Balancing Personal Responsibilities with Association Altruism: Three Professional Development Histories in LTAs

Abstract

This chapter provides details of the auto-ethnographic narratives of three different TESOL professionals who have worked in language teachers’ associations (LTAs) in different global contexts. Each of the authors has provided a personal story describing what they have contributed to LTAs as well as what they have gained from the experience. The first narrative focuses on Knight’s leadership development experiences in TESOL International Association in the United States. In the second narrative, Murphey shares his experiences at LTAs in the United States, Europe, and Japan. In the third narrative, Nur Iswanti describes her experiences at LTAs in Indonesia and her involvement with a global teacher development institute online. The last part of the chapter provides 12 tips on how teachers can become involved in LTAs while balancing their own personal and professional commitments. The chapter concludes that LTAs can promote personal and professional growth because they provide members with access to local and global communities of practice; i.e. lifelong relationships which nurture their well-being.