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Professional Background
Please take a moment to explain your background in
higher education and how it motivated you to become active as the Higher
Education Interest Section (HEIS) president.
My experience in higher education started in 2016. I started
teaching in 1998, though. I was promoted to assistant supervisor in
2007, then to teacher supervisor, and consultant in 2008. In my career, I
started working at an elementary school (which was my first
experience), moving on to high school, and then two language institutes
in Ecuador. In my short experience in higher education, I have learned
that faculty can contribute to society in different fields. Higher
education collaborators can become as powerful as they wish. I think one
first step is collaboration. That is why I consider this interest
section a venue to strengthen global collaboration in the TESOL field.
Significant Issues
Explain what you consider to be the most significant
issues that shaped you as a HEIS professional.
There are many issues; one is the high percentage of dropouts
worldwide from previous educational levels. Those dropouts cause other
global issues. So, currently I am figuring out creative solutions to
engage students back in their formal studies. Higher education
institutions have many options to face those issues.
HEIS Presidency
Why did you decide to seek the HEIS presidency?
My first experience in TESOL was in New Orleans in 2011. I
found the conference enriching. It exceeded my expectations. Because of
that great experience, I became involved as a volunteer for the
electronic village, then as proposal reader, and now as chair of the
HEIS. In all of these [positions], my main motivation is to serve the
community as a TESOL member. TESOL is always updating their focus to
better assist professionals in the field. I wanted to contribute to that
goal. First, I will continue volunteering to keep advancing in the
field. Then, I believe that education is a tool to help us succeed in
our lives. Finally, I am grateful to be a member in an organization with
high principles and ethics like TESOL. As HEIS chair, my main
motivation is sharing with colleagues, connecting, and collaborating to
improve education worldwide. Teachers touch lives. Teachers shape lives.
HEIS Vision
What is your vision for HEIS?
In the long term, I see HEIS members engaged, volunteering,
updated, and collaborating. This is a task of each and every member of
this interest section. We should all contribute. In our last meeting,
the team of leaders set some goals, like increasing engagement of
members through planned discussions and revising the bylaws. We are
working to achieve them.
Higher Education Challenges
What are the challenges facing higher education in this decade and beyond?
There are many challenges. There have always been issues. I
think the most important challenge is developing in students a mind of
caring and sharing while also gaining expertise in in their major field
of study. This is aligned to TESOL’s mission in terms of professional
learning, research, standards, and advocacy. Another issue is cultural
awareness, which TESOL considers as one of the values: respect.
Change
How can we accept those challenges to change them?
The first step will be to identify them. The second, as HEIS
members, we need to apply TESOL values: professionalism, respect,
integrity, and lifelong learning. Next, I consider research. It should
be ongoing to guide teaching practices. Every person in this endeavor
should be considered: I mean students, their families, the community,
and higher education staff. Finally, findings should be reported, so we
all learn from one another. TESOL is one venue for that.
Readers
What would you like the readers to know about you?
I would like everyone to know that I am an accessible person.
You can approach me anytime. That is the benefit of technology. I
appreciate if I hear from the members and their needs to better support
them and, through them, this interest section.
Inspiration
What favorite book do you keep close to draw inspiration from?
One book that has guided my teaching practices is How
People Learn. Even though learning about the human being is a
Pandora’s Box, this is a good starting reading for beginning teachers.
Members
Is there anything you would like the readers to know
that we have not touched upon in this interview?
I would love to hear from readers. Let HEIS know about you.
Let’s keep updated together and do not be afraid of volunteering.
Dr. Joseph Slick, an English instructor at California
University of Pennsylvania, has been a TESOL professional for 16 years,
working with immigrants and international students in the United States
and internationally. His interests are emotional literacy/affect and
advocacy for immigrants and students. | 