Of all the powerful weapons that exist in the world, the word is the biggest, the strongest, and the most powerful, because it has the power to build and to destroy a whole nation. Power, a little word made up of two syllables, is able to transform, to shape, to frame, to change, to equip, to reinforce, to stimulate, and to empower a situation, a country, a way of life, a person, also to increase a teacher’s love for his job.

In a powerful way the TESOL 2012 Declaration of Excellence conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in March 2012, opened my eyes to the noble goals that I am achieving every day with students.

My Experience

Since I joined MATE-TESOL in 2010, I have heard that TESOL was an international organization designed to improve and promote the English language all over the world. In 2011, I was chosen and sponsored through the Cultural Section of the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and through the confidence of my MATE-TESOL president, Comfort Davis Mingot, to attend my very first TESOL convention. I was excited, but a little nervous because I didn’t really know what it was all about. But I arrived at Philadelphia on Tuesday, March 27, 2012, for the registration check-in, and on Wednesday, March 28, I entered the TESOL convention. I was amazed by the structures, the coordination, and was dazzled by the great job that the coordinators of this organization had done.

I attended several meetings, including the new members and first-time attendees reception, the affiliate editor’s workshop, and the Social Responsibility Interest Section meeting. I also attended several presentations on how teachers can support traumatized students, and “Social Responsibility Comes of Age.” On top of doing all of this, I also experienced being a volunteer at the poster sessions, the job marketplace, and so forth.

The Turning Point

The session which changed my perspective as a teacher of English was the open plenary by Mr. Alberto Carvalho titled “In Pursuit of Excellence for All.” For me, this session was a spotlight which showed me that being a teacher of English isn’t small talk or the job of people who couldn’t find something better to do. Mr. Carvalho’s personal story and how his experiences made him who he is today truly moved me.

While he was presenting his session, I started to realize that the work I am doing every day as a teacher is more than just a job—sure, I love teaching English because I know that the language is a building block for students’ futures, but at this session I learned more. Mr. Carvalho showed us that being a teacher is more than just standing up in front of a group of students to teach them, but as teachers we are also models for students, we are their leaders, we are their counselors and the ones who show them the better way to take, and we are also the ones who can stand to protect their rights as students.

I can say that Mr. Carvalho has helped me find the real teacher who was sleeping in me, and after this session I realized that I had fallen in love with my career, my students. The English atmosphere where I was at the convention filled me with refreshment, because everything that I learned at this convention was a fruitful garden from which every session and every single thing I have taken part in were delightful and extraordinary fruits.

After attending, there were thousands of questions and ideas crossing my mind related to my work, including:

• Am I a good teacher?
• Do I use the right method?
• Am I using the right curriculum?
• What is my biggest weakness?
• How can I give my best to students?

All these questions and many more were on my mind. Through this convention, I was able to see where I was lacking, and now I am determined to struggle against these shortcomings in order to become a wonderful teacher. As Mr. Carvalho explained during his session, a good teacher worries about the quality of what he or she is going to give students and about their futures.

The warm welcome that I received at the convention and the way Dr. Shelley Wong introduced me to the interest section was very interesting. All the moments I experienced, I have shared with other teachers. Talking about our teaching methods has the power to help us improve our work.

The Benefit

Through this experience and sponsorship, I learned so much. It taught me where I am good and where I am bad; when you are able to see those things you are also able to see the benefits and make improvements. I am more aware that I must be more patient with students, I must work on my listening skills, on my curriculum, and in one word I need improvement to strengthen my teaching in front of my class. Now I am working on my weaknesses, not alone, but with students by gathering some of their suggestions on how they would like the course to be done in the classroom.

Because I have done this, I can tell the difference in my teaching; I feel better and more confident and can enjoy the nicer atmosphere as a result. Some suggestions that I have gathered from students:

• “I think we should have much more time for the English course and other structures so the students will have better notes at the exam. That way we will be able to speak the English language.” Venante, ninth grade
• “My name is Samuel. I am seventeen. I go to school at College Nerija, I am very happy to talk about my English subject. According to me the English course is very important because it helps my pronunciation and my speaking. What I don’t like and I bring my critical on it, it’s because there is no listening and the time is not enough. And I want to have some uncourageous students in my class because I am sharp as a tack that’s to say that I am very laborious and I think I will increase my level and it’s a good Idea to spend my time studying English.” eighth grade
• “In my opinion, English is very important in the classroom and in life, but we have lack of materials to work on English by example books, grammar, because after the exam the students didn’t get good notes. And that is the reason why I think that we need more to study English better.” Alexandre, ninth grade
• “I think that the English is an important course because speaking English is nice capacity. And I like the way the teacher is teaching the course, but the thing that I don’t like is the kind of book that we are using, they don’t have CD to practice listening and we don’t have DVD player to illustrate the course, and the 2 hours per week is not enough. I am sure if we can have those materials our English level will be different.” Jean-Wily, ninth grade
• “Today it is a great pleasure for me to tell you a little about my English course. I am in 7th grade and the course is interesting but the time is too short. I think we should have much more time and I think that we should also have an English club to make practice.” Jeudy, seventh grade
• “Before starting in the name of Jesus I greet you. I am Jeff and I am in 6th grade in College Nerija de Mahotiere. For me it’s a great honor to write concerning my English course at school. I think it’s a good thing because when we see American people we won’t be able to talk to them. Some students neglect English because they don’t know if it can help them speaking English better. Even though the time isn’t enough I think it will be good to have much more time per week and I would like to have spotlight for the course, that way we will learn the English language better.”

Conclusion

To sum up, I can say that attending the 46th annual TESOL convention and getting involved in the TESOL atmosphere was very powerful. The world has the power in it to build and to destroy, but TESOL has chosen to build in order to shape English teachers all over the world. The Declaration of Excellence convention in Philadelphia was made just for me. Thanks to Mr. Carvalho, “in pursuit of excellence” is written in gold in my mind and spirit, allowing me to devote my life teaching English by pursuing excellence.

Yvenie Massolas with the sixth graders of the secondary section at College Nerija de Mahotiere, in Haiti.

Yvenie Massolas teaches ESL to students from 6th to 9th grades at College Nerija de Mahotiere in Haiti. She volunteers with the BAIN FOUNDATION helping youth at the Haitian-American Institute. Yvenie enjoys English, teaching, praying, traveling, and reading.