Module Overview

Section 1: Background

Section 2:
Design Elements

Section 3: Additional Considerations

Section 4: Facilitating the Experience

Section 5:
Logistics

Evaluation

Module Conclusion

About the Author

 The Logistics

There are three logistical issues critical to the success of a Master Teacher Seminar--program support, a sponsoring organization, and the seminar director.

Program Support
There must be one person who coordinates the event. Over the years, our program has had three people who have filled this role. Currently, Joyce Palmer communicates daily with potential participants and works with the facility and the sponsoring organization. The vital duties of the person providing program support include:
  • Arranging transportation
  • Communicating with participants 
  • Communicating with the facility (To avoid confusion, this is the only person who communicates with the facility.)
  • Ordering and arranging for equipment
  • Maintaining records of past events
  • Assigning rooms
  • Making financial deposits
  • Working with the sponsoring organization to arrange checks and payments
  • Performing clerical work
  • Working with the director and the staff as a team member
The Sponsoring Organization
The sponsoring organization provides infrastructure in support of the seminar. In our case, College of the Mainland provides the not-for-profit identity, the budget account, the business office services, the computer network, the transportation/vehicles, the media support, and many other "in kind" services. Furthermore, the Great Teaching Roundup is sponsored by the Continuing Education Program at the college. We provide CEUs issued by the Professional Development Academy for the participants.  Our event pays its way in direct expenses, but the college provides important infrastructure. If we had to provide these services for ourselves and apply for our own tax status, we would have a much more difficult challenge.

It is desirable to have several co-sponsors. I am reminded that large drama productions with a large casts like musicals, play to larger audiences than do small cast productions. Co-sponsors build communication, enrollment, and support; co-sponsors mean more and healthier participation. Our seminar is co-sponsored by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Tarrant County Junior College (Fort Worth), and Angelina College (Lufkin, Texas). The Instructional Dean at Angelina has sent two to four faculty for each of the 24 years and has their pictures on her wall. The Great Teaching Roundup is a line item in their budget.

The Role of the Director
The director of the MTS has several important duties. Setting the time-table for the event is one of those. When will we begin the promotion? Where will we promote it? Making decisions when sufficient information is collected is another. Timely decision-making allows for things to move ahead. What will need to happen for positive public relations? Other decisions need to be made about facility use; staffing, pricing and promoting the event; and seeking financial support. Planning is another vital role for the director; some of these coincide with the ideas mentioned above. What will happen to the MTS in the future, upon the retirement of the people who make it happen? There must be a person who, as Cindra Smith says, has a passion for what the seminar is, one who makes sure it happens. This ensures the seminar's survival.

Review
We have named here three vital roles related to the logistics of conducting a Master Teacher Seminar:  the program support coordinator, the sponsoring organization, and the director. The event would eventually fail if any of these three are weak. Why would that be? What is important about the core work of each of these three? What are the duties of each of the three?