Jeonju–North Jeolla KOTESOL hosted its regional conference this past September 5th. It's the first time we've held a major event since hosting the KOTESOL National Conference in 2019. Our new home at Jeonbuk National University provided an ideal setting, with an entire floor of one building available for the event.
There were, of course, a few challenges along the way, but the team worked through them and welcomed around 50 participants for an afternoon focused on the theme, “Challenges and Opportunities for Provincial Education in Korea.”
The conference opened with a welcome from JNJ president Lisa MacIntyre-Park, followed by a short address from Dr. Shim of JBNU. Our own Dr. Natalie Thibault then gave the plenary, “The Power of ‘Not Yet’: Raising the Bar in EFL Classrooms.” Her engaging presentation explored the idea of raising the bar for our students and the ways students can rise to those expectations when we do.
Alongside our usual table of snacks and drinks, attendees could visit a small coffee shop, browse a pop-up bookshop, and check out our Honest Market, which offered donated games and educational materials to raise funds for the chapter.
The afternoon featured four streams of 12 presenters across three hours, with generous breaks between sessions. These gave participants time to grab a drink or snack, browse the Honest Market, socialize, and catch up with colleagues between presentations.
A beautifully designed printed program included the schedule, presenter profiles, and a few advertisements from local businesses and other chapters. Our volunteers were also a huge part of the day, helping direct attendees, putting up signs, and stepping in wherever they were needed. Door prizes supplied by our local bookstore added another bit of fun, with participants handing in their beautiful name badges for a chance to win. More than a few people were very keen to get their badges back afterward!
Feedback from presenters and attendees was overwhelmingly positive, and we were delighted with how the conference came together. With most of the executive organizing a regional conference for the first time, we are especially proud of what we accomplished together and very glad that everyone who participated in the event enjoyed it so much. It may be difficult to top this one, but we’ll certainly have fun trying!
