Last week I got an exciting email from TESOL International. I’ve been selected to give a presentation at the 2024 convention happening in Tampa, Florida. It’s happening over three days in March, and this will be my first in-person ELT conference since 2019.
Typical Conference Experiences
I always enjoy going to conferences. The variety of people, learning about other people’s experiences, and sharing our realities provides a sense of community. Looking at the others attending, I can see young, energetic, enthusiastic teachers that are earlier on in their career. There are also people that aren’t new to the profession but don’t have a ton of experience and others that are experts and veritable rockstars in English Language Teaching.
Despite these differences, we share a common purpose. Some attendees are teaching classes of 45 or 50 students. Others might not have textbooks to use in their classes. There are also teachers with students with special needs who are lacking the resources they need to address their needs. Despite these challenges, these teachers are taking the time off of work or are sacrificing their weekends (often paying out of pocket if their schools can’t or don’t cover the cost) to connect with others and become better teachers.
Beyond the professional context, just connecting with others in person with a shared purpose and common interests gives me something to look forward to. The buzz of conversation, coffee breaks with snacks, chatting with textbook publishers, and hearing from experts are things I enjoy each time. I might even be spontaneous and skip out on a presentation to continue a conversation one on one with someone or just take a breather from the multitude of sessions and to prevent information overload.
What I’m Looking Forward To
All of the conferences I’ve attended in the past 13 years have been in Chile, so I’m looking forward to one happening in the United States. Given that this is an international conference, there will be a larger variety of attendees compared to most of the conferences I’ve been to here. The list of speakers and sessions isn’t available yet, but I’m looking forward to see who will be speaking. Apart from the conference, planning a trip and also being able to enjoy the food I miss from the States is a plus.
Some Closing Thoughts
For anyone that is reading this and feeling stuck, don’t give up on opportunities that might come your way. I previously applied for other opportunities to present at conferences over the past three or four years, but they weren’t successful. I’ve felt disappointed by each rejection, but I’ve learned that persistence pays off in the long term.
Thanks for reading and I’ll keep you updated with more information about the conference and my presentation as time gets closer.
