I am Mme Korotimi Haidara, a TESOL teacher at the Technical High School of Bamako and a longstanding member of MATE (Malian Association for Teachers of English).

I am the Mali Director of One Global Village, a US-based nonprofit whose mission is to empower the underserved through education, and President of the Siraba School NGO, dedicated to fostering development through women’s empowerment and girls’ education in Mali.

I have worked for the Peace Corps, am a Board member of The Wash Project, and am an active Rotary member. 

Introduction:

In March 2024, I attended a week-long educational and cultural program in Seattle, Washington and the TESOL International Convention & Expo in Tampa, Florida. The participants came from all over the world, such as: Africa, Asia, North America, Canada, and the USA. I was in Seattle with twelve participants from different countries. Our focus was “American Perspectives on Civics and Society.” The week in Seattle started with an orientation session and information about the schedule, accommodation, and the content for both cultural and educational exchange in Seattle.

Activity Overview:

The weeklong professional and cultural program in Seattle included visits to:

• various types of educational institutions (public schools, colleges, universities, English programs, school board)
• community organizations and nonprofits such as the Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC)
• government organizations such as the City Council
• professional meetings with U.S. counterparts focusing on the exchange theme and topics
• cultural activities designed to enhance our understanding of U.S. culture and values
• a home hospitality experience with an American family

Impressive social and cultural places we visited in Seattle include: the Seattle Space Needle
The University of Washington Cherry Blossom visit, the Chihuly Glass Museum, and Pike’s Market.

During the International TESOL Convention & Expo in Tampa, Florida, participants had the opportunity to attend sessions and workshops and network with TESOL professionals. There was an orientation session that allowed participants to meet with other international participants and program staff, receive program specific information, and learn more about the TESOL convention.

Experience & Content of the trip:

The first week, March 13-20, consisted professional and cultural exchange at different educational institutions and some governmental and non-governmental organizations. We met some public personalities and policy makers who shared their inspiring stories which impacted/changed their communities. This exchange program gave me the opportunity as a TESOL Teacher to get more experience in language teaching through the session and meet with different educational institutions and administrators. I had the chance to attend a model lesson on Teaching English by a professor and learn some techniques which can be adapted to my teaching context. This experience provided me more ideas for my own teaching and competencies to grow.

The sessions with community service workers and NGOs gave me better ideas of how to serve my community and how to engage my students and others in community service. I learned how parents in the U.S. can get involved in their child’s education directly by volunteering to help in the classroom from time to time.

From March 20-24 was the convention in Tampa, Florida. That was a chance for me to attend presentations, panels, and workshops in English teaching and meet other professionals from all around the world. As a TESOL teacher and president of my NGO, I was able to connect with other international participants and partners from educational and civic society and NGOs.

My Takeaways:

• This program allowed me to discover new educational technics for English teaching.
• I have adopted some ideas of how to include community service in my English teaching program.
• As the director of an NGO striving to empower the underserved through education, I will insert a program to engage parents in becoming volunteers to support teachers in the education of their children by participating in classroom activities.
• The story of the Chinese immigrant community in the U.S. encourages me to keep serving my community with the few resources my organization/NGO has currently, and to optimize my community work. Even though we are small, we can make a difference!
• Meeting and listening to public personalities helped me to identify my strengths and gave me some ideas on how to overcome my challenges. I feel inspired to continue my work.

My Recommendations:

• Invite participants from Mali to this kind of program every year, and if possible, more than one person.
• Extend the number of days of the TESOL exchange program.
• From my own experience with the travel companies, be sure the expiration date of the visa matches the dates of the program. My visa expired before my arrival date in my home country.

Thanks to this exchange program, I have had so many innovative experiences in both teaching and community service. I have new ideas and renewed enthusiasm for my work. As a TESOL teacher and president of a nonprofit organization, the theme “American Perspectives on Civics and Society” fit well with my profile and benefited me both personally and professionally.

 I thank the U.S. Embassy of Mali and U.S. government and all their partners for this program. I am appreciative of the work of all the team from pre-departure to the end of this program.

 I would especially like to thank Dawn, Rochelle, Maggie, Camille, Shaleena, and Rayan for their guidance and hospitality during the program. I will share my experiences with my other colleagues through MATE (Malian Association for Teachers of English). of which I am proud of being a member.

Report of Participating in the
TESOL Exchange Program in the United States
March 12-20, 2024, Seattle, Washington
March 20-26, 2024, Tampa, Florida
Presented by Korotimi Haidara