From Coffee to Caucus: A Brief History of CETC
Wes Eby, weseby@tampabay.rr.com
The original Christian Educators group was conceived over coffee and pie at Denny’s in 1984. Rita LaNell Stahl and I were visiting with Charles Blatchford, then-TESOL president, who was the keynote speaker for the Arizona TESOL convention in Phoenix. We discussed the possibility of a group of Christians meeting during the TESOL convention to discuss our common interests in the profession. With Charles’ “blessing,” Rita contacted the program chair, Penny Larson, for the ’84 convention in Houston. The rest is history.
The first meeting was listed in the official program under rap sessions during the evening. Approximately 30 people formed CETESOL (Christian Educators in TESOL) and decided, with enthusiasm, that the meeting should be an annual one. The group has met every year, except 1986, for the past 25 years.
In the next few years, interest and support at the CETESOL meetings increased. About 65 people attended the Chicago meeting in 1988. Joan Dungey volunteered to publish a newsletter, and she provided three issues annually for the next 8 years until CETESOL was granted caucus status.
A significant change occurred in 1989 for the San Antonio convention. A ruling by TESOL Central Office indicated that the organization should not sanction any particular religious group; therefore, the practice of listing CETESOL in the official program would be discontinued. Still, TESOL cooperated with CETESOL by providing meeting rooms and permitting use of the convention newsletter and bulletin board for announcements. Even without a listing in TESOL’s program, CETESOL had an attendance of about 50.
During the next 5 years, CETESOL continued to grow in members and interest. In 1994 at the Baltimore convention, CETESOL requested and received permission to meet twice. Total attendance for the two sessions was more than 100.
In 1995, when TESOL approved the caucus structure, CETESOL was listed in the official program and given a hospitality booth in Long Beach. In two meetings that year, approximately 150 attended. CETESOL leaders, however, did not choose to pursue caucus standing.
In 1996, because CETESOL was not a caucus, we were not listed in TESOL’s program nor granted a hospitality booth. Yet, combined attendance for the two meetings was 120. The CETESOL Steering Committee, after much discussion and prayer, decided to apply for caucus standing, which was granted by TESOL’s Board of Directors in October of that year. TESOL’s president appointed me as chair and Rita LaNell Stahl as chair-elect. The new name was CETC (Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus). The meeting in Orlando the next year, at TESOL ’97, was a celebration. Attendance was an all-time high of 130 for a single meeting.
Since becoming a caucus, CETC has grown professionally and numerically under many capable leaders. CETC chairs and year(s) of service are as follows:
Wes Eby, 1996-98
Rita LaNell Stahl, 1998-2000
Kitty Purgason, 2000-01
Nancy Zumwalt, 2001-02
Cheri Pierson, 2002-03
Adelaide Parsons, 2003-04
Mary Wong, 2004-05
Karen Asenavage, 2005-06
Eleanor Peace, 2006-07
Gena Bennett, 2007-08
Michael Pasquale, 2008-2010
Highlights of the past 12 years include
o CETC Academic Sessions. The session entitled “The Interface of Language and Faith” for TESOL ’08 in New York is an example of the helpful and stimulating presentations our leaders have planned.
o CETC Newsletter, now sent electronically, with editors Joseph Poulshock, Frank Tuzi, Tracy Henninger-Chiang, Feng-Ling M. Johnson, Jim Mischler, Andrew Bowdler, Michael Lessard-Clouston, and Meredith Bricker. This communications medium is a welcomed and appreciated resource.
o CETC Web site with Frank Tuzi, webmaster. Frank has designed a user-friendly Web site to support our caucus’s purposes.
o CETC hospitality booth. This venue has been an active and popular place for members to meet and network as well as disseminate information about the caucus.
o Membership, making CETC one of the largest caucuses
o High attendance and energy at the CETC meetings
o Cooperation with CELT (Christians in English Language Teaching) conferences, often prior to the TESOL convention
Without question, CETESOL/CETC has had an impact on TESOL. The caucus has contributed to TESOL’s annual program through its members’ presentations and through the Academic Sessions. CETC members have been part of TESOL’s leadership, even serving on the board of directors. Through the newsletter and Web site, CETC has promoted the TESOL convention and activities. And in the future as a forum within TESOL, our members will continue to play important roles within this professional organization we love and embrace.
I praise the Lord for all He has allowed us to accomplish through CETC. I say with the apostle Paul: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph 3:20-21, NIV).
Wes Eby, a founding member of CETESOL, served as its facilitator until CETC was formed and was the first chair of the caucus. He has attended every meeting of CETESOL/CETC.
