TEIS Newsletter - March 2021 (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
LEADERSHIP UPDATES
•  LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
•  LETTER FROM THE GUEST EDITORS
ARTICLES
•  AN EXPLORATION OF THE PEACE CORPS TEFL VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM
•  LEARNING TO TEACH LANGUAGE AS SOCIAL PRACTICE: CONCEPT-BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ADULT ESL VOLUNTEERS
•  LEARNING FROM VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN
•  THE SUPERVISION OF VOLUNTEERS
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
•  PROVIDING A SPACE FOR VOLUNTEER CONNECTIONS AND LEARNING
•  SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE AMONG VOLUNTEER TEACHERS
ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY
•  CALL FOR TEIS NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS

LEADERSHIP UPDATES

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

Faridah Pawan, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA

This year is the year where we saw the true grit of teachers all over the world. Despite challenges to their own physical and mental well-being, teachers have given it all to support their students’ learning and to be there for them, even from a distance. Angela Duckworth (2016) says of true grit as the unrelenting belief in the future. Through all that has happened during these arduous months, teachers have kept their efforts and their eyes focused on their students’ future, day in and day out and not just for the week, not just for the month, but as long as it takes, to keep that future on track and to give it the traction it needs.

TE-IS has spent this 2020-2021 celebrating these efforts of teachers near and far. In this special newsletter issue, we celebrate volunteer English teachers from around the globe. The teachers volunteer their expertise and energies without the expectation of compensation or recognition. They take action simply for the good and betterment of others.

The newsletter guest editors, Nikki Ashcraft and Brock Brady are two TESOL leaders who are themselves exemplars of volunteerism. They have demonstrated commitment to the support and mentoring of members through their long and dedicated service to the association and to the profession. We also express appreciation to Fatma Ghailan and Bridget Schvarcz, TE-IS’ long-standing newsletter co-editors, whose unseen hands in TE-IS newsletters, have enabled the SIG to reach and showcase its members’ multifaceted opinions, abilities and talents.

Thank you, everyone!

Faridah

Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner.