Back to... Teaching...

Back from the Athens TESOL Convention wondering...
Most of us teachers have really forgotten all about "developing" as professionals. We all have about a "hundred" teaching hours per week, our students' homework to mark, a lot of preparation for our next lessons and very little time for our personal lives.
Most of us wonder why do we need these conventions, book exhibitions, seminars... Publishers come to our schools anyway offering everything new...
I have heard these excuses a milion of times.
What happened to our "development"? As teachers and also as people?
Don't we need to share our ideas? Get feedback? Learn new things?
Is "the book" the only thing we need? Is it enough?
And what happens of we do get in touch with other collegues? If we read, if we take part in the seminars and the conventions, if we try to be innovative in our teaching? Do people (students, parents... clients...) acknowledge our efforts?
Personally I think that people do not matter. If you are open minded and do not stick on "the book" I am sure that there is a lot to gain!!

To be continued with some of my notes from the convention...