Since I began teaching several decades ago, behavior in the classroom has become a reflection of societal attitudes in general. Conflict resolution, whether from a class bully or parent-teacher issues, was becoming a lost art. Lack of self-esteem, respect for others—from classmates to the police officer in the street—and respect for individual differences threatened to disrupt the learning process at every stage, from kindergarten to middle-aged adults. This trend was obvious not just in the United States but worldwide, so that in the Middle East, where I live and work, educators became alarmed and began discussions, seminars, and workshops to develop classroom materials through which we might again create a social conscience in students.

It was rewarding, therefore, when our local group in Egypt discovered we were not alone. Friends in TESOL (after the 2000 convention) brought us the news that a forum existed through which we could gather and share ideas, solutions, methodologies, and resource materials to apply to our local situations. That informal caucus, first called Teachers for Social Responsibility, comprised an amazing group of educators from all over the world. They worked diligently and energetically to gather more forces into the group until it finally became, in 2009, an official interest section.

With access now to TESOL’s vast contact network, opportunities for professional development, and up-to-date professional news—not to mention the ever-expanding Resource Center—the Social Responsibility Interest Section is becoming an important link among the many other interest sections. Indeed, there has been much discussion of the fact that the very idea of social responsibility is already incorporated into most interest groups.

The SRIS continues to welcome all suggestions, comments, and guidance as to what is happening worldwide to create the citizens of tomorrow. One look at sessions held at the TESOL conventions in the past 3 years, and those planned for this year in Dallas, clearly demonstrates the amazing activities that are happening in classrooms from Idaho to India and from Cincinnati to Cairo! Send the newsletter editors and the Resource Center any materials you may have developed to share with other educators; let us know what is going on in your “neck of the woods”; let us be a part of the good work we know you are all doing.

Dr. Catherine Frazier presenting SR-related topic in Boston

SR was a new IS and in Boston and we considered "Where to go from here?"

Friends gather at the SRIS booth in Boston. In picture (from left to right): Rob Clement, Tracy Alexander, Kip Cates, Amy Hamar, Earlene Gentry.

SRIS Presentation Group. In picture (back row, from left to right): Tom Schroder, Kip Cates, Rob Clement; (front row from left to right): Earlene Gentry, Shelley Wong, Amy Hamar

Earlene Gentry, past Chair of SRIS (2010-2012)  taught ESL as well as content courses in Egypt for 25+ years before joining the Fulbright Commission.  After retiring from that, she has remained active as a volunteer, mentoring teachers and helping them with developing resource materials. She is also a free-lance writer and editor for a few trade journals in the region.