Reflections From Former CETC Chairs
Editors’ note: In May we asked each of the chairs within CETC to write a brief reflection on their year or two as chair of the caucus. We are delighted to share their thoughts with you here.
Wes Eby, 1996-98, weseby@tampabay.rr.com
In looking back on the past 25 years of my involvement, I see clearly how God has guided the role and activities of CETESOL and CETC. He has indeed blessed our efforts to honor Him within TESOL. How thrilling to consider all that has been accomplished through the members of our caucus! I’m so grateful for the dozens of volunteers who have been part of CETESOL/CETC leadership (kudos to all of them) and the hundreds who have supported the organization with their membership and prayers. As we enter a new phase as CELEF (Christian English Language Educators Forum), I firmly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to guide and bless those who bear His name with integrity as TESOL professionals. I’m excited as I anticipate what God will do through CELEF in the coming years.
Rita LaNell Stahl, 1998-2000, ritalanell@msn.com
CETESOL, then CETC, has played such an important role in the lives of many TESOL members. When Wes Eby and I first thought of such a group, we considered it for several reasons. One, we had been TESOL members and in leadership roles in TESOL for a number of years and believed it to be the perfect place to meet with other TESOL members who had an interest in teaching ESL/EFL in a Christian setting. With the influx of Southeast Asian refugees, we had found ourselves volunteering to teach ESL in a Christian setting with no ESL materials available for that setting. We knew that we had always turned to TESOL for ideas, networking, and professionalism in our regular jobs. Why not turn to TESOL for our volunteer jobs as well? We were certain that there must be other TESOL members who were Christians and we wanted to meet with them to see how they were handling the refugee situation. We reasoned that because many churches were sponsoring refugees, they too must be hunting for ideas and materials as well. We asked for and received permission from TESOL to meet as an informal group at the Houston convention, and the rest is history.
The goal of CETC leaders has always been to bring glory to God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, without being offensive to anyone. As we worked with people who wanted to be involved, we emphasized that CETC was not their personal platform to push their own agenda. We were a part of TESOL because we wanted to have the opportunity to network with other Christians. We wanted to share our expertise, meet new friends, and find better ways to teach ESL/EFL. In our group, we found volunteers, teachers, professors, authors, researchers, ministers, missionaries, and college students. We found satisfaction and blessings in being able to network from both a professional and a personal standpoint. As we go forward in this new phase of CELEF, I am reminded of a comment Molly Kirby, our contact person at Central Office, made years ago as we were riding a city bus at one of the TESOL conventions. We were discussing some of the changes that had been made over the years concerning the rap sessions, caucuses, and so on. She stated that the leadership in TESOL had recognized early on that whatever changes were made, the Christian group of TESOL educators would survive because we were strong enough and had good enough leadership that we would make it work. I have to agree with Molly. CELEF has been built on a firm foundation with Christ as our ultimate leader who will guide us as we face the latest change.
Kitty Purgason, 2000-01, kitty.purgason@biola.edu
My time in office (2000-03) as incoming chair, chair, and outgoing chair was one of increasing activity for the caucus. Our Web site expanded and I edited the Spotlight column. At the Vancouver convention in 2000 we instituted a change in the open meeting so people had time to chat in affinity groups, such as groups of people interested in Asia, or teachers working in adult education. At the St. Louis convention in 2001, the Networking Room was active and we scheduled discussions on curriculum and program management for church-based ESL/literacy programs, reconciliation and peacemaking through TESOL, Christians and critical pedagogy, values-related issues for ESL/EFL students, and content-based ESL materials for seminaries. A high point was the first caucus colloquium in 2002 at the Salt Lake City convention. Our topic, “ESL in Theological Seminaries,” was so popular that we offered another colloquium the following year in Baltimore, entitled “EFL in International Theological Seminaries.” I chaired the 2004 colloquium, “Encouraging Professionalism in Volunteer-Based Organizations,” in Long Beach.
Nancy Zumwalt, 2001-02, zumwalts@yahoo.com
CETC members worked hard on the 2001 TESOL Convention in St. Louis especially to support cochairs Adelaide Parsons and Wes Eby. It was what CETC had always done to support TESOL, to further both the profession of teaching English and the networking of Christian professionals from around the world. New books by CETC members were highlighted, Academic Sessions were given, Discussion Groups were led, and papers were presented. During the week, the Web site was updated, newsletter editor confirmed, new members recruited, and the whole group prayed for.
The CETC open meeting was another opportunity for more than 120 professionals to get together for networking by professional interests, geographical areas, and academic levels. At the booth, at the executive meetings, and in informal conversation, we talked about how to help some of the other caucuses that were struggling with low membership numbers. CETC encouraged all who could to also join these caucuses to help them reach the minimum sustaining numbers TESOL required to remain a caucus. We helped them reach their goals. It was not hard to observe that the CETC members loved their profession and each other.
Cheri Pierson, 2002-03, Cheri.Pierson@wheaton.edu
Making connections with other Christian educators within TESOL was one of the greatest benefits of serving as CETC chair from 2002 to 2003.The first caucus colloquium, on “ESL in Theological Seminaries,” had presenters from both Protestant and Catholic seminaries. Caucus members hosted Discussion Groups and energy breaks and members were encouraged to become more active in the TESOL organization. Preliminary plans were made for the first Christians in English Language Teaching (CELT) conference, for interested Christian individuals and agencies involved in ESL/EFL, in Long Beach, California, in 2004. I will always be grateful to Kitty Purgason and Nancy Zumwalt who mentored me during the convention and were always available to answer questions or give advice on facilitating the administrative tasks of CETC.
Mary Shepard Wong, 2004-05, mwong@apu.edu
What I remember most about my term as CETC chair from 2004 to 2005 are the people I was privileged to work with. The highlights were leading the open meeting with attendance nearing 200 and the All Caucus Colloquium in which I discussed how my faith was core to my identity and was not something we should or even could leave at the classroom door. The CETC colloquium on “Respecting Religious Differences” was another highlight. What a joy to choose the topic, invite panelists, and then sit back and learn from them. Being CETC chair led to other leadership positions such as membership on the Caucus Review Ad Hoc Committee. In sharp contrast to being CETC chair, this position left me isolated and disillusioned. I was not able to disclose what I heard and was unable to prevent the caucuses from being dissolved. I was deeply saddened to learn how others perceived our caucus but had hope in God and trusted His leading. The process of going from caucus to forum has provided the opportunity for us to rethink how our identity in Christ shapes who we are and how we engage with others as language educators, and that is invaluable.
Karen Asenavage, 2005-06, karenas@sas.upenn.edu
Two significant aspects of my term as chair were the international location from which I served and enhanced communication among the members. I have been the only chair who served while living and working outside of the United States, in this case in the United Arab Emirates. I remember that when the leadership team approached me, I was hesitant because of my love for the people and the country and my respect for the culture in which I lived. Although I knew that my belief in God was honored, I wasn’t sure that putting action to that commitment in a leadership role was prudent. I also wasn’t sure I would be able to communicate as freely as necessary and, quite frankly, I was afraid that by taking on a position like this that my job might be jeopardized. I sought my Father’s opinion, and received Esther 4:14: “And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?” At the same time that I took on the chair role, I was also executive secretary of TESOL Arabia. Although I was careful to keep these positions separate, there came a time when I was questioned by members and colleagues in TESOL Arabia about how I could be a leader in both. To me it was quite simple: My identity was both as an ESOL educator and a Christian, much the same as many of us who function as Christians with our various other identities. Somehow I have forgotten those tumultuous days, but I do remember with thankfulness the prayers that carried me through.
Key objectives of my service were developing leadership among the CETC membership and extending our reach to members and overseas. In order to continue to be a strong and vibrant caucus, I realized that we needed continuity and development of leaders new to TESOL. Many who became involved in CETC at that time remain leaders and I am so grateful for their continued service. We also needed more consistent communication among members and leadership and so were the among the first TESOL subgroups to publish a web version of the newsletter and the first caucus to hold successful elections online. In extending our reach beyond our TESOL membership, we supported the first international CELT conference at Payap University in Thailand, with Brad Baurain taking the lead in that endeavor. That team also raised significant funds to provide travel grants for participants to that conference, with additional funds available to help bring CETC members to TESOL in Seattle the following year. Personally, I realized through the Payap conference how great the need is to support Christian ESL professionals living and working overseas who do not have the financial standing or the benefit of training and professional development support we receive in the United States. It is thus with great hope and expectation that I look forward to what CELEF becomes and how Michael Pasquale leads us in new endeavors beyond TESOL.
Eleanor Pease, 2006-07, Eleanor.Pease@nyack.edu
Being involved in leadership in CETC has been a great privilege. As is the custom, in 2005-06 I started as incoming chair with Karen Asenavage serving as chair. During that year of “understudy,” developing younger leadership was one of my personal goals. Karen and I worked together to accomplish this. Thankfully the goal was reached and when I became “outgoing chair,” Gena Bennett took over and not only made good changes, but also set the stage for transitioning into a new and different working relationship with the TESOL organization. And now the group is under the capable leadership of Michael Pasquale. I will take with me the following memories: the passing of the beads, which started when Karen became chair; the Tampa and Seattle conventions when caucus members met together for supper; and the warm Christian fellowship and the cooperation of those who served and supported the ongoing mission of the CETC.
Gena Bennett, 2007-08, genabennett@yahoo.com
My time as chair of CETC was filled with sadness at a time of loss (as the TESOL caucuses were officially given notification to cease and desist) yet hope for a bright future (as the door has been opened to create a new organization without limitations). Though I hope that CETCers were encouraged by my leadership during my tenure, I know that the greatest benefactor of my role as chair was myself. With many uncertainties, turns, and updates throughout the caucus review process, I felt the need to encourage the caucus and look to what God has in store for us. Though encouragement for CETCers came to me naturally, I was feeling discouraged in many areas of my own life. Each time that I sat down to address the leadership team or the caucus as a whole, the Lord gave me a word of encouragement for CETC; from that word, I was also able to garner encouragement for myself. Thank you, CETC, for allowing me to lead you through one of the final years of the caucus, and thank you for providing me with encouragement I can carry forward for many years.
Though we must say goodbye to the Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus, we will not say goodbye to our vision, mission, or goals; we will carry on as Christian educators in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages and carry on as brothers and sisters in Christ!
