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Never did I think I could experience TESOL at such a
professional level. I attended TESOL Chicago as a first-time participant
and presenter and had the privilege of sharing with members. I shared
not only information on how to gain opportunities in TESOL, but also my
excitement about being there and why such opportunities are rewarding
for personal and professional growth!
As English teachers who are professionals in the field, we need
to understand how our actions impact our contexts directly, be it at
the K-12 level or in adult and higher education contexts. Our commitment
and engagement in professional development ensures that all learner
generations will benefit from relevant contributions in the learning
environments we develop.
Desimone, Porter, Garet & Birman (2002) in their
longitudinal study explored how professional development directly
impacts instruction in the classroom, how active learning increases the
potential of the use of these practices, and how continued training
guarantees proven, positive impact in learning and growth. Additionally,
Mizell (2010) describes professional development as not only attendance
at conferences, seminars and workshops but also acquiring knowledge
through discussions with colleagues, learning about their projects, and
observing what they do. Well, you know, TESOL encompasses precisely all
those aspects and more!
TESOL allows for high quality professional development through
the varied sessions delivered. It provides possibilities to hear
authentic teacher experiences from real situations in the classroom,
multiple spaces for networking and establishment of new projects and
teacher engagement. Additionally, there are scenarios to acquire
leadership skills and learn from novel and tenured teachers,
complemented by possibilities volunteering and learning which go hand in
hand and allow teachers to grow and develop their careers!
During my presentation at TESOL, participants had the
opportunity to learn about the impact the affiliates leadership workshop
had on a newcomer; how a novice presenter benefitted from the
experience; how the variety of sessions offered through TESOL allowed
for a renewal of lessons in the classroom; and how the networking
opportunities translated into relevant projects, not only for learners
but also for our English association in Honduras. The session described
how TESOL’s holistic approach to professional development allowed
implementation of lessons learnt to go beyond the conference and be
shared with teachers from all over Honduras.
Participants also learned
about and how to access the variety of opportunities TESOL offers:
grants, volunteer opportunities, tips on how-to prepare for and what
rewards you will receive from being a presenter, and finally
recommendations on how to best network in the settings to make the most
of the TESOL experience! So, dare to have a TESOL story too! You will
absolutely love it! References
Birman, B. F., Desimone, L., Porter, A. C., & Garet, M.
S. (2000, May). Designing Professional Development that Works.
Educational Leadership, 57(8), 28-33.
Hayes, M. (2010). Why Professional Development Matters. Learning Forward, 28.
Karen Vasquez has a BA in Business and Industrial
Administration, a Secondary School Certification and a Master of
Education Degree from Framingham State College. She completed a Diploma
in Writing from UC Berkeley. At present she is … at ECSI and has 10+
years’ experience in the education field. USDS Alumna through E-teacher
programs and AE Webinars. Presenter at TESOL International on 2018 and
Vice President at HELTA Honduras TESOL. | 