National

National PTA Convention offers a variety of session formats designed to meet attendees where they are and deliver learning in ways that are engaging, practical and meaningful. Here's what to expect from each session type.

Traditional Workshop (45 minutes) The convention's core learning format. Traditional workshops offer deep dives into a topic through instructor-led presentations blended with discussion, small-group work and hands-on activities. Expect to engage, practice and leave with tools you can use right away. Best for skill building, learning processes, exploring leadership concepts and hands-on application.

Mini Session (20 minutes) Short on time, big on value. Mini sessions deliver one or two key insights quickly—perfect for discovering a new resource, getting a fresh idea or seeing a tool in action. Interaction is limited, but there's time for brief discussion or Q&A. Best for quick tips, emerging ideas, showcasing resources and short demonstrations.

PTA Talk (8–10 minutes including Q&A) Inspired by the TED Talk format, PTA Talks are personal, high-energy presentations designed to inspire, motivate or shift perspective through a powerful story or idea. Slides are minimal—the speaker and their message take center stage. Best for personal impact stories, elevating student, parent and leader voices and sparking new thinking.

Poster Session (open block) Think gallery walk meets one-on-one conversation. Poster sessions showcase projects, findings, resources and innovations through walk-up displays where attendees engage directly with presenters in informal, small-group conversations. Best for highlighting programs, sharing data and resources, and leader and student-driven displays. Multiple presenters may participate in a single session block.

Table Talks (60-minute open block) The most conversational format at convention. Table Talks bring small groups together for facilitator-guided discussions around a focused topic, using guiding questions and prompts to spark idea sharing and peer learning. Attendees may visit more than one table during the block. Best for collaborative learning, sharing experiences and best practices, relationship building and exploring challenges and solutions together.