CESTL Overview

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Please visit our NEW website at:
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Thank you!

Department of Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education

Long Island University, C. W. Post Campus

Introduction

Sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Initiative (TLI) Instructional Innovation Grant at Long Island University, the Conference of Elementary-Secondary Teaching & Learning (CESTL) is a semi-annual one-day conference on teaching and learning at both the elementary and secondary school level. Organized by Dr. Dengting Boyanton in the Curriculum & Instruction Department, CESTL is held on the Saturday immediately preceding the final exam week in the fall and spring semesters. Unlike traditional conferences, CESTL is student-centered and it strives to provide the best platform for students to exchange their research findings and discoveries on teaching and learning. It is a conference of the students, for the students, and by the students.

Each semester, all students taking the Educational Psychology courses offered by Dr. Dengting Boyanton will investigate a research topic of their own choice throughout the semester. They will then present their research findings at CESTL. Student presentations at previous CESTLs have covered a wide range of topics related to educational psychology including motivation, peer relationship, learning environment, parenting, learning disabilities, race and learning, and others topics. As a showcase of student research and a means of using research to enhance student learning, CESTL encourages students to nurture and pursue their own research interests with the goal of becoming active lifelong learners.

Additionally, CESTL provides other enriching programs including 1) a keynote address, 2) a professors’ panel on teaching & learning, 3) a K-12 teachers/ students panel on teaching & learning, and 4) cultural events. Distinguished scholars, experienced educators, and outstanding students will be invited to share their perspectives at CESTL. Also, CESTL serves as a forum for cultural events, such as music or dance, performed by the students. These cultural events not only expose students to different cultures, but also provide a stage for students to express their talents or share their culture.

Rationale

Traditional classroom instruction has been one-way (from teacher to student) and dominated by teachers’ lecturing for decades (Gorsky, et al., 2006). Evidence strongly suggests that students do not take this learning format seriously (Bonwell & Eison, 1991) and it hinders internalization (inertia), understanding (fantasia), and recognition (amnesia) of course material (Shulman, 1999).

CESTL was developed on the basis of established principles of powerful learning. First, learning is more powerful when the process is active rather than passive (Piaget, 1952). Learning is more effective when students actively explore, observe, and discover in the real world rather than passively listening to lectures by teachers in the classroom (Bruner, 1983). By having students select a research topic of their own interest and search for answers, CESTL shifts the students’ role from a passive information-taker to an active information-seeker. As Dewey (1916) observed, the purpose of education is not about memorizing, passing tests, or obtaining degrees, but about understanding, inquiring, and critical thinking.

Secondly, learning is more powerful when one is able to teach what he has learned to others (Goodlad & Hirst, 1989; Stader & Gagnepain, 2000). Teaching others increases one’s analytical skills, enhances one’s interest in the subject, and deepens one’s understanding of the topic (Foot, Shute, & Morgan, 1990). Through this dynamic “learn to teach, teach to learn” interplay at CESTL, students are not just teaching others about their own work, but also are learning themselves through teaching. Thus, CESTL offers a new perspective on teaching and learning.

Thirdly, learning is more powerful when the expectations are high (Vygotsky, 1978; Good & Brophy, 1995). Requiring students to produce high-quality work raises the standards. Instead of doing it as a class project which will be read only by the instructor, students are informed that their work must be sufficiently professional to be presented to the public at large. This high standard enhances students’ motivation to learn, to work harder, and to strive for excellence.

Fourthly, learning is more powerful when students are empowered as learners (Bandura, 1986). CESTL shifts the traditional “learner” role by placing students in the role of “expert” on a given subject. This student-centered pedagogy of CESTL highly values students’ perspectives and discoveries. Furthermore, the CESTL committee, a predominantly student committee which oversees the event, empowers students by giving them leadership of this event. Taking the role of an “expert” or a “leader” creates a strong sense of achievement in students. This sense of achievement will greatly influence their motivation and confidence to learn and teach when facing new challenges in the future (Covington, 1985; Glasser, 1990).

Lastly, learning is more powerful when the learning task is meaningful (Caine & Caine, 1997). CESTL creates a meaningful learning task by providing authentic problems which students are able to investigate in the real context (Duffy & Cunnningham, 1996). Also, CESTL intends to create a knowledge-sharing community among the LIU education students. CESTL is an opportunity for the students to make a difference in the society by sharing their knowledge with the public. When students are able to contribute their knowledge to the society, learning becomes more meaningful.

Methodology

The CESTL Committee application forms will be distributed to all student presenters after each CESTL. Four to six applicants will be selected as committee members based on the following criteria: 1) passion for the conference, 2) ability to work hard and be responsible, 3) strong oral/written communication skills; and 4) a good personality. This new CESTL Committee will be formed immediately following each CESTL event. The CESTL Committee will be responsible for coordinating the following CESTL conference including designing the posters/flyers, scheduling, publicizing the event, inviting guest speakers, and set-up/clean-up for the event.

At the beginning of each new semester, Dr. Dengting Boyanton will give her students a brief CESTL orientation and provide them a variety of research topics/questions. All research questions are related to the course content but students are encouraged to construct their own research questions based on their interests. High expectations are stated clearly at the very beginning of the class. Throughout the semester, Dr. Dengting Boyanton will provide eight mini-workshops guiding the students step by step in conducting their research, including: 1) how to choose a research topic, 2) how to form a good research question, 3) how to write a research proposal, 4) how to contact the research site and participants, 5) how to observe in a classroom, 6) how to conduct interviews, 7) how to write up the final paper, and above all, 8) how to deliver a powerful presentation at the CESTL.

In addition to providing guidance on how to conduct research, Dr. Dengting Boyanton will also provide emotional support and encouragement along the way. This is because many students are first- or second-year undergraduates or graduates who “have never done this before” or “have no idea where to start.” Dr. Dengting Boyanton will help students overcome difficult issues such as motivation, confidence, anxiety, stress, and fear of public speaking. She will provide constructive feedback about their work (e.g., “Be more specific in describing students’ behavior”) as well as encouragement (e.g., “Keep up with the great work!”) on weekly basis. Students will constantly work and rework on their research project, make gradual progresses, and gain confidence little by little.

A third task is the coordination of the CESTL itself, which will primarily be the responsibility of the CESTL Committee in coordination with LIU Conference Services. All committee members will report to Dr. Dengting Boyanton directly.

Lastly, the students will present their research at CESTL. Each student can take any of the three presentation formats: 1) PowerPoint presentation, 2) poster presentation, or 2) panel discussion. Their presentations will be evaluated by other student presenters and the instructor using CESTL Presentation Peer Evaluation Form (See Appendix A). Parents and professors are also encouraged to provide feedback for the students’ presentations.

Outcomes

As a teaching initiative, the expected outcomes of CESTL include: 1) the students’ motivation and interest to learn will be greatly enhanced; 2) the students will work much harder to meet the high expectations and standards and display higher level of involvement in the course/CESTL; 3) the students will discover principles, relationships, patterns, and theories on their own and develop a deeper understanding of teaching and learning; 4) the students will enhance their subject matter knowledge and be better prepared as future teachers; 5) the students will improve their analytical, critical-thinking, problem-solving, and creativity skills; 6) a learning community will be created where all educators/students can discuss and exchange ideas on teaching and learning; 7) students’ social skills, teamwork skills and communication skills (e.g., writing, public speaking, presenting) will be improved; and lastly; 8) students’ self-esteem will be greatly enhanced and they will become much more confident both as learners and future educators; and 9) CESTL will help students create linkages between reflective inquiry and actual classroom practice. These enhanced skills will not only assist them in succeeding in future courses, but also in the real world where such skills are crucial and sought-after.

As part of a research project conducted by Dr. Dengting Boyantonon classroom learning, the CESTL outcomes will be presented in professional conferences and meetings such as annual American Educational Research Association conferences and American Psychological Association conventions. A summary of the students’ evaluation will also be disseminated electronically within the School of Education as well as the broader LIU community by Ms. Rita Langdon, Associate Provost/Director of Public Relations.

Future of the CESTL

Currently, CESTL is still in its first phase of a long-term development process. The data obtained through current and previous CESTLs will be used as the basis for future CESTL program redesign. A possible Phase Two CESTL would expand the CESTL to include the whole LIU community focusing on the education students (both undergraduate and graduate students). A Phase Three project would test the efficacy of the CESTL on a larger scale in the state of New York by establishing partnerships with other New York universities and public schools. We would also like to provide workshops or training programs for local K-12 administrators or teachers who are interested in developing similar programs in their schools. It is our goal that CESTL will become a model program in the U.S. on how to create powerful learning in students of all levels through providing student-centered conferences.

References

Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the
classroom. ASHE-ERIC

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive
theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Bruner, J. S. (1983). In search of mind: Essays in autobiography. New York: Harper & Row.

Caine, R. N., & Caine, G. (1997). Education on the edge of possibility. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, VA.

Covington, M. V. (1985). Strategic thinking and the fear of failure. In J. W. Segal, S. F.
Chipman, & R. Glaser (Eds.), Thinking and learning skills (Vol. 1). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York: The Macmillan Company

Duffy, T. M., & Cunningham, D. J. (1996). Constructivism: Implications for the design and delivery of instruction. In D. Jonassen (Ed), Handbook of research for educational communications and technology (pp. 170-198). New York: Macmillan Library Reference

Foot, H. C., Shute, R. H., & Morgan, M. J. (1990). Theoretical issues in peer tutoring. In
H. C. Foot, M. J. Morgan, & R. H. Shute (Eds.), Children helping children. New York: Wiley.
Glasser, W. (1990). The quality school. New York: Harper & Row.

Gorsky, P., Caspi, A. & Trumperb, R. (2006). Campus-based university students’ use of dialogue. Studies in Higher Education, 31(1), 71-87.

Good, T. L., & Brophy, J. (1995). Contemporary educational psychology (5th Ed.). New York: Longman.

Goodlad, B. H. & Hirst, B. (1989). Peer tutoring: A guide to learning by teaching. Nichols Pub Co.

Higher Education Report, No.1. Washington, DC: The George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development.

Piaget, J. (1952). The origin of intelligence of the child (M. Gabain, Trans.). Glencoe, IL: Free Press (Original book published 1932)

Shulman, L. S. (1999). Taking learning seriously. Change, 31(4), 11-17.

Stader, D., & Gagnepain, F. C. (2000). Mentoring: The power of peers. American Secondary Education, 28(3), 28-32.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1986). Thought and language (A. Kozulin, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Original work published 1934)

Future CESTLs:

The 7th CESTL will be held on December 18th, 2010 (Saturday) in Tills Performance Center
The 8th CESTL will be held on April 30th, 2010 (Saturday) in Tills Performance Center

6th CESTL Flyer

Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education @

Long Island University C. W. Post

Proudly Presents

6th Conference of Elementary-Secondary Teaching & Learning

9am-9pm, April 24, 2010 (Sat)
Top of Commons
Long Island University, C.W. Post
OPEN to the Public!

Welcome to the CESTL! Sponsored by the Long Island University Teaching & Learning Instructional Innovation Grant, Curriculum & Instruction, the School of Education, CESTL is a completely student-oriented conference on classroom teaching and learning at both the elementary and secondary school level. CESTL is organized by Professor Dengting Boyanton and all of her students currently taking her courses EDI 15A Psychological Perspective: Teaching & Learning, EDI 17 Psychology & Development of Adolescent Students, and EDI 600 Psychological Foundation of Education from the Curriculum & Instruction Department of the School of Education at the Long Island University (C. W. Post Campus).

The 6th CESTL will show research conducted by all of our student researchers throughout the Spring 2010 semester. Each student spent this whole semester investigating one research topic related to teaching and learning under Dr. Boyanton’s guidance and supervision. Specific research methods included classroom observations, interviews, class discussions, and self-reflections on teaching and learning.

The CESTL conference will cover a wide range of topics related to classroom teaching and learning including learning and motivation, learning environment, learning process, learning conditions, peer relationship and learning, parenting and learning, teacher characteristics and learning, learning disabilities, race and learning, culture and learning, technology and learning, and many more.

The CESTL keynote speaker will be Dr. Paul Forestell, Provsot at Long Island University. Dr. Forestell will give a talk titled "The Meaning of Teaching". Associate Dean Dr. Kathryn Lusteg will deliver the Welcome Address.

The CESTL will also provide a Special Symposium on teaching and learning at the higher education level from the professors' perspective. Five professors from the Department of Curriculum & Instruction will join this symposium to share their experiences and perspectives: Dr. Andrea McLoulin, Dr. Jeongun Rhee, Dr. Michele Szpara, Dr. Efleda Tolentino, Dr. Yenyen Woo.

The CESTL is open to the public and anyone who has interest in our students’ research is welcome to attend! Please mark your calendar and join us in this exciting and inspiring event! We would greatly appreciate if you could also help us spread the news among your students, colleagues, friends, or whoever will be interested.

We look forward to seeing you in the 6th CESTL!

To learn more about our students’ research: http://cestl.blogspot.com/

Questions/comments? 516-299-4117 or dengting.boyanton@liu.edu

Sincerely,

Dengting Boyanton Ph.D.
CESTL Faculty Advisor
Assistant Professor
Curriculum & Instruction
School of Education
Long Island University, C.W. Post

6th CESTL Committee Board

6th CESTL Keynote Speaker

Dr. Paul H. Forestell, a college administrator, professor of psychology and internationally renowned marine mammal scientist, has served as Provost of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University since July 14, 2008. As chief executive officer, Dr. Forestell leads one of the New York metropolitan area’s most respected private university campuses of higher learning, with an enrollment of 5,300 undergraduates, 3,000 graduate students and more than 100,000 alumni.

Dr. Forestell is responsible for campus operations, policy development and strategic direction, academic initiatives, admissions and recruitment, retention, financial aid, athletics, student affairs, and public safety, and buildings and grounds. In addition he oversees a $170 million campus operations budget. The campus has a staff of more than 1,000, including 329 full-time professors. In addition to C.W. Post, Dr. Forestell also serves as provost of Long Island University’s campuses in Brentwood, Rockland and Riverhead.

Prior to his appointment as Provost, Dr. Forestell served as associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at C.W. Post. He is a widely published and consulted expert on whales, dolphins and seals. He is currently vice president of the Pacific Whale Foundation in Wailuku, Hawaii and was the foundation’s director of research for eight years before joining Long Island University in 1996 as the coordinator of the psychobiology program at Southampton College. At Southampton and at C.W. Post, he has been an advocate of study abroad and field experience, and organizes an annual expedition to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica for university students to conduct long-term field studies of dolphins. He also coordinates internships for students in Australia, Ecuador, Hawaii and throughout the mainland United States, and oversees the Campus’ Fulbright Program.

Dr. Forestell graduated cum laude from the University of New Brunswick in Canada with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy in 1972. He earned a master’s degree in experimental psychology from the University of New Brunswick in 1976 and a Ph.D. in comparative psychology from the University of Hawaii in 1988.

Dr. Forestell has served on several university committees, including the Teaching and Learning Initiative Committee, the Outcomes Assessment Committee, and the Arts and Sciences Strategic Planning Committee. He also was chairman of the Faculty Council at Southampton College. Along with serving on numerous administrative and committee posts at Southampton College and C.W. Post, Dr. Forestell has taught and conducted research in animal behavior at the University of New Brunswick and the University of Hawaii as well as Selkirk Community College in British Columbia and the School for Field Studies in Beverly, Mass. He has participated in nearly 30 professional workshops and government advisory groups dealing both with the scientific study and conservation of whales, dolphins and the marine environment. He has been the recipient of nearly $500,000 in government research grants.

Dr. Forestell is the author or co-author of eight books and book chapters, 18 peer-reviewed articles and nearly 70 contract reports and conference presentations. He has delivered dozens of invited public presentations and has been quoted in major news media in the United States, Japan and Australia.
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6th CESTL Professor Speakers

6th CESTL Student Speakers

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)

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.

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)