2018 is on the doorstep. It is at this juncture that we commonly look back over the passing year, take stock of how it has been for us, and plan for the coming year. We do this for our lives in general, but do we do it as deliberately for our professional lives?
Let us take some downtime at this threshold of a new year to take inventory of our professional performance in 2017. What went well? What didn’t go as well as we would have liked? What can I, what should I, what will I do in the new year to improve myself as an educator?
Many options are available, and many are provided by Korea TESOL. KOTESOL events, large and small, are spread across the calendar year: chapter workshops and conferences, SIG events, the National Conference, and the International Conference. And there are our KOTESOL publications to keep us up to date with ELT: The English Connection (TEC), the Korea TESOL Journal, and KOTESOL Proceedings, all on our website.
But let us not think only of what KOTESOL can do for us; let us think of what we can do for KOTESOL. Our slogan is “Teachers Helping Teachers.” This suggests serving. Consider volunteering to help organize a KOTESOL event; consider presenting at a workshop or conference; consider contributing to one of our publications.
The great thing about this type of service is that in the end, we wind up benefitting from it as much as anyone. Through serving KOTESOL, KOTESOL serves you. I cannot begin to tell you how much I have grown in our profession through KOTESOL. So take a moment, look back, look forward, and see how you can grow through KOTESOL in 2018.
Happy New Year!
David E. Shaffer
President, Korea TESOL
