opportunities for the audience is just the basic requirement of a qualified teacher. Therefore, I become more manageable and confident to give my performance to people. CESTL is very impressive and beneficial for both teachers and students. It is just like a kind of dish which is appropriate for everyone, as long as the person is interested in education. Of course I will recommend the CESTL to other students or everyone who want to have an opportunity to share ideas with each other and develop the public speaking ability. All these are the basic requirement of a high self-efficacy person.
(Xiaoxiao Li)

I came a little late around 3. I felt being very comfortable than I thought. All presenters prepared their PPT very hard. They looked very passionate for their job! I prepared as much as I could! I interviewed, surveyed and contacted with Korean friends. Besides, owing to my language limitations, I went to writing center of LIU twice a week and worked with Stepanie for almost 3 weeks to finish my presentation PPT. I have worked very hard as I mentioned in #3. I did because I wanted to learn myself from working how to do and how to make. Actually, it will help a lot. During preparing this presentation, I researched for my topic much and I learned a lot and I had much time to consider the topic for my career. Yes, I will. Especially, students who belong to school of education need to come and listen this conference. There are many interesting topics which will helpful for them! My advice for future student: Work hard as much as you can. Then you will learn as much as you prepare for the CESTL!
(Young-Soon Kim)

I was really excited, but when I was presenting audience seems already tired. My motivation was decrease too. However, I really enjoy this conference. Especially, I enjoyed educational conversation with peers. Actually, it was very challenge because this was my first semester with graduate and I had part-time job from this semester so I was very busy. I couldn’t handle my life so I felt lazy too. However, the few days before conference, I finally wake up and I guess I prepared enough. I worked hard; especially I practice a lot to say my opinion without paper. Moreover, my presentation, “Should immigrant should segregated?” is very sensitive topic so I research very deeply. I also try to construct my own hypothesis and that was very challenging for me. But correct evidence and expect from human’s instinct, research was very fun and finally, I really enjoyed it. Psychological aspect of education of this course and that practice style class gave me a lot of inspiration. I really like this practical style of class and this class is my future ideal type of class. It means a lot. I would really love to recommend for education major people. For education major students, this conference means a lot.
(Yusuke Shindo)

Previous CESTLs

Future CESTLs

7th CESTL
9:00am-9:00pm
December 11th, 2010 (Saturday)
Tills Performance Center
Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus

8th CESTL
9:00am-9:00pm
April 30th, 2011 (Saturday)
Tills Performance Center
Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus

If you are interested in getting involved with our future CESTLs as committee members, guest speakers, presenters, or sponsors, please contact dengting.boyanton@liu.edu or (516) 299-4117. Thank you very much for your support.